Prized Perth Glory recruit Robbie Fowler believes he could play on for three more years before turning his hand to coaching. And the 35-year-old also took aim at how players from his former A-League club – North Queensland – were treated last season.
Fowler, who turned down an offer from Sydney FC to sign with the Glory, on Wednesday declared he was far from finished as a player a day after touching down in Perth.
“I still consider myself young even though I’m not,” Fowler said.
“I love the game and I want to play for as long as I can.
“I want to go down that coaching (path) but let me just go out and play first.
“I think I have got one, two, maybe three years playing.
“(Coaching) is what I want to do in the end … but I think I have got a few more years before I am up for coaching.”
Fowler was released from the second year of his contract with North Queensland after the club hit financial strife at the end of last season when their owner walked out.
“The way the players were treated up there was, well I think it was disgraceful to be honest, but I’m obviously not here to speak about that, I’ll save that for another day,” said Fowler, who didn’t elaborate.
“I’m here now (in Perth) because thankfully the chairman and the manager gave us another chance to play football over here and Perth Glory is the place.
“I am confident at what I can do, and the (Perth) team had a great season last year.
“So I am on board and hopefully I can try and better the team and that is the aim.”
Glory coach Dave Mitchell said Fowler, who scored nine goals last season, would play a vital part in Perth’s title charge.
“He’s going to add that little bit of special, that X-factor that we may have been missing,” Mitchell said.
Fowler will play his first game for Perth against his old club North Queensland at ME Bank Stadium on August 6.
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