No Guts, No Glory

The demise of Perth Glory’s Ron Smith came as no surprise to anyone who has watched the A-league over the last year. Winless since last November, Perth have been simply dreadful at times, and Friday night’s depressing capitulation at hands of an equally desperate Wellington, was the final straw for Glory’s ambitious owners.

Despite being given the resources and time he wanted to build a new-look Glory, Smith failed. A good coach and a nice guy, Smith was dealt a raw hand with the suspension of Stan Lazaridis and injuries to David tarka and Hayend Foxe, but ultimately he wasn't good enough. His style of football has been roundly criticized, and the step up from highly respected youth developer to senior manager was just too much. Suddenly Smith needed to get results; player development was a side issue. His handling of Jamie Harnwell, one of Perth’s more committed and honest players, left a lot to be desired. And the recruitment policy was flawed, with high profile signing Mate Dragecevic a flop, young gun Nikita too raw, and many of his signings unable to consistently perform to the level expected. Now his assistant Dave Mitchell has a huge task, and the former powerhouse club of the NSL are becoming a sad shadow of their former selves.

Back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004, Glory were the model club both on and off the pitch. A successful team, bumper crowds and money in the bank. Glory had the lot. But the advent of the A-League brought the field back to Perth. Ownership problems, poor managerial appointments and a dire on field product have seen Glory lose the hearts and minds of the public in the west. Crowds are the worst in the league, and there is no indication that they will return.

The best thing about the current Glory is the ambition of their owners. Tony Sage, Brett McKeon and John Spence have pumped their own money into the club and have set about restoring former glory. The link-up with Manchester City will make headlines, and may even provide the club with some talented youngsters, but it’s a sign of the owner’s ambition. They expect success and it’s now up to Mitch to deliver.