Fee Fi Fo Fum – look at FIFA, here they come!
Dr Peter Parkes – MIPS member and team doctor for the Western Sydney Wanderers
As one of two team doctors, Dr Parkes embarks on a trip of a lifetime to the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco from 10 to 20 December 2014.
Dr Parkes is a general practitioner with an interest in sports medicine. He currently works in Caringbah in Sydney's south. Apart from being a dad to two daughters and a son, he also finds time to surgically assist an orthopaedic surgeon, hand surgeon and plastic surgeon.
The Western Sydney Wanderers have become the first Australian team to win the Asian Champions League (ACL) – a domestic club competition open only to those who have finished in the top two or three teams in their respective national leagues. The Wanderers were formed in mid-2012 and went on to complete their debut regular A-league season (2012/13) in first place. This allowed them to claim a position in the ACL for the 2014 season. Earlier this year they were drawn into a group with 2012 ACL Champions Ulsan Hyundai from Korea, Kawasaki Frontale from Japan and Guizhou Renhe from China. They finished top of the group and progressed to the Round of 16.
The Wanderers were positioned against the 2013 ACL Champions and the richest club in Asia, Guangzhou Evergrande from Southern China. Against all expectations and a very hostile crowd in the second leg they drew 2-2 on aggregate, but progressed on the away goals rule. In the semi-final they drew FC Seoul and after holding them to a draw in the away game were able to win 2-0 at home to progress to the final of the competition. Against Asia’s biggest club, Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia, they won the first leg 1-0 at Parramatta stadium and travelled to Riyadh for the second leg. In what was the most extraordinary atmosphere, the team was able to hold off the onslaught of the highly favoured opponents to emerge winners at 1-0 on aggregate and lift the trophy a little more than 2 years after the club was born.
As champions of Asia, they have been invited to the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco in December 2014 along with the champions of the other continents including Real Madrid (Europe) and San Lorenzo (South America). They have drawn the North/Central American champions Cruz Azul (Mexico) in the quarter final and the winner of this match will play European champions, Real Madrid, in the semi-final.
MIPS members should request approval for medical cover for travel when working overseas. Email info@mips.com.au for more information.
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