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Pressure is building in the west with Perth Glory coach, Alistair Edwards being handed a please explain by the FFA after shunning the post match press conference in the whack of the clubs 2-0 loss to the Melbourne Victory.
Reports says that Edwards was heard in a confrontations with two senior players in club captain Jacob Burns and the captain on the night, Michael Thwaite.
The side currently sites in seventh spot and struggling for consistency. It is rumoured that the cause of the feud was because Burns was an unused substitute on his first game back from a two-week suspension in a match where his experience would have been a great benefit to the team.
The problem however is deeper than this as two players that featured ahead of Burns in the Glory midfield was Edwards’ two sons, Ryan and Cameron.
Both players are solid reserve players who would feature for any state league side however neither have the ability to cut it in the A-League especially at the expense of Burns who has represented the Socceroos on 11 occasions as well as his current club the Glory 100 times.
This leads into the dangerous realm of nepotism in football a road that is best left untraveled. From junior football right through to the pros there will always be dads that think their son deserves a start ahead of someone else.
The highest profile current case is Hull City manager Steve Bruce who brought in his son Alex last year and has played him ever frequently even though some critics would suggest the Alex is not one of Hull’s best defenders.
Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane has had his son Enzo Fernandez followed him from his time at Juventus and is now on the brink of the Real Madrid squad where the Frenchman is the current assistant manager.
Even the Sir Alex Ferguson could not help but to give his son a chance at the biggest club in the world when he handed his son his debut in 1990.
Darren only featured 27 times for the Red Devils before he proved that he was a solid lower league player rather the a potential title winner.
So back to Perth where the Glory sit outside the top six but clear of the bottom three. Alistair has gambled by playing his sons and it has not payed off.
Ryan Edwards played the full 90 last night and while he wasn’t the worst performer he did not offer anything the suggested he deserved to be their.
Ryan is currently on loan to the Glory from English Championship side, Reading, however he has never actually appeared for the Blue Hoops. The younger of the two brothers has started in all 11 of the clubs matches this season.
Cameron, who is only five months older than Ryan, returned to the Glory after failed spells at Reading and Melbourne Heart.
He has also seemed to be in favour at the Glory having eight appearances already this season off the bench including Friday’s match-up against the Victory where he was subbed on in ahead of club captain, Jacob Burns.
Alistair Edwards could find himself in a seemingly untenable position with the senior heads in the dressing room firmly opposing his way of doing things. It will be interesting what team takes the park against Adelaide next week.
My bet is that if Thwaite or Burns misses out on selection in favour of the Edwards brothers, owner and chairman Tony Sage may be forced to play his hand.
Not only for the disharmony in the dressing rooms but also because Ryan and Cameron are not up to the mark and could be too much to carry for a club aiming for a top-six finish.
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