“GARCIA OUT!” was the catch cry from many Perth Glory fans on Saturday evening at HBF Park following Luke Ivanovic’s goal to seal a big Brisbane Roar win, and less than 24 hours later those supporters got their wish.
The term ‘unprecedented’ has become overused during the COVID-19 pandemic, but if there was one word to describe the Perth Glory’s reign under Richard Garcia, unprecedented would be it.
Following the abrupt departure of Tony Popovic in August 2020, Richard Garcia was appointed Manager of the Perth Glory men’s team, a promotion that followed a successful stint as head coach of the Perth Glory National Premier Leagues (NPL) academy and an assistant’s role to Popovic which the pair took Perth Glory to the summit of the A-League, winning the Premier’s Plate and narrowly missing out on the League/Grand Final double to Sydney FC.
A baptism of fire ensued with Garcia steering the side through its first Asian Champions League campaign in Qatar, in which the postponed tournament was held in hub-style due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and international border closures. Perth’s youth products side made up portion of the squad, with a smattering of stars such as Diego Castro and Bruno Fornaroli. However, the team would not qualify for the knock-out phase of the tournament, failing to register a win.
As the pandemic rolled on into 2021 Perth Glory under Richard Garcia would again be up against it; prize recruits Nathaniel Atkinson and Andrew Nabbout would come to a mutual termination agreement with the club due to relocation issues, both opting to join Melbourne City instead.
Perth Glory would go on to slump to a miserable ninth place finish with a record of nine wins, seven draws and ten losses. They would also miss out on direct qualification into the FFA Cup (Now Australia Cup) being forced instead to play-off against rivals, Melbourne Victory.
The 2021/2022 would bring many challenges, although prior to the season the hype was surrounding newly recruited, former Premier League star Daniel Sturridge. Despite injury concerns with the former Liverpool and Manchester City man, many fans were excited, although many weary with the prospect of what could eventuate.
Perth began their season to a buzz, over 17,000 fans would turn up to watch the Glory and indeed catch a glimpse of their prize recruit. Instead, Sturridge played less than five minutes much to the disappointment of the home crowd.
Fast forward and the Sturridge ‘skeptics’ would be proven right, with the former Red having minimal impact throughout the season thus far. With circumstances surrounding his injury concerns as well as numerous disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic we still find ourselves waiting for some kind of meaningful, on-field presence.
Just four days after the season opener, Perth Glory’s youth ranks would then come back into play, the postponed Cup play-off originally scheduled for to be hosted by Perth against Melbourne Victory would be played under neutral conditions in Adelaide due to the WA border closure.
Perth would field an entire youth academy side including Cameron Cook, Adam Zimarino, Josh Anasmo, Chris Donnell, Aidan Edwards and Aidan Coyne in a very promising display. Perth fell just short in a penalty shoot-out after drawing 1-1 after extra time. The Perth youth showed they can match it with the best, to the delight of the Glory faithful.
Cameron Cook proved later in the year that he can be called upon between the sticks as proven when both senior keepers in Liam Reddy and Brad Jones succumbed to injury.
The rollercoaster A-league season would continue and as multiple COVID disruptions and a tighter playing schedule began to play out, Richard Garcia would be forced again to call on the youth stocks.
Josh Rawlins would establish himself in the senior side after initially making his debut in the 2020 Asian Champions League alongside Giordano Colli and Luke Bodnar. Colli has also become an important figure in the absence of Brandon O’Neill in recent fixtures with Bodnar reportedly battling injury for a majority of the season.
Fellow youngsters Callum Timmins and Ciaran Bramwell also find themselves as part of the senior set up with a rejuvenated Daniel Stynes also re-joining the club under Garcia, going on to play a supporting role to Bruno Fornaroli, scoring in the Champions League as well as in the A-league.
Following a four month away-game stint, Perth finally came home to play in front of their home fans. The long-awaited return to HBF Park would prove not to be a happy one.
Immediate losses to Adelaide United and Sydney FC, a frustrating nil-all draw with Central Coast, followed by a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of eleventh-placed Brisbane Roar on Saturday night would be the final dagger in the career of Richard Garcia, at least as coach of Perth Glory.
Garcia was informed on Sunday morning that his services would no longer be required and we’ll now see former Glory player Ruben Zadkovich, Head coach of the Perth Glory NPLWA Academy being promoted in the interim to the coach the senior side. Chris Coyne will also be promoted to the senior team as Zadkovich’s assistant, the appointments describe as a somewhat audition by the club.
Zadkovich and Coyne come highly regarded as they took up the task from Garcia to head the Perth Glory NPL Academy. They have certainly had a hand in developing up and coming talent that have forged their way into the A-league, however judgements on the pair will ultimately be made on the progress made and results accomplished for the senior side, come season’s end.
Richard Garcia will leave as head coach of the Perth Glory, remembered for providing opportunities, nurturing and moulding young talent into senior players, at times under almost impossible circumstances.
A legacy which has been built on youth development which is currently bearing fruit and has laid a foundation for the future of the club. It’s a legacy that the board, management, supporters and stakeholders would be foolish to ignore.
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