With another embarrassing loss in the bag, and even the most ostrich-headed member of Perth Glory Football Club surely able to realise Perth won't be finishing anywhere near the top 6, it is surely now the time for Ian Ferguson's achievements to be looked at very closely.
Perth sit in 10th place on the table. If not for the major troubles for the Fury, a wooden spoon would be the only 'trophy' heading west this season. Only Newcastle has a poorer goals-per-game record, while the defensive record is only impressive compared to the Fury (who despite 15 goals conceded in their last 3 games are only 6 goals worse off than Perth). The team has picked up 0.85 points per match this season, far worse than our previous A-League worst of 0.95. Even more disturbingly, since Fergie has taken over that number has plummeted to 0.67. Only one team (unsurprisingly the defunct New Zealand Knights) has even done so badly in a full season. Even the current Fury side are picking up about 0.70 points per match. If a Premier League side picked up 0.67 points per match, they would have 25 points in a season- a total only 4 teams have done worse than in that particular competition in a decade.
Purely by the numbers, Ian Ferguson has done nothing to earn a contract for next season and statistically is the worst ever Perth coach (as pointed at by fellow blogger Dave). But as we all know, football is a game of more than numbers and another key question has to be asked- has the team looked capable of achieving the club's goals with Ferguson as coach? In short, no- the team has looked better than during the woeful run that led to Mitchell's "promotion" with a younger, hungrier, more passionate side now taking the field. But the style, the organisation, the fitness and the discipline are all well below scratch to even be competitive in the A-League.
In fairness to Fergie, he has made some steps forward. At the beginning of his reign, I called for 5 changes that could help Fergie win over the Perth fans. It's worth reviewing how the Scotsman has faired on those 5 requests:
1- Banish the dead weight
I called for Fergie to ditch the likes of Jamie Coyne, Naum Sekulovski, Michael Baird and Adriano Pellegrino. The good news is that one of them has already been sent packing, and it seems Jamie Coyne isn't far behind him. Sekulovski has had his role in the side reduced to what is about right, and Pellegrino has actually shown improvement under Ferguson. Even the bigger-name dead-weight players like Jacob Burns and Mile Sterjovski have been more restricted in their contributions to the side.
Fergie mark- 7/10
2- Get the best out of your best player
I called for Fergie to try and get something out of Mile Sterjovski to justify his marquee status. Unfortunately this hasn't happened, and lately the one-time World Cup hero has been looking like one of the least effective strikers in the entire league.
The good news for Fergie though is that he *has* managed to get an improved level of performance out of the other marquee, Robbie Fowler. By playing Fowler deeper and as more of a playmaker, Fergie has improved the style of the team. It's still not Brisbane or Adelaide, but it is improvement. If we can keep Fowler and offload Sterjovski, this will be a big win for the club.
Fergie mark- 6/10
3- Pack the midfield with technically proficient players who won't give the ball away
Fergie hasn't managed to achieve this one. Neville and Todd have remained primarily defenders, McGarry has been used more as a workhorse than a passer of the ball, and the harder-working Fondyke and Howarth have been preferred to the more technical Jukic.
Fergie mark- 2/10
4- Bring some youth into defence
It may have been forced through injury and suspension, but Fergie *has* managed to blood some young defenders. Pearson has come in and done a good job on occasion and Griffiths has been given a chance and not looked entirely out of place. Combined with the chances for Amphlett, Fondyke, Skorich, Taggart and Risdon it has been a refreshing change to see some young local talent come into the side. It's just a shame we haven't seen more of Jukic.
Fergie mark- 9/10
5- Reward Scott Neville
Again, it may only be a result of Jacob Burns being regularly injured or suspended, but just as I called for Scotty Neville has been rewarded with the captain's armband on numerous occasions this season. The one Perth player who can genuinely claim to have had an excellent season, Neville should be considered the future of the club and the one player the side can be built around. The next job for Fergie is to prevent other clubs from trying to poach the starlet, and to give Scotty the chance to grow in a single position- continually swapping between central defence, right back and right midfield is a very short-sighted use of such a talented young player.
Fergie mark- 9/10
On the basis of those criteria, I find it hard to criticise the changes Ferguson has made to the side and I can definitely see the team reaching another level under him in the coming season. Unfortunately, the absolute numbers still form the backdrop to those improvements and the absence of points, goals and clean sheets provide a very harsh criticism of Fergie's abilities as a coach. An improved 2011/2012 season might well be a realistic prospect for Perth fans, but finals football seems fanciful and a championship for the club remains as distant a prospect as ever.
