Three straight wins and a share of top spot on the ladder would have any A-League coach brimming with pride.
But Perth Glory manager Ian Ferguson is far from satisfied just yet, knowing all too well his side will need to improve in leaps and bounds if they are going to be around the mark at the business end of the season.
Perth were unconvincing but got the job done in a 1-0 win over Wellington on Sunday, with Shane Smeltz’s 33rd-minute strike enough to lift the Glory to their third straight win.
It was the second week in a row the Glory had been outplayed but still managed to win, with Melbourne Heart unlucky not to at least secure a point in a 2-1 result at AAMI Park.
But after enduring 13 losses in his 21 games in charge last season, Ferguson isn’t complaining about his side’s turnaround.
And the former Rangers star is confident his new-look outfit will only get better as players become more accustomed to each others’ on-field abilities.
“For us it’s fantastic. I’m really pleased with the wins and the points we’ve got,” Ferguson said.
“And don’t forget this is a new team we’ve put together as well. So to have nine points and throw in six or seven new players as well (is a fantastic effort).
“I’m delighted. I sat here last year and went through all these defeats week in and week out trying to make excuses and trying to keep these boys up.
“But we know deep down that we can play a lot better than (what we did against Wellington).”
Perth will be aiming to make it a club record fourth A-League win on the trot when they take on Central Coast at Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday night.
The Mariners, highly fancied leading into the season, sit last on the table with just one point to their name.
But Ferguson said it was too early to read much into ladder positions.
“You wouldn’t expect Melbourne (Victory) either to be sitting where they are (with just two points). It’s a strange league. There’s fine margins between winning and losing.”
Ferguson is hopeful midfielder Liam Miller will be fit to tackle the Mariners despite the Irishman suffering a severe case of cramp against Wellington.
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