“Nothing less than a win is acceptable.”
That’s the unequivocal message from Head Coach Bobby Despotovski ahead of Glory’s Westfield W-League clash with Newcastle Jets on Thursday (kick-off at 4.30pm WST).
Three points at McDonald Jones Stadium would lift the visitors above the hosts on the ladder and Despotovski is confident that his charges can avenge the Jets’ victory at Dorrien Gardens back in Round 4.
“For me as a coach, as a group of players and as a club, we cannot accept anything less than a win,” he said.
“That will be the message for the next two days of training and for the game.
“There were patches in the game against [Western Sydney] Wanderers on Sunday where we did extremely well and that gives us confidence for Thursday.
“At the start of the second half, for maybe 15 or 20 minutes, we dominated.
“We scored a goal and were on top of them, but couldn’t score that second goal and unfortunately copped the second and then the third ourselves.
“We could see on the faces of the players that they were disappointed that they didn’t get anything out of the game.
“I understand that because we came so close and had nothing to show for it, but that’s been the story of our season.
“The positives were that Isabella Wallhead came on and did really well and Morgan Aquino made her first appearance and that bodes well for the future.”
The impressive performances of the two teenagers served to reinforce Despotovski’s view that the club is on the right track in terms of its medium to long-term development plan.
“We said all along that these are the players that are the future of this club and that’s the route that we want to take,” he said.
“Is it going to be painful at times? Yes.
“Is it going to be hard work for the girls and for myself and the club? No doubt about it.
“But my coaching staff and Perth Glory as a club are fully supportive of what we’ve set out to do in the next three to five years and that’s positive.
“We’re currently in the first year of that development and we’re bringing the young girls in and giving them a start.
“It’ll be a little bit more next year and then we’ll expect them to step up and be the leaders of our club in the fourth and fifth year.
“That’s the plan that we have for the future.”
In terms of early team news ahead of Thursday’s game, midfielder Celia is expected to return to the Glory squad having been a late withdrawal on Sunday due to illness.
Eliza Campbell’s head injury, however, will rule her out, meaning Aquino is in line to make her first Westfield W-League start and Ruby Jones has been drafted in on a short-term contract to provide goalkeeping cover.
As for Newcastle, they went down 2-0 to Melbourne City in their most recent outing and their solitary victory of the season to date came over Glory in early December.
That win extended the Jets’ unbeaten run against the WA side to seven games.
Match Details
Thursday, 23 January 2020
Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 4:30pm (WST)( 7:30pm (local))
Referee: Georgia Ghirardello
Assistant Referee 1: Sarah Ho
Assistant Referee 2: Eleanor Hayes
Fourth Official: Kelly Jones
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7:30pm (AEDT), Kayo Sports (www.kayosports.com.au) and MyFootball Live App, Live Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #NEWvPER
To purchase tickets visit www.w-league.com.au/tickets
Newcastle Jets squad: 2.Hannah BREWER, 6.Cassidy DAVIS, 7.Gema SIMON, 8.Sophie NENADOVIC, 9.Tara ANDREWS, 11.Pana PETRATOS, 12.Tessa TAMPLIN, 13.Lauren ALLAN, 14.Renee POUNTNEY, 17.Jenna KINGSLEY, 18.Clare WHEELER, 20.Claire COELHO (gk), 25.Teigan COLLISTER, 30.Nicole SIMONSEN (gk), 31.Paige KINGSTON-HOGG
Ins: 8.Sophie NENADOVIC (promoted), 14.Renee POUNTNEY (promoted)
Outs: 10.Libby COPUS-BROWN (suspension – 1 week), 19.Nicki FLANNERY (leg – 1-2 weeks)
Unavailable: 4.Annabel MARTIN (knee – 2 weeks)
Perth Glory squad: 3.Kim CARROLL, 5.Shannon MAY, 6.Arianna ROMERO, 7.CELIA, 8.Morgan ANDREWS, 9.Crystal THOMAS, 10.Julia SARDO, 11.Leticia McKENNA, 13.Jamie-Lee GALE, 14.Caitlin DOEGLAS, 16.Isabella WALLHEAD, 19.Hana LOWRY, 21.Morgan AQUINO (gk), 24.Natasha RIGBY (c), 28.Katarina JUKIC, 32.Ruby JONES (gk)
Ins: 7.CELIA (returns from illness), 32.Ruby JONES (gk) (new signing)
Outs: 1.Eliza CAMPBELL (gk) (head injury)
Unavailable: Nil
#OneGlory
