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Big Wednesday was a great success for the A-League and the FFA. Twenty three goals were scored and solid attendances at all matches except for the last one, Perth.
On The Roar on Tuesday night, I was keeping tabs on the crowd figures in all of the A-League games played on Big Wednesday, just to see if this novel concept was worth a try. What I found from the crowd figures is that teams from regional areas in NSW, like Newcastle and Central Coast, drew larger crowds than Perth Glory, who represent not only a capital city, but a state no less.
The Jets and the Mariners drew 9,311 and 12, 284 respectively, while Perth drew only 6,912.
Perth weren’t playing a team coming last; they were playing the defending premiers in the Brisbane Roar.
Suffice to say, that crowd figure is indicative of where Perth Glory are at the moment. A week or two ago, Perth Glory owner Tony Sage threatened to quit the club after been booed and abused by fans after Perth got beaten 2-1 by Melbourne Heart at NIB.
Then he retracted it by saying that he will stay at the club.
Tony Sage, owner of Perth Glory since 2007, has put in over $10 million of his own money just to keep the club solvent and competitve.
A couple of key problems Perth need to sort out:
1. Their stadium deal at NIB stadium.
Perth need to restructure their current stadium deal, so that they could attract sponsors, new members and new revenue streams. In recent times, ticket prices have risen, which hasn’t been popular amongst fans (no surprise) and with it comes a substantial loss of revenue every time they play at home.
Perth have also signalled they were looking at alternative venues if things at NIB don’t improve. There was talk that Glory would move to a State and Netball Hockey Centre. But whatever the outcome, Perth need to sort out their stadium deal to make Perth Glory financially viable and less reliant on Tony Sage.
The other key problem is:
2. Perth Glory’s choice of football managers since their A-League inception.
Steve McMahon, Alan Vest, Ron Smith, David Mitchell and Ian Ferguson are the men who have taken charge of the Glory, whether it’s in a permanent or care-taker role.
Not exactly an inspiring list.
You tend to think it’s more “route one” football, rather than trying to take the game to the next level. Perth would’ve loved to have had a coach like Ange Postecoglou, John Van Schip, or Graham Arnold, as those coaches have improved or educated themselves so that the football they coach is not only at a higher level, but is also attractive to watch.
Actually, Perth should get John Kosmina over there.
Just get some passion back in the joint.
But I do think the next manager of Perth should be highly credentialed and educated.
In the old NSL, Perth had former East German manager Bernd Stange in charge, and with it, a change in style on how they played before. Maybe Perth need something similar, very soon.
Perth Glory were the flag-bearers of the old NSL in the late nineties and early 2000s. regularly getting 15,000 people to their games and winning titles. Since the A-League started, Glory have only made the finals once.
That was in season 2009/10.
To me, that makes Perth Glory the A-League’s biggest under-achievers.
When you consider clubs from other capital cites, like Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar, who have won premierships, while Adelaide have made A-League grand finals and an ACL final, it does make Perth Glory’s achievements, or lack of them, pretty ordinary.
There has been a lot of focus and attention on teams like Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory, but we need Perth Glory to fire! We need a strong Perth Glory. The A-League needs a strong Perth Glory.
We want Perth to get back to their glory days (pardon the pun)
Glory have the potential to be a powerhouse in this competition and be up there, as far as crowds are concerned, with the likes of Melbourne Victory.
Hopefully in a future Big Wednesday, Perth gets more people to their game than Newcastle and Central Coast.
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