Perth Glory has pulled off a pre-season coup with the club set to play an international friendly against four times FA Cup winners Wolverhampton Wanderers at Members Equity Stadium in July.

Perth Glory and Wolverhampton have agreed in principle to the pre-season match in Western Australia with the final arrangements and contracts to be confirmed by the powerful English side and Football Federation Australia in the coming days.

Wolverhampton currently sits top of the Championship and are odds on to re-join the elite Premier League competition next season, alongside the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, after a six year absence. They currently sit five points clear of second placed Birmingham and nine ahead of Reading in third with just six matches remaining.

Wolves have a long and successful history that dates back more than 120 years and includes three First Division Championships, four FA Cups, two League Cups and runner-up in the UEFA Cup.

It will be the first time in a decade that a top level European club has played in Perth and Glory Deputy Chairman Mr Lui Giuliani said it is the start of many new initiatives that Chairman and Owner Mr Tony Sage has committed to implementing this season and beyond.

“This is a watershed moment in Perth Glory’s Hyundai A-League history,” Mr Giuliani said.

“Perth Glory is committed to winning on and off the field and this is one of many successful opportunities that we’re set to announce in the coming months.

“Our ability to bring Wolves to Perth is a true indication of Tony Sage’s commitment to Perth Glory and the West Australian community. He has underwritten the tour to ensure that Glory receives a significant kick start into a new and exciting era.

“We’ve said we’re committed to action and making things happen and this is a wonderful start,” said Mr Giuliani.
PGFC Wolves Logo
Wolverhampton Wolves Logo

Perth Glory fought off stiff competition from numerous clubs on the east coast to bring Wolverhampton to Western Australia in an exclusive deal that will see them play only in the west coast.

Glory Coach Dave Mitchell, who has a strong relationship with Wolverhampton Manager Mick McCarthy, was instrumental in the negotiations while Mr Giuliani also acknowledged the assistance of John Dennison from Entourage Management Services who helped facilitate the tour.

It is expected that Wolverhampton will spend approximately 12 days in Perth as part of a pre-season program which will culminate in two matches, one against the Glory and another yet to be confirmed.

“Not only will we test ourselves against a club playing at the highest levels in Europe, we’ll also get a great opportunity to observe their professional training standards,” said Mr Giuliani.

“We’re excited about the great tourism benefits this will deliver to Western Australia and there will no doubt be many clubs around the world that will now consider Perth as top class football training destination.”

The timing of the tour sits perfectly for Perth who will be in the final stages of their preparations for the 2009/10 Hyundai A-League season and Mitchell is looking forward to testing his new look squad against the visitors.

“I have no doubt that it will be a hard fought game but played in the right spirit,” Mitchell said.

“They’re well managed by Mick McCarthy who is a no nonsense bloke. I know him well and we’ve kept in touch so it’ll be great to come up against him.

“I’ve told Mick about Perth, what a great place it is and the strength of support for football in this town.

“There will be plenty of opportunities for local football supporters to take part in activities throughout the week and we’re very much looking forward to welcoming Wolves to Western Australia,” said Mitchell.

Perth Glory members will receive priority access to match tickets and will be notified once dates have been confirmed.

Mr Giuliani said the club was continuing to investigate the possibility of more international friendlies in WA during the pre-season and was hopeful of bringing another blockbuster match to Perth in 2009.

And I also have to laugh at this comment from the Sunday Times. "WA's own Cristiano Ronaldo..." Yes you read correctly. Apparently his grandparents live here so that means he's now ours. Now I'm just waiting for the rumour mill to churn out a 'Glory set to sign Ronaldo'.

Whoa whoa whoa....

Davids, like most of this topic, like most of FourFourTwo forums, like most of the internet, is pure whimsical speculation on behalf of us plebs. A "wouldn't it be nice if...". There has been 0 indication from Glory that we're even remotely looking at him or anyone like him.

Please don't get your hopes up. You're a Glory fan post-2005; you know those hopes are going to be dashed :twisted: :lol: :lol:

I'd like to see Mitch get 3 or 4 good players instead of splashing out on one marquee player who may fall in a heap.

Hmm just it's getting kind of confusing, as we've been hearing Mitch is endeavouring to get Mile Sterjovski down here as Marquee, as unlikely as that may seem, at the moment. I suppose Davids may be 'Plan B?'

Davids would certainly be good enough, if we only get one-two seasons out of him then that would be great.

As always though, fitness is the major concern - thoguh Davids has a pretty good reputation fitness wise, though perhaps a bit too much at times, as he was banned for that nandrolone or something, earlier this decade! :o

If you brought Davids down under, you'd HAVE to bring him as marquee.

Make it part of his contract that he needs to wear those cool goggles, and people will come from all around to see him. He's a class act.

I reckon a team of european has-beens would rape the A-League.

Christian Cyan ... havn't heard of him actually ... craddock seems to have more experience and a good record behind him, having played in the premier league.

I would much prefer kluivert over davids though .... considering davids is 36 and kluivert is 32, davids was a great player in his time though. And would only prefer kluivert providing he had a bit of pace at least, dont want a slow bugger ... defintely would be a good finisher though with his wealth of experience and have a good eye for goal.

Socceroos will come home: Coyne

SOCCEROOS defender Chris Coyne says he does not think Pim Verbeek's recent comments about the A-League will deter players from returning to play in Australia.

Verbeek expressed concerns about Jason Culina signing for Gold Coast United ahead of the 2010 World Cup and was pleased Scott Chipperfield had turned down a move to North Queensland Fury.

However, Coyne, who will be looking to win his sixth international cap against Uzbekistan next Wednesday in Sydney, said the A-League was becoming a more attractive option.

"I think the A-League as a whole is becoming more attractive, otherwise you wouldn't get players like of the calibre of Jason Culina and Craig Moore coming back," Coyne said.

"Preferably Pim would want everyone playing before the World Cup so he has got some selection headaches, and with players over there being out of season for three months before it starts, it is not ideal.

"But I don't think this will deter anyone from coming home if it is the right decision to make for themselves and their career."

Coyne, who has had an injury-plagued season for English League One side Colchester, is earmarked as a replacement for the injured Moore ahead of the World Cup qualifier at ANZ Stadium. The 30-year-old was singled out for praise by Verbeek for his performances against Uzbekistan, Holland and Ghana last year despite his relative inexperience at senior international level.

Despite spending most of his career in England in the Championship and League One with Luton and now Colchester, which forked out a club record £350,000 ($A740,000) to sign him, the Brisbane-born defender said growing up with 70 per cent of the present squad made it an easy transition for him.

"A lot of this team are around the same age group and have grown up together and played at state level against each other and for the Olyroos and the Joeys, so … fitting in with the boys was no problem," he said.

Despite two years left on his contract at Colchester Coyne is thinking about an eventual move to Australia, with Perth Glory, where his brother Jamie plays, his desired destination.

"I am not sure if it will be after the World Cup or before but I have always said I will come back and play in Australia. I left home at 16 to sign for West Ham and have never really shown people at home what I can do. Although I was born in Brisbane, I was raised in Perth so playing for the Glory would be the ideal scenario, but when you have been living 10,000 miles away from home, what is a 3½ hour flight? I wouldn't say I wouldn't play anywhere else in Australia but Perth would be my preference."

With Robbie Fowler to play for North Queensland, Coyne says interest has hit unprecedented levels. "There is a highlights package that they show on TV in the UK and I have had players coming up to me and asking about the A-League, which would never have happened a few years ago."