Perth Glory coach Ian Ferguson wants to implement a game plan with a greater focus on maintaining possession similar to Grand Final rivals Brisbane for the next Hyundai A-League season.
Perth Glory coach Ian Ferguson wants to implement a game plan with a greater focus on maintaining possession similar to Grand Final rivals Brisbane for the next Hyundai A-League season.
The Roar became renowned for dominating possession with a patient style under previous coach Ange Postecoglou, a method which has helped them secure back-to-back championships.
Ferguson said Brisbane had become the benchmark for sides looking to play in that way and hoped an effort to play more like that could see Perth take their game to another level after falling heartbreakingly short of the title in 2011/12.
After making massive strides forward last season that culminated in a maiden appearance in the A-League decider, Ferguson said retaining the ball through making better decisions and being more dangerous on the counter attack were the keys to further improvement.
“I think we’ve got to drive it through to the boys that it’s really important to keep the ball because I feel as though we rushed things at times,” he said.
“It’s not just our team, you watch the games here and a lot of teams rush things and give the ball away and before you know it they’re getting hurt on the counter attack.
“Brisbane, for me, are probably the best at it. They don’t force anything, they’ll keep possession and they move it around from side to side.
“That to me is a massive thing in the game because if you’ve got the ball the other team can’t score, but if you give the ball away you’re always under a threat.
“I don’t think it’s learning from Brisbane, I just think Brisbane are the best at it.
“That’s something we need to work on so we’re more comfortable in retaining the ball and good decision making.”
Ferguson said he was confident the youth Perth have already brought into the side for next year, including former Gold Coast attacker Chris Harold and ex Melbourne Heart winger Adrian Zahra, would ensure they were much more potent on the counter attack.
“I just feel as though we were missing that a little bit, in transition at times we were a bit slow,” he said.
“But now we have the younger ones in the middle of the park and also left and right it will give us a bit more of that mobility and energy that I’m looking for.
“We’re obviously still looking for another two or three players at this moment in time.”
In addition to Harold and Zahra, the Glory have also brought back Nick Ward from Wellington and promoted youth team standouts Brandon O’Neill and Ndumba Makeche.
Veteran defenders Steve Pantelidis and Dean Heffernan have extended their stay at the club, which means Perth have 18 contracted players for next season.
