Once again at a time when the Perth Glory players and coaching staff should be allowed to simply focus on matters on the pitch off field issues raise their head.
The West Australian has carried a story today which has the CEO of Perth Glory rejecting claims that arose in a Sydney newspaper that Recruitment Manager Graham Normanton was being lined up as a replacement for current coach Ian Ferguson.
Understandably Ferguson would be miffed that this has now hit the media, despite the fact that as he says the rumour has been circulating the Western Australian Football community for several months.
The fact that the club requested special dispensation from the FFA that Mr. Normanton be allowed to move straight to his coaching A Licence without having a B licence, would indicate that maybe there was some kindling that started the current fire.
“Not The Footy Show” approached the FFA to ask the grounds for accepting this dispensation and asking if other WA coaches will be afforded the same, but an answer was not forthcoming.
Surely now is the time for the club to make a decision over Ian Ferguson’s future, despite the gentleman’s agreement that this would be confirmed at the end of the season. By re-appointing Ferguson this current story will be immediately quashed. The longer his future is up in the air the more it will gather momentum.
More importantly Ferguson’s re-appointment will allow him to start building the team for next season. The 6-7000 loyal Perth Glory fans deserve to have the foundations for next season being laid now, as to wait until the end of the season could see the club back at Ground Zero. Players need to know where they stand and whether they should seriously entertain offers being tabled by other clubs. Sadly that is unlikely to happen until the man who is to lead them is confirmed.
Perth Glory has wobbled along in the Hyundai A league due to a lack of stability, they have had five coaches and three CEO’s, with an additional acting CEO, in just six years. Surely for the future these key positions need to be confirmed as early as possible, and then the future can be planned properly?
