Like a large number of Perth Glory players, Bertos's contract is up for renewal at the end of this season.

But with new coach David Mitchell breathing life into a previously moribund campaign, Bertos wants to be part of it in 2008/09

“I'm up this year so I'm in the same boat as about 14 or 15 of us [at Glory]. It's a huge number [off contract],” he tells au.fourfourtwo.com.

“I'd like to stay for sure. I'm enjoying myself at Perth and Mitch [coach David Mitchell] seems to be sorting things out at the club."

Bertos adds that the has “more of a free licence attacking-wise and getting on the ball” under Mitchell.

“Phoenix have been doing very well," says Bertos. "I know most of the players at the club through growing up in our age group teams.

"There's a lot for me to go back to. Who knows? Ideally I'd stay.

"All I can say is that we have to concentrate on these next few games and let all that sort itself out.”

Glory may sit bottom of the league, but their stunning 4-2 dismantling of Sydney FC last week in the harbour city has offered a ray of hope.

And with three home games out of their final four fixtures, the most improbable story of the season may yet unfold.

“It's still mathematically possible," Bertos says of Glory's finals hopes. "We'd have to rely on other results going our way, but we're not really looking at the bigger picture just yet.

"We just want to concentrate on our next home game and the one after that. We want to continue our good form and giving our fans something they've been missing out on.“

However, the New Zealander, who turned 26 on Thursday may be seen playing in Sydney next year - not for FC but for the All-Whites, who have a rescheduled World Cup qualifier with Fiji set down for a neutral venue next June.

Sydney is one of the favourites to host the game that was cancelled earlier this in controversial circumstances after the New Zealand government refused a Fijian player entry into their country due to his alleged links with the Fijian military.