Champion of Asia. Laughing stock of Turkey.

Tony Popovic is the first Australian to have ever embarked along the Silk Road for a first division coaching opportunity in Europe.

It was symbolic that his chance – and eventual demise – rested in Turkey, the first European country encountered on the historic route.

The circumstances surrounding this situation were questionable if not downright outrageous.

For the record, yes he did bring home the Asian Champions League for the A-League’s youngest franchise.

However, the results we are seeing now (eg. 0-5 Sydney) are directly the result of Tony’s cold feet.

After the Wanderers’ “most settled and productive” preseason yet, the former coach jumped ship and nabbed his assistants.

Popovic left his club scrambling for their second ever manager a week out from their season opener, despite publically beaming that he finally had obtained his desired squad for a successful title tilt.

But where was the trailblazer to make his mark as a pioneer of Australian football? Surely not the legendary club Galatasaray?

It couldn’t be a European powerhouse in Fenerbahçe or Beşiktaş, could it? Maybe Aziz Behich’s Bursaspor?

Of bloody course bloody not.

Popovic’s dream was to begin in the small industrial city of Karabük.

Kardemir Karabükspor had won just one match in their first seven to open this season.

After firing their coach, their beacon of desperate need travelled 15,000 kilometres and found a man ready to take the reigns of a club with more frailties than many A-League teams have fans.

Assured full choice of coaching staff but not much else the former Crystal Palace assistant gambled on sharp odds and set off to crack the European egg.

Tony “Passion” Popovic opened his account with two timely victories from three.

Optimism filled the hearts of the Karabükspor fans, who enjoyed the coach to the extent that a banner – just one – was created with his name and face on it.

Perhaps there was a soul and persona ingrained within the Blue Flame, a side that carries the name of the city’s largest manufacturing company in a town with no history before the industrial revolution.

It was soon evident that this was not the case.

Just a month later the stricken club’s president and 11 board members resigned in order to open up new avenues for financial intervention.

The January war chest that was promised to the coach looked a pipe dream.

Results stalled without any financial security for its players and coaches.

Seven-straight league losses followed and the new board had seen enough to earn the Australian his marching orders.

Was it naivety that led Popovic to take this ridiculous opportunity or was he too headstrong to see the many jeopardising factors?

Who knows.

But like the budget wine that carries Tony’s name, Popovic’s stay in Turkey was nothing but a short moment of lip-service without substance. The regret of ever having consumed it is a fast approaching reality for fans of the Blue Flame.

Yet a new, more prestigious post beckons.

Worryingly, for a man who has left two clubs to rot in the past four months, Popa’s objective of coaching his country is far closer than it should be.

Do we want the Socceroos to be his hat-trick?