Head tennis, small-sided game or Hyundai A-League clash: Perth Glory’s players want to win everything, all the time, according to Ivan Franjic.
Franjic, 31, believes the relentlessly competitive environment fostered by coach Tony Popovic has been a key ingredient in the club’s Premiership assault.
“Whenever we go out, no matter who we’re playing or if we’re playing between ourselves, every player wants to win,” Franjic told www.aleague.com.au.
Whether it’s head tennis or a four-on-four game, it’s very competitive.
“If you have that competitiveness at training it goes onto the field and players make each other accountable if one isn’t working hard.
“We’ve got a very honest group and an honest coach and everyone gets pointed out if they’re not doing their job, which is very important.”
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A win over third-placed Melbourne Victory on Saturday evening (kick off 10.00pm AEDT) would see Perth edge even closer to the Premiers’ Plate and break their Hyundai A-League silverware duck.
But Franjic, a two-time Premiership winner with Brisbane Roar and a member of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup-winning Caltex Socceroos, knows Glory cannot afford to drop their focus despite the handsome buffer which separates Popovic’s side from second-placed Sydney FC with five rounds remaining.
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“The most important thing is not to get too far ahead of yourself, because we’re close to winning the Premiership, but we also want the Championship,” he said.
“It’s very important to keep our feet on the ground and to take each week as it comes, not to look too far in advance.”
This unyielding consistency has been the hallmark of a brilliant campaign in which Perth have lost just once (a 2-1 defeat to Sydney FC in December) and amassed their highest-ever Hyundai A-League points tally.
“We haven’t looked further ahead all year and there’s no point starting now,” Popovic said on Friday.
“We’ll need a high-level performance [against Victory]. Anything short of that, with the quality they have, won’t be enough.”
