Perth Glory need to create a better, winning environment to develop their younger players, according to Glory assistant coach Stuart Munro.
Perth Glory need to create a better, winning environment to develop their younger players, according to Glory assistant coach Stuart Munro.
The Glory lost their final home game of the season to Gold Coast United 2-1 at nib Stadium on Sunday night, with the Glory’s only goal going to 17-year-old Adam Taggart at the 75th minute.
In a meeting of old and new, it took the retiring Jamie Harnwell to header the ball directly to Taggart, who instinctively booted it into the net.
It was Taggart’s first goal at senior level and another promising sign for next season.
However, assistant coach Munro said it’s hard to guide and develop inexperienced players when the side is frequently losing and are just staying off the bottom of the Hyundai A-League ladder.
For the club’s last home game, Munro took the place of the Glory’s interim coach, Ian Ferguson, while he was in Sydney finalising his coaching qualifications ready for next season, when they are hoping the young players will thrive.
“I think Fergie [Ferguson] made it very clear a few weeks ago that, that was going to be the future of the club and just really give these guys, Adam Taggart, Tommy Amphlett, Josh Risdon, [a chance] to see what they can do,” Munro said.
“It’s been a very difficult season for producing young players but obviously that’s the only thing that’s left and they’ve all shown very, very well that they could be the future of Perth Glory.”
“Adam Taggart, tonight he was terrific, his movement was very good. And he’ll get better; he’s obviously just a young lad,” Munro said.
Twenty-two-year-old Amphlett also made an impact almost as soon as he stepped onto the pitch at the 60th minute, managing to put United keeper Glen Moss under pressure with a powerful strike, although Moss still saved his effort.
Munro hopes next year will be more successful and thinks pre-season training is going to be crucial to get the best out of the inexperienced players.
“Tommy Amphlett came on and sparked things as well, we know he can do that so we now need to try and bring these guys into a better environment because to try and bring three young players when the team’s not doing well is not ideal.”
“So obviously pre-season and next season going forward, (the goal is) to get the young players into a team that’s doing better, hopefully and winning games.”
“Being positive will help them with their development and they’ll be good players for the future of the squad,” Munro said.
