Certainly, there may be a bounce under caretaker coach Jean-Paul de Marigny, even though as an ultra hands-on assistant he was very much part of the problem.
In reality, the myriad issues afflicting the free-falling A-League giants go far deeper than simply a German coach who failed to deliver after an 18-month reign best remembered for his expletive-laced rants and zany dress sense, rather than the robustness of his results.
For owner Paul Lederer, soon to return to Sydney from an overseas trip, the question will be: does the buck stop simply with Babbel?
After providing the club with the best home ground in Australia and a new training base to match, the billionaire will doubtless be assessing the performance of those with hire and fire powers further up the totem pole: namely reclusive football operations chief, Irishman Gavin Costello, and his boss, CEO John Tsatsimas.
What part have they played in the sharp decline of a club which in 2014 won the AFC Champions League and boasted the most raucous and envied active support group across all codes in the country?
What remains from those heady and hallowed days right now is an empty shell, quite literally, with supporters voting with their feet to leave Bankwest Stadium with the atmosphere of a mausoleum.
As Wanderers legend Brendon Santalab pointed out to The World Game just last week, the club is crying out for a top-down microscopic audit of its recruitment practices and management model if it is to arrest the slide into further mediocrity.
It’s not just about the coaches - but also who appoints them.
Whilst Lederer considers whether or not a wider personnel purge is warranted, he will keenly follow the fortunes of latest arrival, striker Simon Cox on a free transfer from relegation-bound League One side Southend.
The 32-year-old was out of favour at the Shrimpers under the regime of former England defender Sol Campbell and how he performs will be an interesting case study into whether the Costello/Tsatsimas tag-team have the smarts to avoid a repeat of the recruitment calamity surrounding his predecessor Alexander Meier.
The 37-year-old marquee striker’s exit last week - after one goal in 12 forgettable appearances - was immediately followed by Cox’s arrival.
Without in any way seeking to impugn the impact the ex-Ireland international may or may not have, his fortunes may have deeper reverberations for those who have brought him in than he might ever imagine.
Meanwhile, Babbel’s sepia-tinted video farewell speech - posted on the Wanderers’ official website - won’t be fooling anybody over the extent of the mess the club currently finds itself in.
Unnamed players say his training sessions were often chaotic and unstructured and the absence of a clear football philosophy left them flummoxed and frustrated.
The philosophy of the club as a whole is now what’s most under the microscope, leaving Lederer with plenty to ponder.
