Perth veteran Jamie Coyne believes his brother, Qantas Socceroos’ defender Chris Coyne is unlikely to join the Glory this season despite the club offering him a three-year contract last week.
Speaking on Monday after a gruelling 90-minute kickboxing session, Jamie said he’d love to play alongside his brother at Members Equity Stadium but felt Chris would remain in the United Kingdom or Europe for at least the next 12 months ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals.
Reports in the UK media have indicated the Colchester United captain is almost certain to head to the Glory to join Qantas Socceroos team-mates Mile Sterjovski and Jacob Burns, but Jamie isn’t so sure, despite putting the heat on his brother to return home.
“I hope he can come to an agreement with Perth,” Coyne said.
“But I think he’s just waiting on getting a few offers and weighing them all up at the same time.”
“On a personal note, I’d love to have him here and he’d love to be back in Perth.”
“Every year when he comes back he says he’d love to come back and play, but it is hard obviously, because he’s been in Europe now for 12-13 years and he’s got a young family.”
“He’s got a few family decisions to make and that comes down to finances and things like the World Cup squad next year.”
“I think the idea of maybe another one or two years (in Europe) isn’t the worst thing for him, he’s dealt with all the homesickness and everything like that.”
“(So) it’d have to be the right offer for him (to return) but definitely I’m trying to persuade him to come back,” Jamie said.
Coyne also said he’d love to continue as club captain this season, despite facing some stiff competition from newcomers Sterjovski, Burns and fellow defender Andy Todd, who previously captained Blackburn in the English Premier League.
Coyne said coach Dave Mitchell hadn’t revealed his plans for the captains’ armband as yet.
“We haven’t talked about it yet, we’re just in pre-season now, getting fit and everything and obviously he’s (Mitchell) been very busy trying to assemble the squad,” Coyne said.
“I think everyone enjoys leading their home team. Obviously we didn’t have the best season last year but I’d love to still do it you know and that’s up to Mitch and the club, so we’ll see what happens.”
Coyne has been recovering from a slight adductor strain that kept him out of the club’s 1-0 loss to Adelaide in a pre-season friendly last Friday night.
But the 28-year-old said this was just a pre-cautionary measure and he expects to be fully fit for the two high-profile friendlies coming up against Premier League sides Wolverhampton (July 10) and Fulham (July 15).
Newly recruited Serbian striker Branko Jelic remains in limbo as his Australian visa application is processed but the club is confident the former Energie Cottbus marksman will be at the club shortly, while Burns, Sterjovski and Todd are expected to arrive over the next 10 days.
