Perth Glory Owner and Chairman Ross Pelligra caught up with the A-League Men’s playing group at Friday’s final pre-season training session at HBF Park.
After joining Vice Chairman Jason Bontempo to watch the squad go through their paces ahead of Saturday’s Round One clash with Wellington Phoenix, he addressed the players and coaching staff on the pitch and outlined his expectations for the season ahead.
With a host of high-quality recruits having been signed in the off-season, Mr. Pelligra is confident that better times lie ahead for the club.
“This year we’ve focused on the pitch, building the team up by making 11 signings,” he said.
“It needed a change.
“We’ve made the investment and they [the playing group] need to show that they’re sweating in their shirts.
“If they put in their best, the results will come.
“I now need to see that dedication from them and I need our Members and fans to support the team.”
He went on to outline how much he has been affected by the build-up to the new season.
“The last 48 hours, I’ve been waking up at night and thinking about what’s been happening and all the changes we’ve made,” he said.
“As the owner of the club, it’s on my watch and the responsibility falls on me.
“I believe in the Coach [David Zdrilic] and in [Football Director] Stan [Lazaridis] and the players we’ve signed.
“We’ve done the best we can with the team and now I want to see the results from the players.
“In terms of Saturday here at HBF Park, there’s a good chance I’ll be sweating, even if it’s a cold day.
“I take it personally; it’s an emotional day for me when we’re playing and even when we’re a couple of goals ahead, I’m still nervous because we need to keep going right up until the final whistle.”
Mr. Pelligra also acknowledged the importance of the club finally having a new, centralised HQ in Mirrabooka.
“We’ve made a good start at Mirrabooka and there are a lot more plans in place in terms of further improving the facility,” he said.
“We really appreciate the support that we’ve received from the State Government and the City of Stirling and are looking forward to creating a facility with the infrastructure to accommodate our junior teams as well as our ALM and ALW squads.”
Saturday’s opening game of the Isuzu UTE A-League 2025/26 Season gets underway at 6:45pm and tickets are available HERE.
#ONEGlory
Club Owner Ross Pelligra addresses playing group on eve of new season
