David Zdrilic

Zdrilic enjoyed a 17-year professional playing career during which he plied his trade in five countries and scored 21 goals in 31 appearances for the Socceroos.

A combative striker, he topped the NSL goalscoring chart for Sydney United in 1997 and then spent the next seven years in Europe where he played for FC Aarau in Switzerland, SSV Ulm, SpVgg Unterhaching and Eintracht Trier in Germany, Walsall in England and Aberdeen in Scotland.

The Sydneysider returned home in 2005 and immediately helped Sydney FC become the inaugural A-League champions.

After nearly 60 games for the Sky Blues and a one-season return to Sydney United, he hung up his boots in 2010.

At international level, meanwhile, Glory’s new Head Coach debuted for the Socceroos in 1997, scored his first goal in green-and-gold against Paraguay in 2000 and found the net no fewer than eight times in the famous 31-0 victory over American Samoa a year later.

His final international goal came at Subiaco Oval during a 2005 friendly victory over Indonesia, taking his overall tally to 21.

Having already combined dugout duties with playing at Sydney United during the final year of his on-field career, Zdrilic furthered his coaching education via a series of trips to Europe’s top clubs while also working extensively in the media, notably with SBS, ESPN and Fox Sports.

He duly joined the staff of leading Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in 2017 where he was reunited with one of his former managers, Ralf Rangnick, the renowned architect of the high-octane gegenpressing tactic and future Head Coach of Manchester United.

His time at Leipzig was to prove hugely significant for Zdrilic as he honed his coaching skills under the influence of Rangnick, as well as Julien Nagelsmann, currently Head Coach of the Germany national team and Ralph Hasenhuttl, who is now in charge of Vfl Wolfsburg.

Three years later, Zdrilic took up the role of Assistant Head Coach at MLS club Chicago Fire, before returning to Europe to work firstly at Belgian outfit K.V. Oostende and subsequently with Genoa in Italy’s top flight.

In August 2023, he was appointed Assistant Head Coach at Sydney FC and duly joined Glory as Head Coach in June 2024.