Veteran Perth defender Andy Todd has been released from his contract at the Glory just 10 months after being named club champion.
Todd is just the latest name to be added to a mounting casualty list at the Glory as interim coach Ian Ferguson looks to rebuild from the ground up after the club, tipped as a title contender last August, has struggled throughout this campaign.
Wednesday night’s 2-1 loss to the Mariners has all but guaranteed the 10th-placed Glory cannot make the finals this season as they are now nine points adrift of sixth-placed Melbourne Heart with just four games remaining.
Having been a rock in central defence for the Glory as the club made their first Hyundai A-League finals appearance in 2009-10, Todd was a popular winner of the Most Glorious Player award last March.
But the 36-year-old has endured a difficult time this term, having to cope with pre-season knee problems, illness and a long-term hip flexor injury.
However, when he’s been available, former Blackburn skipper Todd has been his usual commanding self in the 15 games he’s played.
“I still believe I can play and I’m hopeful of doing that back home in England,” said Todd in a media release on Thursday afternoon.
Perth Glory deputy chairman Lui Giuliani thanked Todd for his contribution and explained the long lay-off between the end of this Hyundai A-League season and an estimated October start to the next campaign meant the club couldn’t commit to a new deal.
“Unfortunately because of the possible eight month lay-off we are not ready to finalise our squad,” Giuliani said.
“Andy is a club champion, a first class professional and we understand his desire to find a new club while the transfer window is still open.”
“We wish Andy all the very best and haven’t ruled out the possibility of offering him a new deal in later in the year.”
Todd is the fourth Glory player to be released this season after goalkeeper Aleks Vrteski, striker Michael Baird and midfielder Andrija Jukic were allowed to seek opportunities elsewhere.
