Perth Glory's A-League Women's coach Stephen Peters has delivered a frank assessment of his team's preparation, admitting significant concerns about rustiness ahead of their season opener against Western United.
The Glory face a challenging start to their campaign this Sunday at Roma Street's new venue, with Peters revealing his squad has managed just two proper preseason hit-outs against A-League opposition.
"We're probably a little bit underdone," Peters confessed in a blunt admission that will concern Glory supporters. "We've only had two games against A-League opposition, so we're going to be a little bit rusty."
Preseason Disruption Plagues Preparation
The team's preparation has been far from ideal, with their final scheduled friendly against Melbourne City cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. This disruption has left the squad with limited opportunities to build match fitness and cohesion before the serious business begins.
"We had a game against Melbourne City that got cancelled, so we're going into the first game with only two games under our belt," Peters explained, highlighting the compromised preparation timeline.
New Faces, Limited Integration Time
Compounding the challenge is the integration of several new players into the squad. With minimal competitive minutes together, developing the crucial understanding between teammates remains a work in progress.
The shortened preparation window means Peters and his coaching staff have had less time than they'd prefer to implement their tactical systems and build the chemistry necessary for a strong start to the season.
Opening Challenge Against Western United
Facing Western United in their inaugural match at the new Roma Street venue adds another layer of difficulty to an already challenging situation. The opposition will be eager to make their mark in front of what's expected to be an enthusiastic crowd.
Despite the concerns, Peters remains focused on extracting the maximum performance from his squad. The coaching staff are working overtime to ensure the team hits the ground running, even if they're not at peak sharpness.
The coming days will be crucial as Perth Glory fine-tunes their approach and works to shake off any preseason rust before Sunday's important fixture.
