Aces in pack for Glory
Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe has hinted that returning internationals Jamie Maclaren and Mitch Nichols are no certainties to start on the bench in tonight's game against Wellington Phoenix at nib Stadium.
Glory are sitting pretty on top of the A-League ladder seven games into the season, partly on the back of an unbeaten record at home.
While their early form is impressive, it is the club's injury list which is also the source of envy throughout the league.
The availability of Maclaren and Nichols, coupled with the return of Sidnei Sciola from a calf injury, means the Glory will have only one player unavailable against the Phoenix after defender Jack Clisby injured an ankle playing for the youth side last week.
Lowe said he would monitor the fitness of his returning internationals, but could be tempted to give them plenty of game time after both impressed on national duties.
"Macca has been away and scored, so he'll be on a bit of a high," he said.
"Mitch has been away and played some part of the game, so he's going to be on a bit of a high.
"So we've got to tap into that as well as the vibe around the place. We'll see how we go."
The fifth-placed Phoenix have shown signs of improvement this season, but are significant underdogs on the back of a tough travel schedule.
Lowe said while Glory's form had been solid, they couldn't afford to take the Phoenix lightly.
"They're dangerous, so I can't see it being a quiet, shy, closed game," he said. "I think just like the other three (home games) we've had, it will be open.
"I think there will be goals, just hopefully there's maybe one more for us than them."
Lowe has remained measured when asked about Glory's hot start to the season, but yesterday said the message he gave the players was to soak up the adulation as much as possible, even if he couldn't.
"Enjoy yourselves, go and have a party," he said.
"Them lads deserve all the accolades they're getting at the moment, they're doing the hard yards, I'm just sat on a chair at the side of the pitch.
"At the end of the day I'll take the losses, they'll take the wins, that's how it is at the moment."
However, he said the work was far from over in terms of rebuilding the club's culture of success.
"It's not about this year it's the next year and the year after that and the year after that," he said.
"You want to build something, you don't build something over seven games."
