Before the start of the 1987 National Soccer League season Windsor Wheels hired Yugoslavian Mirko Bazic as their coach. He was a former coach of Borac Banja Luka in Yugoslavia. Bazic was hired on a two-year, $15,000 per year contract.
The club operated with a $150,000 budget. Windsor Wheels opened their NSL season by defeating Mississauga Lakers 4-0 on Sunday May 17. The game was watched by 500 fans at Windsor Stadium.
Windsor Wheels won the 1987 National Soccer League championship and the Canadian Championship.
Player profiles
Rob Agostini – goalkeeper. 24 years old.
Anthony Carrabino – reserve goalkeeper.
Waldir deSouza – defender.
Franjo Domic – defender.
Milan Korac – defender.
Nikola Kristo – 25 year old Yugoslavian defender. Signed in April 1987. Formerly of NK Zagreb and Dinamo Zagreb in Yugoslavia.
Mike Lupenec – defender.
Steve Toth – defender.
Marek Bitel – midfielder.
Edson Dias – 26 year old Brazilian attacking midfielder. Formerly of Palmeiras in Sao Paulo.
Ian Parratt – midfielder.
Paul Pecoraro – 18 year old midfielder. A member of the Assumption team in the Windsor Secondary Schools Association League.
Frank Amante – forward.
Bill Boucas – forward.
Meally Freeman – forward.
Emir Leti – forward.
Giovanni “John” Perciballi – striker. Joined London Marconi in mid-July.
Marc Tirikian – forward.
Mike Vigh – forward.
1987 NSL Final standings
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | |
Windsor Wheels | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 54 | 18 | 30 |
Toronto Croatia | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 20 | 27 |
Panhellenic | 20 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 24 | 27 |
London Marconi | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 23 | 24 |
Toronto Italia | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 29 | 22 |
Toronto International | 20 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 29 | 21 | 19 |
Mississauga Lakers | 20 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 23 | 35 | 15 |
Chile Lindo | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 44 | 15 |
St. Catharines Roma | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 18 | 30 | 15 |
First Portuguese | 20 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 39 | 14 |
Nacional Latino | 20 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 21 | 44 | 12 |