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Lowe: We’re going to bring the FFA Cup back to Perth

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

Perth Glory coach Kenny Lowe was positive about the club’s chances of claiming its first silverware of the A-League era during an FFA Cup Roadshow in the city today.

The trophy was in town ahead of next week’s showpiece clash against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium, with the first team squad posing for photos alongside a healthy gathering of purple-clad supporters on a sunny afternoon.

Purple patch.

"I think when you enter a competition you want to win it no matter what it is," said Lowe.

"I think the professionalism of the team, they’ve all got their own personal pride with how they go about their business, so I guess they’re really fired up.

"It’ll be a little marker in the sand for everybody over east to see that we’re maybe the real deal."

Lowe agreed that Glory have been underestimated this season, but also felt the scepticism was perhaps justified based on past results.

"We haven’t performed over the years so I think that now maybe is the time we’re at a little crossroads that we can build on, and a little bit of success that we’ve had at the start of the season," he said.

"If we can add a little bit of silverware to it then it all adds to the kudos."

Before the final, Lowe will be keen for his side to maintain first place in the A-League, a position they’ve held for five weeks now, when they take on the Newcastle Jets at nib Stadium later this week.

"We’ll focus on Friday and once we’ve got Friday out of then we’ll deal with Tuesday," he said.

The Englishman was keen to acknowledge the players that haven’t been getting a run in the team lately but who have been performing superbly in training to push those that currently occupy the starting spots.

"I’ve got absolute massive respect for the players that are outside the team at the moment," he said.

"They’re the guys that are I’m really holding up there because they’re going about their business really, really well and they’re not getting a chance on a Saturday because the eleven are doing so well."

During a photo opportunity with City of Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, the FFA Cup was raised, going against what is a generally held superstition.

When asked about doing so, Lowe responded in typical fashion.

"Why not touch it? We’re going to bring it back anyway so why not touch it?" he said emphatically.

Club captain Michael Thwaite was asked about some of the changes that have taken place to have Glory fighting on two fronts after what was a largely miserable 2013/14 season.

"It comes down to recruiting good players and having a good staff around you," he said.

"There’s a good link between the administration and the football department now with Jacob [Burns] filling in that role, and I guess the club in general is making the right steps from under 12s right through to the A-League team."

Thwaite also spoke about the cup and how a run to the final was one of the opportunities identified by the playing group ahead of the current campaign.

"In preseason we set our goals for both the league and the FFA Cup," said the defender.

"Something that we wanted to achieve as a team was to win the first FFA Cup and we’ve got a great chance to do that on Tuesday."