Perth Glory captain Jacob Burns is expecting Robbie Fowler to be available for the club’s clash with North Queensland on Friday week, despite the star striker returning home to the United Kingdom last Monday.
Coming off four straight losses, the club needs all hands on deck to arrest the slide, but Fowler will not be available to train this week as he uses the FIFA international break to visit the UK.
Reports have suggested, though, that he’ll not be considered to face his old club, as the punishing travel schedule may increase the risk of injury.
But a club spokesperson has confirmed Fowler is due to return to Perth next Monday, just four days before the clash with the Fury, with club captain Burns hopeful of seeing the 35-year-old on the flight east.
“This FIFA window has been organised for him to go home and see his family,” Burns said.
“I think that was all planned and arranged before Robbie had signed at the start of the season for family issues.”
“So, you know, at the moment I’m expecting him back.”
Speaking ahead of training on Wednesday, Burns said it had been a difficult month for the club but optimistically declared there may be some silver lining to the four-match losing run.
“If it was time to have a bleep, I’d rather have it now than the end of the season,” Burns said.
“I think it’s a good time now, there’s still enough time to put things right and I honestly believe that if we get a win and we get a result, then it’ll push on and we’ll get more and more results.”
“But we’ve got to stay focussed, it’s a long season and it’s by no means over.”
While the first two losses against Gold Coast United and Newcastle saw coach Dave Mitchell criticise his team for two lethargic performances, Burns said the effort put in against Adelaide United (2-0) and most recently Brisbane (2-1) had deserved some reward.
In the most recent clash at nib Stadium last Sunday, the Glory looked like they were heading for a 1-1 draw with the high-flying Roar before luck deserted them in the 95th minute.
Trying to close down a late attack from Brisbane’s Rocky Visconte, midfielder Todd Howarth slid in for a challenge, collecting the ball as the Roar youngster leapt to avoid the tackle.
But when luck’s not going your way, it’s really not going your way, for the ball bobbled up onto Visconte’s boot and ricocheted in for a cruel own goal.
But the skipper declared that expecting luck to simply turn around would not be enough to see the club emerge from the slump.
“We’ve been training ever so hard, got a fantastic group of players, but you know it’s not enough to just turn up on the day and think that things are going to happen,” Birns said.
“You have to do a lot of the hard work, a lot of the nasty work and kind of earn the right to play.”
