Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg believes that Perth Glory can be a title contender this season, and there would be few who at this current time would disagree.
He also stated that it is good for the people of Perth that the club is in this position as they always used to be a strong club in the old NSL.
Glory coach Ian Ferguson was upbeat and agreed with Bleiberg about the expectations placed on players and coaches of Perth Glory by fans used to challenging for national titles.
“I want a 2-3 year deal to get Perth Glory into the top six every year.” He said after the 4-0 demolition of Gold Coast United.
There are many fans that do not like Ferguson as coach, but he has delivered and the brand of football being played is without doubt the best witnessed at NIB Stadium since the end of the NSL. That alone should warrant him being given an extension to his contract or at least discussing one. It should not be about personalities.
Sir Alex Ferguson is revered at Old Trafford due to his success, was he the most popular manager with the fans when he started? No, but he has done what he was paid to do and more.
Miron Bleiberg alluded to the age of the Perth Glory squad in his post match comments, and that when you buy experience you also often have players on the homeward stretch of their careers. This will need to be managed carefully. Many players have put in performances that warrant contract extensions, yet to keep moving forward some may have to be let go.
Ian Ferguson has the strength to not let sentiment get in the way of those hard decisions. Then again a new manager will have no relationship with these players so will also be able to make the hard decisions, but will he be able to build on what Ferguson and his team have created a team playing a wonderful style of football, that if they had been more ruthless could have embarrassed Gold Coast far more than the 4-0 result.
