Head Coach Richard Garcia is adamant that home most certainly will be where the heart is when Glory make their long-awaited return to HBF Park on Sunday.
(View his full media conference HERE)
The men in purple will play a home game in Perth for the first time since November 20th, hosting Adelaide United just as they did in that Round One clash which finished in a 1-1 draw (kick-off at 4.05pm, tickets HERE).
And Garcia believes that the presence of the club’s loyal Members and fans will have a major impact upon the performance of his players.
“It’s fantastic for the players and staff to be home, it’s good to be back at our base and for us it’s very much about playing in front of our home supporters,” he said.
“It’s something that we’ve longed for and when the game is in the balance, the supporters make all the difference.
“We’re thrilled to be in front of our home fans.
“We can’t wait to play in front of them.
“We know that when the fans are there for us and are behind us, that makes all the difference.”
Glory will head into the Reds clash having battled back from 2-0 down to secure an impressive 2-2 draw with high-flying Melbourne City in midweek and Garcia feels that the performance and result at AAMI Park were indicative of the direction his squad is moving in.
“The fightback was very good, but I was very impressed by the way we improved on the week before,” he said.
“We kept the ball very well and defended a lot better, so that itself, that progression and improvement and process of trying to get better, is something that we’re always talking to the players about and if we constantly strive to be better as a team, the results will come.
“It’s about us making sure that every game we are better and I think there’s a group of guys there that are now starting to see the potential they do have and there are a lot of young guys who are starting to realise their responsibilities in the group and in the team.
“I’m very proud of the way they’ve been going the last few weeks.”
But while quietly confident that his side can secure a win that could move them to within three points of the top six, Garcia is keenly aware of the threat posed by the fourth-placed visitors.
“They’ve got some attacking threats and are a good team that are pretty underrated,” he said.
“They don’t get a lot of attention, but they’re well set up and on their day, can be very dangerous.”
In terms of squad news, the Head Coach confirmed that a number of players are carrying niggles and that Daniel Sturridge will not feature as he continues to recover from a groin problem.
Andy Keogh, however, could return having missed the draw with City and Brad Jones and Luke Bodnar are also closing in on a return to full fitness.
Adelaide, meanwhile, will head across the border in mixed form having won three, lost two and drawn one of their last six outings and will be searching for a first win in the West since January 2018.
Carl Veart’s men have scored 23 goals in their 15 games so far this term, six of which have come from Craig Goodwin who will wear the captain’s armband on Sunday following the recent departure of regular skipper Stefan Mauk.
#OneGlory
The smile they came in with this morning is proof that they’re all happy to be home.
It’s fantastic for the players and staff to be home, it’s good to be back at our base and for us it’s very much about playing in front of our home supporters.
It’s something that we’ve longed for and when the game is in the balance, the supporters make all the difference.
We can’t wait to play in front of them.
Every hurdle that’s come, they’ve tried to overcome and that’s fantastic testament to the group and something that will hold us in good stead in the coming weeks.
City was another stepping stone in the right direction.
We kept the ball very well and defended a lot better, so that itself, that progression and improvement and process of trying to get better is something that we’re always talking to the players about and if constantly strive to be better as a team ,the results will come.
Every game is important… being able to be at home before games is a massive lift.
I’m confident that you’ll see a bunch of guys very eager to impress on Sunday.
There are a few niggles.
The games are starting to mount up and we’re going to have to be careful and make sure everyone is in the right place to be able to play.
We’ve got 15 or 16 games left to squeeze into two months and that’s a tough order.
We’re thrilled to be in front of our home fans.
We know that when the fans are there for us and are behind us, that makes all the difference.
They’ve got some attacking threats and are a good team that are pretty under-rated.
They don’t get a lot of attention, but they’re well set up and on their day can be very dangerous.
But it’s about us making sure that every game we are better and I thuink there’s a group of guys there that are now starting to see the potential they do have and there are a lot of young guys who are starting to relaise their respnisbiilityes in the group ad in the team.
I’m very proud of the way they’ve been going the last few weeks.
