When any ‘Ultimate Team’ is named, controversy and debate almost inevitably follow.
After all, as the well-worn cliche goes, it’s a game of opinions and it’s hard to get two football fans to agree on anything, let alone a full team.
And so it proved when the WA Football Hall of Fame announced its Perth Glory Ultimate Team to mark the club’s 20th anniversary in 2016.
While there wasn’t too much dissent over the starting side of Petkovic, Risdon, Harnwell, Todd, [Scott] Miller, Burns, Castro, [Gareth] Naven, Ergic, Despotovski and Mori, several of the substitute selections did seem to split opinions, notably that of Troy Halpin.
Clint Bolton has claimed that of all the players he featured alongside in the NSL, only Mark Viduka had more technical ability than his former Sydney Olympic teammate and the fact that the midfielder only won 12 caps for the Socceroos is widely regarded as something of a travesty.
His two years at Glory saw the Novocastrian clock up 68 appearances, score three goals and pick up a Premiership-winner’s medal.
He did, of course, also feature alongside Kasey Wehrman and Edgar Aldrighi in the engine-room during the 2000 Grand Final against Wollongong Wolves.
So why the dispute about whether he warranted a place on the bench in the Ultimate Glory Team?
Was it purely because of the suggestion that he refused to take a penalty during the shoot-out against the Wolves on that infamous afternoon at Subiaco Oval, leaving young James Afkos in the firing line instead?
Or was there more to it than that?
We’d love to get your thoughts on the subject, so join the debate on Facebook or Twitter and let’s talk about Troy!
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