A Glory legend and the club’s most recent signing will both find themselves on familiar ground this weekend as the first-team squad head to Cockburn City for an eagerly-anticipated pre-season friendly.
A Glory legend and the club’s most recent signing will both find themselves on familiar ground this weekend as the first-team squad head to Cockburn City for an eagerly-anticipated pre-season friendly.
Now a key member of the Glory coaching staff, Scott Miller has an association with the southern suburbs club that runs back nearly 40 years and while he will be assisting Head Coach Alistair Edwards from the sidelines, Harry O’Brien will be out to shoot down his former club on the field.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder signed a two-year youth pro contract with Glory on Thursday, having previously starred for Cockburn in the State League and for Glory’s youth team in the NYL.
“When I was coaching at Cockburn last year,” explained Miller, “Harry came back to us from the Glory youth team and slotted straight in.
“This year, I think he’s been top goalscorer for Cockburn and he’s a defender’s nightmare.
“I don’t know if it’s the best nickname to get, but we’ve started calling Harry “The Pest” because just when defenders think they’re safe, he’ll pop up and get the ball off them.
“He gets into fantastic goalscoring positions and for a little fella, he wins a lot of headers.
“He’s just one of those guys who has the knack of scoring goals.
“I think just in behind the striker is his best position, although he can also play as a number seven out wide on the right.
“Like a lot of the young boys we have at the club now, he can do a job in a number of different positions.”
O’Brien is the latest Cockburn product to take his place in Glory’s ranks, following in the illustrious footsteps of Miller, Jason Petkovic and David Tarka to name but a few. And Miller is confident that the A-League club’s visit to one of Perth’s traditional football strongholds will draw a bumper crowd to Dalmatinac Park.
“This game is going to involve the two clubs that I’ve basically spent almost all my career at,” he said, “and it’s about more than football for me.
“All my best mates are from Glory, or Dallies, or Cockburn and it’ll be great to see the two sides playing each other.
“I’m sure there’ll be a big crowd.
“There’s a lot of support for Glory down that way, that’s for sure and it should be a really good day.
“I started at Cockburn in the Under 8s and then I went to Dallies, which is part of Cockburn, at under 12s and that’s where myself and Jason Petkovic (current Cockburn goalkeeping coach) met.
“Since then I’ve always been a part of Cockburn/Dallies.
“The year after I retired I coached them and we got to the Cup Final and finished third, but I had to pull out because I started my electrical apprenticeship.
“Then I went back again and things didn’t go so well and then about 18 months ago I went back for a third spell and we got promoted back to the State Premier League.
“They say never go back, but Jason Petkovic gave me the puppy dog eyes and that’s why I went back for a third time!”
Cockburn City v Perth Glory
Sunday 25th August 2013
Dalmatinac Park (corner of Hamilton Road and Azelia Road, Spearwood)
Kick-off: 2pm
Admission:
Adults and children over 12 – $10
Pensioners/Concessions – $5
Gareth Morgan
