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Less than two months ago, Perth Glory were anchored to the bottom of the table, having just sacked coach Ian Ferguson after a demoralising eight-game winless streak.
Now, after Saturday night’s tense draw with Adelaide, the Glory are into the top six.
It’s been an amazing turnaround considering the turmoil that the club found itself in at the beginning of the year. Few would have predicted it, and credit must go to Alistair Edwards, who has brought out the best of a squad that is not of his own making.
There were several signs of nerves and more than a few shaky moments on Saturday night as the Glory got the point they needed against Adelaide.
Ryo Nagai missed several golden opportunities – including a penalty – while Danny Vukovic’s last minute diving save was critical, but they got there in the end.
Which is all that matters now. The knockout format for the finals series means that the regular season is all in the past. While the Western Sydney Wanderers will surely be favourites, it’s anybody’s game.
Many have well-reasoned complaints about the knockout format, but it’ll be an exciting race to the grand final.
Last season under Ian Ferguson, Perth went on a spellbinding run in which they lost just three games in their last fifteen matches. And after beating the Central Coast on penalties in the semi-finals, they succumbed to a late Brisbane Roar comeback special to fall short at the last hurdle.
This season, Perth will have a much more difficult run in the finals. Firstly, they must beat Ange Postecoglou’s Melbourne Victory side in Melbourne on Friday night. No easy task, but it was less than a fortnight ago that Perth clinched an injury time winner against the Victory at AAMI Park.
If they can manage a win over Melbourne, their reward will be to play against a well-rested Western Sydney Wanderers side in Parramatta. Indeed, while the odds may stacked against them, Perth will be happy to be the dark horse of the finals series.
It will be a true test of Alistair Edwards’ managerial abilities if he can get the team into the grand final. He’ll have to outmanoeuvre two of the finest coaches in the competition to do so. Still, he’ll be full of confidence after earning a three-year contract with the club.
Tony Sage has put a lot of faith in the Glory old-boy, who, despite his obvious potential, is still green at the top level of the game. Edwards has talked constantly about changing the style and approach of the Glory, which has endeared him to fans hoping he can resurrect the halcyon days of the old NSL.
Edwards’ fresh approach has already been felt out west, and the team has quickly gotten back on track with an emphasis on ball retention and slick passing. Even so, the looming sudden death situation demands results, not pretty football.
In this regard, the Glory will miss veteran winger Travis Dodd, who won’t play again this season, and may have to do without star striker Shane Smeltz, who is still recovering from a nasty boot to the forehead.
But with Jacob Burns, Liam Miller, Steven McGarry, Dean Heffernan and Michael Thwaite in the squad, there is no shortage of experience.
Moreover, the likes of Ryo Nagai, Chris Harold, Matías Córdoba and teenage sensation Daniel Da Silva have all made an impression in the latter half of the season.
Not to mention Adrian Zahra, who is back in the first team after scoring in last week’s draw against Adelaide. With Kevin Muscat – who almost ended the young man’s career two years ago – sitting in the Victory dugout, there will surely be extra motivation for Zahra to score against Melbourne.
With the finals fast approaching, it’s fantastic to see that there is at least one team representing each A-League state in Australia. From Perth to Parramatta, they’ve all got a stake in the title race.
While all the attention will be on the resting Wanderers and Mariners, there is still the possibility of a Brisbane Roar – Perth Glory rematch in the grand final. Only in the A-League.
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