Why Perth's siege mentality is perfect for the title race

Another week, another positive result for Perth Glory who have strengthened their position at the top of the Hyundai A-League ladder.

The 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory means that there is now a seven point gap back to second spot and Glory are guaranteed to occupy first spot heading into the Asian Cup break.

Monday’s fixture against Adelaide United, who have beaten Kenny Lowe’s side twice already this season, poses another big test of their title credentials but, as usual, the Englishman will just take it all in his stride.

One of the biggest differences at Glory this season compared to previous campaigns is an air of defiance, a chip on the shoulder if you will, over how the club is treated by the governing body and the east coast media.

Football Federation Australia’s decision to give Adelaide the hosting rights for the inaugural FFA Cup Final didn’t go down well at all with Glory's players, club officials, and fans, and gave even more ammunition to those who think that there is a conspiracy against the west.

Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t, but that’s largely irrelevant when it comes down to using the idea of it to your own benefit.

The creation of a siege mentality works off a basic principle - if you believe that every man and his dog is against you then you will go out of your way to prove them wrong.

The Guardian’s latest ‘Five things we learned…’ column for Round 13 has once again been used as a platform for negative spin and calling out Glory, this time over an attitude that is seen to be inherently West Australian.

However, the article is misguided in its critique of Lowe and the club because creating an “us against them” mentality is exactly the sort of thing that can be the difference between winning and coming second, or worse.

Just this week the master of such tactics, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, used the media as his tool to have a rant after his side slumped to a 5-3 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur, a major slip up in the race to claim the English Premier League title

“The media, commentators, other managers are all doing it,” he said.

“There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don’t know why there is this campaign and I do not care.”

It’s magnificent stuff from the Portuguese because the focus is completely taken off the fact that his team performed badly, and all of the headlines become about the manager.

The same goes for Perth Glory – nobody is picking apart their failings on the park, and every team has them regardless of their position in the table.

Instead, the column inches are being dedicated to Kenny Lowe’s press conferences and sound bites, something the manager is no doubt absolutely delighted with.

It’s naivety on any writer’s part to fall for what is really an age old trick, and it's proving to be very effective whether used in the Premier League or, now, the A-League.

At full time following the win over Victory, Ruben Zadkovich, who is from New South Wales and has only been in Perth seven or eight months, made a point of having a pop at FFA over the cup final when interviewed by Fox Sports.

That annoyance hasn’t come out of nowhere, and if it is now a driving force behind why the team’s record has improved so dramatically this season then long may it be a fire that is stoked.