Perth Glory head coach David Zdrilic has revealed the Isuzu UTE A-League side are working on signing a “couple” of overseas players.
Zdrilic is the new head coach at the helm of a new-look Glory with a new philosophy and new owners heading into season 2024-25.
Out to avenge their wooden-spoon finish last term, Perth have signed Josh Risdon, Brandon O’Neill, Andriano Lebib (first scholarship contract), Khoa Ngo (first scholarship contract), Zach Lisolajski, Anas Hamzaoui, Nathanael Blair, Nicholas Pennington, Taras Gomulka, Will Freney (first scholarship contract), Adam Bugarija, Abdelelah Faisal, Lachlan Barr, Hiroaki Aoyama, and Nikola Mileusnic.
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But Glory’s squad is far from finalised as former Sydney FC assistant coach and Socceroo Zdrilic looks abroad.
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“Hopefully in the next couple of weeks everything will work out and we’ll be able to bring a couple of guys over [from overseas] to strengthen our squad,” he told Glory media.
“We’ve got a very exciting squad, but there are a couple more pieces that we need to ensure that we’re competitive in all games.
“Then together with the guys that haven’t even started training yet, we’ve got a very solid squad.”
New signings Mileusnic, Pennington and Hamzaoui are yet to feature for Glory this pre-season after Perth went down to Moreton City Excelsior in the Australia Cup Round of 16.
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As Glory prepare for a Round 1 trip to Macarthur FC on October 20, Zdrilic said: “I’m very optimistic that the majority of them will be fit for the start of the season, but it’s really going to come down to when they start training and how they respond to that training.
“We have to manage their loads because they’re coming into a structure now that is very intense.
“But I’m excited, hopeful and optimistic that those players will play some part in that first game.”
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Between now and then, it is all about further establishing Zdrilic’s philosophy at HBF Park.
With Zdrilic at the helm, Perth are adopting a high-octane brand of football and relentless pressing style.
It is a style which he helped implement alongside Sydney FC head coach Ufuk Talay last season – through his experience with the Red Bull Group at German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, working with the likes of Austria head coach Ralf Rangnick and current Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann.
David Williams also scored against the NPL outfit in the second 45-minute game – the first 45 minutes ended 0-0 against Perth SC.
“The main focus for us is a) to continue bedding in this philosophy so that it becomes part of our DNA and b) that the players we haven’t had out on the training field so far in pre-season, we integrate them as quickly as possible,” said Zdrilic.
“We have quite a large number that I haven’t even seen on the training field… so that’s obviously something we want to try and rectify and have players come on and start training as soon as possible.
“But there’s a process and a time frame and we’re not going to fast-track anyone.”
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