‘I want to bring good football’: Mata sets his goals for his time at the Wanderers
Poletti 
Juan Mata holding a Western Sydney Wanderers scarf at CommBank Stadium. Photo: Poletti
Days after cross-town rivals Sydney FC announced the signing of Douglas Costa, the Western Sydney Wanderers hit back by announcing they had signed FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner Juan Mata.
Having signed only a one-year-deal, Mata made it clear that he had set some targets both on and off the pitch.
“I just want to enjoy football. I want to give my best for the team. I want to bring high standards, professionalism, all my experience and knowledge in the game and of course I want to bring good football,” he said.
“I love to play this game, I’m still hungry to play, I feel good so hopefully we can enjoy it together and I’ve seen already the fans this morning and I can’t wait for them to celebrate something, hopefully in the first game of the season, which I know is a big one.”
He was greeted at Sydney Airport on Saturday morning to the sound of drums and chanting from Wanderers faithful, thanking the club and fans for the organisation of it, and said he is happy to be here in Australia.
“I’m so happy to be in this country to get to know a different competition, to try to win a different competition,” Mata said.
“I’m thankful to the club, to [Wanderers CEO] Scott [Hudson], to Alen [Stajcic], all the conversations that we had.
“Since the beginning I could feel that they were very keen for me to come, and that was the most important thing for me to go somewhere where I feel really welcome and that we are in the same direction of trying to win trophies.”
Mata also said that he thinks that Wanderers fans are the best in the country and had a strong message to delivery to them.
“After arriving today, I can prove that. I can tell them that I will give my best. I will give 100 per cent that I have in every single day,” Mata said.
“I think that the connection between the players and the fans, the clubs and the fans, is key in this industry.
“To bring the passion, to bring the commitment and to celebrate things together.
“Hopefully I can do it, we can do it with them very soon.”
The 36-year-old signed with the Wanderers off the back of a season with Vissel Kobe where he played only 11 minutes in one appearance.
He was quick to allay concerns that his lack of game time would be an issue, saying that he feels good.
Mata also noted that he didn’t have any big injuries in his career and has been training hard with a fitness coach as well as club FC Nordsjælland while he was working out what his next move would be.
Having only played for clubs in Spain and England before the 2022/23 season, Mata has used the last few years to get to know the world and have new experiences, playing for Galatasaray in Turkey and Vissel Kobe in Japan.
“I think it makes me a better player. I’ve been in different countries after being in England for so long,” the Spaniard said.
“[It’s] not only made me a better player but also a better human. I think it opens your mind to travel around the world and still keep hunger for this sport so I’m really looking forward to this new challenge and I take it as if it was my first challenge in my career.”
Over recent years, different A-League Men clubs have made star signings like Mata, with the likes of Daniel Sturridge (Perth Glory), Nani (Melbourne Victory), and Keisuke Honda (also Victory) not necessarily having the on-field impact those clubs would have expected.
Western Sydney Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson said that there was not any concern about the recent history with other signings playing out with Mata.
“There’s always a risk when you bring in any player of any age or experience as well,” Hudson said.
“We had a conversation internally that was a pretty quick conversation to make sure we aligned from a football perspective and an ownership perspective as well.
“The key thing for me is Juan is a born winner. His track record speaks for itself and like he said, his motivation to compete and win trophies and bring success to this club is something that is a focus for him, so it wasn’t a concern.”