Perth Glory announced today the signing of another young talented player, in under 20’s world cup player Jamie Maclaren.
MacLaren has decided ‘to end his four-year spell with English club Blackburn Rovers, rejected overtures from a host of top European and Australian clubs to pen a three-year deal with Glory.’ Which is a decision that has baffled many especially after his performances in Turkey at the FIFA Youth World Cup.
THis is great news in terms of Alistair Edwards trying to build a young team that will stick together and restore Perth Glory to being one of the major players in the Hyundai A-League; that is if they all stay in Australia and do not get poached by overseas clubs.
The problem is on a lesser scale have we not seen this before at Perth Glory. Ron Smith when he was appointed coach also signed many talented young players with a view to bringing them through and building a competitive side over a few years. The trouble was when youth world cup qualifiers came around those players were taken from the squad for international duty. The FFA at that time would not postpone A-League games for players tied up in Youth Internationals, and one would expect that stance to be the same today.
Not only did the club lose the players due to playing commitments but also to camps, which had a disruptive effect on team training as with a few players out with injuries there were as many players on the training paddock as you get at many social league team’s kick-abouts. When you add in the fact that Perth Glory often has less training sessions due to the fixture schedule and flying interstate, it was incredibly disruptive.
Let us hope that the FFA’s stance has indeed changed as it could be a case of deja-vu if Perth Glory pay have to pay the price for promoting youth.
Struth, I could not agree more. If they want to keep young talent in Australia and see it playing A League football they have to change the rules.
Having Alistair as coach, and someone who has worked in their organisation, he may well be able to make them see sense, or as you say they face making a mockery of the league and teams based on youth.
Let us hope that the FFA’s stance has indeed changed as it could be a case of deja-vu if Perth Glory pay have to pay the price for promoting youth
Your take on this is so ” On the ball ” –
It is unfortunate that the FFA on one hand wish to promote Youth for the future benefit of All in the Beautiful Game and Refuse to accede to game changes or postponements.
So what will happen ?? Could be that Glory going along winning games are in top 4 and then the requirement for their Youth Players kicks in and they start losing and that in its turn affects Attendances.
So it would be a Negative for the FFA to continue to Penalise Glory and in Best Interests of ALL to stop being so pigheaded and Stop being responsible for destroying the supporter base or Glorys’ chance to proceed to the finals.
STRUTH