Perth Glory midfielder Rhys Bozinovski has declared his side is paying no attention to the congested A-League Men ladder, insisting the team's sole focus is on securing maximum points from two vital upcoming home fixtures.
Ignoring the Standings, Embracing the Challenge
Despite sitting in 10th position on the table, Glory's season is far from over. They are a mere six points behind second-placed Sydney FC, yet also only four points clear of the bottom in a remarkably tight competition. Bozinovski, however, says the playing group is deliberately blocking out the noise of the standings.
"We don't look at the ladder; we don't think it's important," Bozinovski stated firmly. "We just know the task ahead, and we've got Mariners, and we've got Brisbane after and we know that they're all important games, and we need to win."
The comments come as coach Adam Griffiths continues to demand greater consistency from his squad. Perth have been unable to register a draw since the season opener and have claimed just one victory from their last four outings, despite showing patches of improved form.
Settled and Ready for HBF Park Fortress
The challenge for consistency begins with a home double-header at HBF Park. First, they host the Central Coast Mariners on Saturday night, before welcoming Brisbane Roar the following Friday. Bozinovski revealed the team has done its homework on the Mariners.
"We've analysed them tactically, we know where we can exploit them, and hopefully we can do that on Saturday," he said. But the 21-year-old was quick to add a note of caution, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the league. "Every game is tough. It doesn't matter who it is, anyone can beat anyone in this league so we need to make sure we're at our best."
Bozinovski's own start to life in Perth has been impressive, especially considering a disrupted pre-season. He was left without a club after Western United's financial hibernation before signing with Glory. He has since forged a strong partnership in central midfield with Will Freney.
"It was a weird couple months in that period but as soon as I moved to Perth, I tried to put my head down, work hard and I've found my feet now," Bozinovski explained. "Playing alongside Will, it's been amazing. We've got a good partnership, and hopefully we can take that throughout the season."
Midfield Competition and National Snub
The competition for places is heating up, with English midfielder Luke Amos now back in training and making his season debut in the recent 3-2 loss to Melbourne Victory. Bozinovski welcomes the challenge.
"We've got a lot of good midfielders... There's competition every day with Lukey, with everyone," he said. "It's good coming into training every day with those players around you, it makes you better."
In other news, Bozinovski was reportedly overlooked for selection in the Australian under-23 squad for the Asian Cup, which kicked off recently. He has chosen to view the snub as a non-issue, redirecting his energy entirely towards Perth's campaign.
"There were some clubs that let players go, some clubs didn't; that decision was made, it is out of my hands," he said. "My focus is Perth Glory. We've got the next two home games and I'm here to win those games."
With the table so compressed, six points from the next two matches at HBF Park could dramatically alter Perth Glory's trajectory this season, a fact not lost on a squad determined to control only what they can.
