Past failures 'redundant' as Stajcic targets WSW glory

New boss Alen Stajcic views Western Sydney's struggles for success as "irrelevant" as he sets his sights on guiding the Wanderers to their maiden A-League Men title.

Stajcic quit Perth Glory over the off-season and will be thrown in at the deep end when his Wanderers side host Sydney FC in their season opener on Saturday.

The former Matildas coach has set the bar high for his new club, despite the Wanderers having played just one finals game in their past seven seasons.

Stajcic claimed his new-look Wanderers were unperturbed by the club's past failures and, with a good run, can dream of claiming an elusive ALM championship.

"My expectation is to win the competition," Stajcic said on Monday.

"There's enough talent in this group to compete and beat everyone, and there's a good belief and confidence within this group.

"The A-League is so tight, and with a bit of momentum and confidence it helps any team.

"We saw that with the Mariners at the beginning of the year, but once they got into their groove they built a lot of confidence, and the league is so tight that can happen for anyone.

"The history of the club is irrelevant and you can carry that baggage with you, but ultimately everyone starts on zero.

"Again, I can talk about the Mariners, but they proved history is redundant.

"You can turn a club around with a special group of players, and for me this is a special group of players and they'll be the ones to lead this club over the next few years."

While the arrival of Juan Mata has generated plenty of hype around the Wanderers heading into their new campaign, Stajcic was relieved to retain homegrown talent Nicolas Milanovic.

Delivering nine goals and five assists last season, the 22-year-old attacking midfielder was a shining light for the Wanderers and Stajcic wants to see him push for Socceroos selection.

"He is an aspiring talent on the Australian football scene, and no doubt if he keeps progressing and working hard he's going to be a key player for our national team," Stajcic said.

The only concern for the new Wanderers boss is settling on a goalkeeper for their season opener against Sydney.

First-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas is sidelined with an ankle problem, while No. 2 Jordan Holmes is also unavailable through injury.

"That spot is up for grabs and we have three goalkeepers who'll be fighting for that spot this weekend," Stajcic said.