Perth Glory signing Luke Amos is eager to make an instant impact at his new club as he eyes an Isuzu UTE A-League debut against Sydney FC on Saturday night
Amos, who joined Glory from Scottish Premiership club Hibernian in the mid-season transfer window, spent more than a decade at English club Tottenham Hotspur before stints at Queens Park Rangers and Hibs.
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While at the Scottish club, the 27-year-old was briefly coached by Central Coast Mariners legend Nick Montgomery, who played a key role in facilitating the English midfielder’s move to Perth.
Amos has suffered two anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears throughout his career and was unable to stake a claim for a starting role at Hibernian due to injuries that impacted the early months of a one-and-a-half-year contract.
Now, Amos is eager to show he’s fully fit and firing at his new club, and ahead of a potential debut against the Sky Blues, paused to thank former Mariners captain and Championship-winning head coach Montgomery for the role he played in his move to the west.
“When he was my manager, we had some conversations with him and his assistant Sergio (Raimundo) about the game that’s growing in Australia,” Amos said.
“I said: ‘One day I’d like to go out there’.
“He was quite instrumental in this move happening. He was super complimentary of me when Stan and the gaffer were looking for a reference, so I can’t thank him enough.
“I didn’t know him too long, but in the short time I’ve known him he’s been an important part in my development as a footballer and as a man. Now, he’s helped me get this opportunity. So I owe him a little bit.”
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While at Hibs, Amos played alongside former Sydney FC striker Adam Le Fondre and four Australians – Martin Boyle, Jack Iredale, Nectar Triantis and Lewis Miller – who helped convince the English midfielder of a move to the Isuzu UTE A-League.
“My time in Scotland was a bit difficult with me not playing, so I was looking to get out and get a new opportunity to start playing football,” Amos explained.
“I had a few teammates (who) spoke highly about the A-League and the game that’s growing here. So when I spoke to Stan (Lazaridis) and the Gaffer (Zdrilic) , they just reinforced that, really.
“For me, it’s an opportunity to play football – and that’s what I’m here to do.
“A lot of the players in the Hibs squad have come from the A-League, and I could immediately see their quality. Instantly, I knew there are good players here.
“It’s not the most-covered league in the UK, but they spoke very highly of it.
“A lot of people (who) mentioned the A-League spoke about how it’s growing and the quality is getting better. It’s something I really wanted to go and play in.”
Amos has been named in Zdrilic’s extended squad for Saturday night’s clash with Sydney FC as one of three additions to the squad, alongside fellow midfielder Nicholas Pennington and young winger Khoa Ngo.
Patrick Wood is unable to play for Perth this weekend due to the terms of his loan agreement from the Sky Blues to Glory.
“I feel like I’ve been working for this opportunity for a long, long time,” Amos said.
“Despite not playing at Hibs, I was always doing extras in the gym, running. I feel like I’m really prepared and hopefully this weekend, at home, I can get out there and show the fans straight away what I’m capable of.
“It will just be nice for me to play some football, you know? So I just want to get out there, get a win and then enjoy the sun!”
