The A-League has come to a close and now all eyes are on the preparations heading into the 2024/25 season.
The Glory announced several departures on Tuesday and have already made their first couple of signings, bringing back Josh Risdon and Brandon O’Neill on two-year deals.
In the wake of the recent news, here are my thoughts on the players from the season just gone and how the squad is shaping up for next season.
Goalkeepers
Oli Sail
The New Zealand international had a rough start to life in Perth, making errors leading to goals in the opening two games of the season. He was subsequently dropped and didn’t return to the starting side until January, in the Glory’s sole away win against Western Sydney.
This coincided with the six-game unbeaten run during January and February, ending with the 0-0 draw against Wellington, his only clean sheet.
He remained in the side for the rest of the season, which ended on a sour note. 23 goals conceded in the final four games, conceding at least four goals in each of those matches.
Stats wise, this was his worst in the A-League. His total saves, save percentage and goals prevented were all lower than in his previous three seasons with Wellington.
I think we will see an improvement from him next season. Having a better defence in front of him will help, and Cameron Cook is hot on his heels to be the number one keeper.
Cameron Cook
The shot-stopper from Darwin made 10 appearances this season, coming into the side and keeping a clean sheet in the Glory’s first win of the season against Central Coast.
He remained in the side until Unite Round, where he conceded four in an entertaining clash against Wellington in the rain.
Even though his performance in that particular match wasn’t the best, his overall stats for the season were quite good. His save percentage was slightly higher than Sail’s and for goals expected, he was in the green by two, compared to Sail who was just under -6 in the red.
Distribution wise, Cook made more successful long balls, with 13% better accuracy than his teammate. This season he was a good second choice; if he does well in preseason he is more than capable of coming back into the line-up as a starter.
Defenders
Darryl Lachman
A former MGP winner, Darryl Lachman’s fourth season with the club was his last. The Curacao defender has been a great servant for the club, but didn’t get the opportunity for a proper send-off.
He started 22 matches, making 117 recoveries with a 60% duel success rate. Not bad, but a little down on his numbers from previous seasons. During his MGP season of 2021/22, he made a total of 28 interceptions. This season, it was just over half of that.
The defence needs an overhaul, and Lachman is one of the many who will depart. At 34, his best years are behind him, and letting him go will give more minutes to some of the young defenders in the squad.
Mark Beevers
Riddled with injuries this season, Beevers will also be leaving the club, two years after joining from Peterborough.
A knee injury sustained in training followed by a calf issue kept him sidelined for the majority of the season. His last appearance was on New Year’s Eve, where he gave away two penalties for handball and was sent off.
During his 10 matches of this campaign, he unsurprisingly won a high percentage of aerial duels and most of his ground duels, while also getting on the scoresheet in the 2-1 loss to Wellington.
His departure doesn’t come as a massive surprise. He was very good under Ruben Zadkovich, but couldn’t replicate it at the same level under Alen Stajcic. Injury concerns and age would have been extra factors; knee and calf problems at 34,it’s a wise choice to part ways.
Aleksandar Susnjar
Signed on a free in September, the ex-Macarthur defender started the season playing at left back until Beevers’ injury. From then on, he played primarily as a centre half.
Based on his aerial ability and lack of pace in comparison to wingers, the decision to deploy him on the left side of defence came as a surprise, given he spent most of his time with Macarthur playing centrally.
It turned out to be a good surprise; he started the season strongly, adjusting well to a slightly different position. In the air, he was dominant and rarely got beaten by opposition attackers on the ground.
The later stage of the season was a different story. There was a drop off in his last couple of outings, particularly against Adelaide when he was faced with Nestory Irankunda.
An assist and a couple of goals, including an absolute belter against the Phoenix, were highlights for the man rumoured to be joining Newcastle next season.
He will be leaving the Glory; although it’s not as big a loss as Lachman or Beevers, it leaves another defensive position to cover which he could have been useful in.
Johnny Koutroumbis
Another one on the move is Koutroumbis, who will be pursuing an opportunity overseas, rumoured to be Motherwell in Scotland.
He was faced with competition from Josh Rawlins but still started the majority of games; 20 overall, with four sub appearances sprinkled in.
Offensively, his contributions saw a big improvement on last season. 21 chances created, 33 successful dribbles compared to three and four under Ruben Zadkovich.
Granted, he saw much less game time and was utilised more as the third centre back. Nevertheless, being more offensive has helped his stocks rise.
On the defensive end is where some of the struggles were. He was dribbled past 23 times, and was caught out on a few occasions which led to goals, such as Trent Buhagiar’s late equaliser in Newcastle and Abel Walatee’s go-ahead goal in the penultimate game of the season.
I wouldn’t have minded keeping him on, but an overseas opportunity is hard to resist. Plus, with Josh Risdon coming home, a very good replacement has been found.
Riley Warland
An outstanding NPL campaign prompted the Glory to bring the 21-year-old back to the club for his third stint.
Susnjar’s move to centre back to cover for the injured Beevers opened a spot at left back, which gave the youngster a big opportunity for game time.
He started 14 matches, the first being the narrow loss to the Victory in January. His last appearance before then was two months prior, in the 2-0 loss to the Wanderers.
Utilised at set-pieces, he created 25 chances, the third highest of any Glory player for the season. Only two of them led to assists, funnily both of them coming from substitute appearances.
Although still young, it’s clear he isn’t ready to be a starting player. There were times he struggled defensively; against Nestory Irankunda, in the 2-1 loss to the Victory and the smashing against Melbourne City, where he was subbed out after 27 minutes.
That ended up being his last appearance for the season, a sour note to finish on. Not contracted for next season, I’d be happy for him to stay on as a backup; a stronger option needs to be brought in to start at left back.
Josh Rawlins
On loan from Utrecht, the 20-year-old returned to Perth in late January, making 8 starts over the course of 12 appearances.
It began on the perfect note, scoring his first senior goal against Adelaide at Coopers Stadium in what ended up being a 3-3 draw.
An injury to Koutroumbis meant five consecutive starts, all of which were solid but unspectacular.
His remaining matches followed suit, although his loan spell ended badly when he deputised at left back for the final match of the season, and couldn’t contain Joe Lolley.
With his loan deal done, he will be back off to Holland. I would’ve been open to him staying on loan though; he could learn a lot from Risdon and would have continued to get game time, which is something he hasn’t seen a lot of while at Utrecht.
Jacob Muir
The young defender had an inconsistent season, at times playing in defence and others in the middle of the park as a makeshift midfielder.
Comfortable on the ball for a defender and with relatively good passing, I could understand the move higher up the field to a degree.
If he had playing alongside someone with more experience, it would have helped him. Playing with Gio Colli, who hadn’t played in a deep-lying role before this season, the partnership never clicked.
He went six weeks without playing twice in the season, between November and December and in between March and April.
Without that consistency, it’s easy to understand why he couldn’t build any momentum. Under contract and only 22, there’s room for him to grow at the club. Just not in the midfield, he’s better off as a centre back.
Kaelan Majekodunmi
One of many youngsters to burst onto the scene in Perth this season, the 20-year-old made an impact right off the bat, scoring a special debut goal off the bench against the Victory in January.
His next appearances didn’t come until March, again as a substitute against Western United and the Jets, where he had a goal ruled out for a soft foul in the build-up.
Promoted to the starting lineup against the Wanderers, he remained there for the rest of the season, partnering with Daryll Lachman in most of those games.
There’s no point holding the last couple of games against him. With experience he will keep developing, and what we’ve seen already has me excited about his potential.
Midfielders
Mustafa Amini
The Glory captain missed the opening six games through injury, coming back during the 2-1 loss to Melbourne City at home.
He didn’t start until the Victory clash in January, which was the only game he played the full 90 minutes.
The midfield functioned better when he was in it, offering the extra defensive edge lacking in the early stages with Gio Colli and Oli Bozanic.
Not just involved defensively, the skipper scored two penalties against Melbourne City and Macarthur and created 20 chances, the second highest per 90 in the squad.
Keeping him fit will be the key. If the club manages to sign a good quality midfielder to play alongside him, then the squad will be in much better shape to make a run for the finals.
Giordano Colli
The only player to both feature and start in every match this season, Giordano Colli’s transformation from a no. 10 to a no. 6 under Alen Stajcic has come under a fair amount of scrutiny.
Defending is a weaker point in his game, emphasised by the fact he lost more duels than he won. Tackles won was just over 50%, which is in the lower percentiles for a midfielder. He was also dribbled past 40 times.
His long ball distribution was good, but at times his short passing let him down. Still, he created the most chances and led the assist total with 5, more than Jay O’Shea and Zinedine Machach managed this season.
Out of contract, Colli’s future is yet to be determined. A stronger defensive midfielder is needed to cover his spot and if another club was interested in taking him on, I wouldn’t mind letting him go.
Bruce Kamau
An A-League journeyman, Bruce Kamau had an underwhelming season in comparison to his younger peersand was one of the announced dozen who won’t be playing for Perth next season.
He played the full 90 just twice, in the 3-3 draw in Adelaide and in the scoreless draw against the Phoenix.
In 11 starts and 9 substitute appearances, the winger didn’t register a goal or an assist, creating only eight chances in the process.
While his experience is valuable, his performances compared to the teenage talent coming through weren’t good enough. With the likes of Daniel Bennie and Joel Anasmo bursting onto the scene, the space occupied by the 29-year-old has been covered.
Jarrod Carluccio
Initially on loan from Western Sydney, Jarrod Carluccio’s time out west will continue after his re-signing was confirmed at the beginning of the month.
The 23-year-old said he’s enjoyed his stay in Perth and it has showed with his form, which picked up after a sluggish start to the season.
It took a while but he got his first Glory goal in United Round against Wellington. That was followed up by a beautiful assist against the Victory and another one in the final game against Sydney.
More confidence on the ball enhanced his forward play. He won 26 fouls, the most of any Glory player, and he had 40 touches in the box, a high number for players in his position.
Winning possession 11 times in the final third, his defensive intensity is also at a high level. If he can register more goal contributions, the club will have a very good player on its hands.
Daniel Bennie
When Daniel Bennie scored in the friendly against West Ham, it was evident he was set for a breakout season.
Going from youth player to regular in the squad, the 18-year-old made his debut in the opening round, starting against Newcastle on the left.
He proceeded to start 21 more matches, missing just two games for the year. Played in a variety of roles, out wide is where the teenager played his best football.
With pace and quick feet, Bennie was able to get in good positions but didn’t have the composure to finish off his good work in the early stages.
As the season wore on he got better, finishing with three assists and one goal, eventually finding the back of the net against the Victory at AAMI Park.
With experience he will get much better. Sadly he won’t be at Glory next season, with the youngster heading to QPR in the Championship. It’s an exciting move for him; for his sake I hope he gets the game time needed to continue his development.
Trent Ostler
Like Gio Colli, Trent Ostler underwent somewhat of a transformation this season, playing a large portion of it in the centre of midfield.
Used as a stopgap by Alen Stajcic, the 22-year-old also played as a right midfielder at various points and at left back for the 2-1 home loss to Melbourne City.
Having spent most of his career as a forward, playing Ostler in central midfield was an odd choice, given he could be better utilised in a more attacking role.
The big positive for him was his consistent run of games; he featured in 22 this season, more than double his total over the last two seasons.
Although he’s out of contract, it looks like he will carry on. Good enough to play multiple roles if needed, he’ll be a handy utility player to call upon.
Forwards
Adam Taggart
Twenty goals, Golden Boot winner and Most Glorious Player. Not to mention the Players’ Player of the Season and Members’ Player of the Season.
As far as individual seasons go, the 2023/24 season of Adam Taggart has to be one of the most impressive by a Perth Glory player.
It wasn’t just the goals. He created 31 chances and led from the front defensively, making 34 blocks and 52 recoveries.
As for the goals, the variety of them and the consistency he found the net with was stunning. He scored in 14 out of the 25 he played. 10 goals with his right foot, 6 with his left foot and 4 headers.
It was his best A-League season to date, and he is contracted for another two years. To think, with even better service next season, there is a genuine possibility the 30-year-old could go to another level in 2024/25.
Stefan Colakovski
Reborn under Alen Stajcic, Stef Colakovski emerged from the shadows to finally breakthrough as a first team player.
In his three seasons with Melbourne City, the 24-year-old made seven A-League starts and scored 3 goals. This season, he tripled both.
It has earned him an overseas opportunity, and was the departure I was most disappointed to hear about from Tuesday.
My only qualm would be he drifted in and out of games. Despite playing more than David Williams, he created less chances, had less shots and performed fewer defensive actions.
When he got involved in the play, the team did better. His hard work has been rewarded, but leaves another gap to cover in a squad with many other holes to fill.
David Williams
Thirty-six years young, David Williams has played the role of impact substitute perfectly. All 5 of his goals came from the bench, the most of any player this season.
Three of them came in stoppage time, two of them in separate games against Macarthur securing a win at home and a point on the road.
Not content with just goals, he added three assists and provided constant energy on the defensive end, making 47 recoveries and winning the ball 13 times in the final third.
In his three starts, he didn’t influence the game as much compared to the games he came on in the second half.
Even with Colakovski leaving, Williams should be kept as an impact player off the bench. He’s more effective playing less minutes with higher intensity at this point in his career.
Joel Anasmo
In a similar vein to Bennie, Joel Anasmo made his name known to Glory fans in the pre-season friendly against West Ham.
The 19-year-old provided the assist for Bennie’s goal and nearly had one of his own if not for the reflexes of Lukasz Fabianski.
Unlike his teammate, it took until February for him to make his first Glory appearance. Coming on as a sub, he scored the sealer on debut in the 98th minute against Melbourne City.
He missed just one game for the rest of the season, totalling 12 appearances including his starting debut against Sydney.
Besides his debut goal, his solo run set up the equaliser against the Roar at HBF Park a couple of weeks later. With plenty of pace and ability on the ball, the sky is the limit for the teenager.
With a bit of fine tuning to his game, he will become more consistent and more clinical. Next season he can go another level, and with the departures of Kamau and Salim Khelifi, he should see more time on the pitch if he stays on, which I hope is the case.
Grouped together
Jayden Gorman, Khoa Ngo and Adriano Lebib
Youngsters who played little this season, Jayden Gorman made the most of the trio, making five for the season, featuring a start against the Victory at AAMI Park.
His best of the bunch came off the bench against the Wanderers in March, where he nearly scored his first goal and was lively on the left hand side.
The 21-year-old will leave in June when his contract expires, after making seven appearances in total for the club.
Ngo and Lebib made their debuts late in the season; the midfielder against Western United in the penultimate game and Lebib in the 7-1 horror show versus Sydney.
The experience will benefit the pair of 18-year-olds, who are back playing for the Glory’s NPL side. If their form is good at State level, we might see more of them for the Glory in the national competition.
Luke Bodnar and Adam Zimarino
The duo endured the same experience Stefan Colakovski had last season. After featuring consistently under Ruben Zadkovich, both Bodnar and Zimarino rarely saw the pitch under Alen Stajcic.
The midfielder went from 13 starts last time around to just six appearances, all off the bench. After playing in the opening game, the 24-year-old wasn’t seen until the new year.
He featured in the wins against the Wanderers away and against Melbourne City, making his final appearance away against Adelaide in February, where he gave away a penalty.
The striker saw even less time, playing under 40 minutes of football in two substitute appearances, the two games Adam Taggart missed through injury.
Both are contracted until 2025, although I doubt they will be keen to spend another year effectively on the sidelines. If they’re not playing, I don’t see a reason for them to stick around.
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