Perth Glory stars Andy Todd, Jacob Burns and Todd Howarth have all been ruled out of Sunday’s clash at home to the Central Coast Mariners because of injury.
Perth Glory stars Andy Todd, Jacob Burns and Todd Howarth have all been ruled out of Sunday’s clash at home to the Central Coast Mariners because of injury.
“We’ve picked up a few knocks and niggles again unfortunately in training, and it’s not a great preparation but it’s something we have to deal with and just get on with it. It’s not a great preparation 24 hours out from the game,” Ian Ferguson said before training on Friday.
“Jacob has a hip problem and he has a little tear in it, and he’s seen the specialist and it doesn-t look good at this moment. Howarth nicked something in his knee when he tried to control the ball the other day and he’s tweaked something there.
“The prognosis for him for the game doesn-t look good. We are at bare essentials, it’s as simple as that. It does present opportunities for everyone else, though, and I don-t want to dwell on it or make excuses. There’s 23 players here and everybody will get a chance.”
Naum Sekulovski, Mile Sterjovski and Brent Griffiths are suspended for the match but defenders Scott Neville, Josh Mitchell and Jamie Harnwell all back from suspension and injury.
The match at nib stadium will be the Glory’s first at home in a month after a grueling stretch on the road.
“The chances are slipping away. We’ve got to get ourselves out of it and it’s the same things that we keep saying. We’ve got to get results and the home games especially are very important for us,” Ferguson said.
“Their confidence is sky high, they won the last game by five goals, but we are at home and I want to make this place a fortress like it was last year when they lost only one game.
“We have to get back to that siege mentality and make sure that we make it difficult for teams, and also let them have some problems from us.”
Glory defender Jamie Coyne also is under no illusion that time is running out for the Glory to start winning and he’s now looking to get points from Sunday’s game then also against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park next Saturday and then at home to Adelaide the following Wednesday.
“We are five points from the top-six so that’s our focus and we can’t look any higher. We’ve got three games before Christmas and we have to get a couple of results,” Coyne said.
“I’m not going to say that this game is the be all and end all, but obviously before Christmas we probably need five points and that would be great. Getting a win this weekend would be really important to start that out on a positive note.”
