Alana Cerne and Adriana and Melissa Taranto were once the faces of Western United’s big, bold A-League Women vision.
Now, they and their former teammates are scattered across the league after that vision fell apart.
United, who had issues paying players for months, were stripped of their A-Leagues licence in August, then later handed a wind-up order from the Australian Taxation Office.
It was devastating for Western Sydney recruit Cerne, who was United’s first player in 2022 and hails from Melbourne’s western suburbs.
“I was the first signing, so obviously the club meant a lot to me,” Cerne told AAP.
“It’s difficult seeing things happen like that to people who put their heart and soul into trying to make it work, not just for us, but as a club.”
The late decision on United’s future left players scrambling for spots at clubs that had largely filled their rosters.
It was a situation Matildas striker Michelle Heyman described as “one of the cruellest things that’s happened in football.”
“It was honestly months and months of just stress and the unknown,” Melissa Taranto told AAP.
“One day it was ‘we’re fine, and we’re gonna all be together and starting pre-season’ and the next day it was, ‘I don’t think it’s gonna happen’.”
Contracted players couldn’t speak to other clubs until United were put into hibernation for the upcoming season.
“We were very much let down with how the club went about it,” Adriana Taranto told AAP.
“I think it was not in the control of a lot of people at the club. So even when us players would go and ask people at the club, they didn’t really have a clear message to to give us, which is just as frustrating for them.
“There was a lot of outside things that were happening that weren’t communicated clearly to the people that work at Western, let alone the players.
“So we were a bit disappointed in not really getting the honest situation of what was really going on and, again, we had a little bit of false hope, and feeling that everything was going to be OK.
“And then it was all of a sudden like ‘nah, you’ve got to all go find another job.”
The midfield duo, both teachers, have joined Adelaide United and left their school jobs when the Reds came calling.
After kickstarting their careers at Western, they believe Adelaide can challenge for silverware.
Adriana also hopes to build on her first two Matildas caps and push for Asian Cup selection.
“I don’t see why we can’t be be up there,” she said.
“If I can be successful in this team and help this team, it’s obviously going to probably help me shine as well.”
Cerne wants to help the Wanderers reach finals, starting with Friday’s season opener against Perth Glory, where she’ll face ex-United defender Julia Sardo.
Fellow defenders Grace Maher (Melbourne Victory) and Aimee Medwin (Brisbane Roar) are among others to find new homes.
“Not everyone got an opportunity to play again, which is disappointing, but it was good to see that a lot of the girls found clubs,” Cerne said.
“Everyone’s everywhere.
“It’s gonna be weird – every second week when we play against another team, you’re going to see one of the girls that you used to play with.”
