The players have resumed training at the club as the long build up to season four of the Hyundai A-League gets underway.

It has been a frustrating start for Bertos though as he is not yet able to join in with the rest of the squad as he continues his rehabilitation from an off season operation.

He told au.fourfourtwo.com: “I’m on a different programme to the rest of the boys at the moment. I had an operation to sort out a hip muscle problem which had been bothering me for a while at Perth but I should be back to where I need to be in about three to four weeks.

“There’s no rush as there’s still a long time to go until the start of the season. I’m just glad to be here and of course it’s great to be back home.”

Not that the Wellingtonian swapped the west coast of Australia for his home town out of mere sentimentality, far from it.

While only goal difference separated the Glory and the Phoenix in the wooden spoon stakes last year, Bertos does not believe he has simply jumped from one cellar dweller to another.

He said: “I think there are exciting times ahead at this club. The decision I made was a good decision football-wise.

“I know the type of football Ricki Herbert likes to play and I think players can see there is something happening here and there is potential here. Look at the players who have joined so far. That tells you something.

“Top four next year? Why not? You have to be confident, have belief and work hard. That’s what we’ll all be looking to do and it would be fantastic to have the Phoenix in the finals.

“And I didn’t have much luck in purple (Glory colours) so hopefully the change to white will be of benefit. I guess you could say it’s looking to re-ignite, yeah.”

It is certainly a high tech build up to the new campaign. Bertos said: “There’s new fitness coaches on board and the lads are being fitted with heart monitors. They’ve thought of everything.”