Perth Glory’s two new coaches have both spent much of their time since their playing days came to an end developing young players. Both have gained a great deal of respect in football circles for their work in this area and so it will be interesting to see how many of the youngsters at the Perth Glory are given more game time than they previously received. Five or ten minutes at the end a game, and often one that you are losing does a young player very little good in terms of development.
One has to believe that Perth Glory making the finals this season is entering the realms of fantasy, even though it is still mathematically possible. So one wonders what brief has been given to Alistair Edwards and Gareth Naven. Hopefully they have been given some indication as to what is expected of them in the remaining seven games.
They are in an unenviable position if they have not been given some indication as to what is expected. If they have been told results are not as important as young players being given game time and the team being competitive as the club moves towards a new goal next season then that would be acceptable. If they are expected to to make wholesale changes and win games and make the finals then they have a tough time ahead of them.
Whereas the club has to say the finals are still a goal whilst they are still achievable, it would be good if the club’s loyal fans were advised as to the aims for the next seven games. Perth Glory has some talented youngsters of that there is no doubt but they need experience alongside them to help them continue to develop. Edwards will be well aware of this having benefitted himself from words of advice from older players when he signed for Millwall.
If the two are given the reigns for next season, which at this point in times seems unlikely if a “worldwide search” really is taking place, it will be interesting to see how many of the boys from WA they can lure back across the Nullarbor.
As stated previously sometimes it is not in a players best interests to sign for his hometown club, especially if they do not play a style of football that suits his game, but when one looks at the talent from this state playing elsewhere the club would have a pretty strong line up if some did return home:
Goalkeepers: Mark Birighitti, Tando Velaphi, Lewis Italiano. Defenders: Josh Risdon, Scott Neville, Trent Sainsbury, Sam Mitchinson, Storm Roux, Jack Clisby, Brent Griffiths. Midfielders: Cameron Edwards, Nick Ward, Brandon O’Neill, Blamo Qua Qua. Forwards: Eli Babalj, Richard Garcia, Jesse Makarounas, Chris Harold, Ndumba Makeche, Adam Taggart.
Paul, it was not a comment on all of the boys coming back, more on how many are from WA, which is good. It is just sad that some of the players have not played for their hometown club. As mentioned, in some cases it is in the best interests of their career that they don’t. WA is parochial and local boys help breed a pride in representing a club.
Nice mock squad Ash, but A-league franchises aren’t supposed to be State of Origin as in rugby league (but that would be a interesting mid-week thing to add to our Code Mr Gallop). However if we were top of the league even the most parochial of us would not be making much fuss about the lack of Sandgropers in the squad. World Game after all and were not Basque separatists.