Asian/Australasian Football Discussion

Perth Glory stars may have the right to leave after salary cap ruling

April 11, 2015

Sebastian Hassett


Fresh from being denied the right to play in this year's A-League finals series, Perth Glory now face a fight to keep a hold of their best players, who have been told they may have the legal right to walk out on the club.

Not long after the news broke on Friday afternoon that repeat salary cap infringements meant the Glory would finish seventh – no matter how many points they accumulate this season – the club's players made contact with their union, Professional Footballers Australia.

Concerned players asked the PFA to detail exactly what would happen to their contracts in the advent that the FFA's decision, which is still subject to an appeal, stays in place.

The decision to exclude the players from the finals series could potentially impact players' overall salaries, which include bonuses for qualifying for the finals series and the Asian Champions League.

Perth Glory have seven days to appeal the FFA's ruling and chairman Tony Sage has indicated he will do so. The club is privately confident it will be able to get the decision overturned.

But it was also confirmed to Fairfax Media that should the FFA's decision stand, it would mean the Glory have breached the regulations set down by the A-League's standard player contracts.

The players have been told that should this current situation remain, they are entitled to give seven days notice before finding a new club.

Perth have a slew of high-profile players under contract for next season who would command attention on the open market, headlined by brilliant goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, attacking midfielder Nebojsa Marinkovic, winger Youssouf Hersi, forward Sidnei Sciola and their rock-solid back four: Scott Jamieson, Josh Risdon, Michael Thwaite and Dino Djulbic.

Strikers Andy Keogh and Jamie Maclaren, whose contracts have both come under scrutiny from the FFA, could also walk free into a new home.

Hours after the decision was handed down, Perth had to face Sydney FC, and with the result clearly playing on the Glory players' minds, were beaten 3-0 by the visitors.

Glory coach Kenny Lowe said the club would play for pride for the remainder of the season, even if the FFA's ruling stands. Perth are at home against Melbourne City next Sunday and then finish their season with Western Sydney away in the final round.

"We've got to deal with it with class because that will say more about us than anything else," he said. "I think the ultimate thing is that we just all hang in there and stick together and finish off the season in a proud manner where you can have some integrity about yourself.

"We're professionals and we get paid to do a job and as hard as it is, that's what we're going to focus on for the next two games."

Lowe said it had the potential to be a "defining moment for the club".

"I think when you are down and when you are like that, that's how you judge people," he said. "You see true characters and I think in the next few days we'll see some true characters in our football club."

Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold told his players they had to focus only on their game and not be affected by Perth's situation.

"My players were talking about it at our pre-match meal and I had to refocus them and pretty much tell them it's got nothing to [do] with us," he said. "I thought it was a very, very good performance from us. We created a lot of chances and what I'm very happy about of late is we're creating our own chances and we're not relying on mistakes from the opposition to score goals.

"We're doing everything ourselves with good combination play and good penetration and some great finishing."

Melbourne Victory's shock loss to last-placed Newcastle Jets has reinvigorated hopes that Sydney can win the Premiers' Plate but Arnold said his side was more focused on becoming the statistically best combination in the club's history.

"I've set targets and I've set goals to the team, but it's got nothing to do with finishing first, second or third," Arnold said. "I want this team to create history at Sydney FC and we've already done that with the goals that we've scored this year. The most was 41, we're now 46.

"[We're aiming for] 10 clean sheets, this was our ninth and we want to try and beat the best-ever total points which is 48. If we can do that, we'll be the best team Sydney FC has ever had and then wherever we finish, we finish."

www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/perth-glory-stars-may-have-the-right-to-leave-after-salary-cap-ruling-20150411-1mixdu.html