FORMER Australia international striker Dave Mitchell has been confirmed as the coach of Perth Glory after impressing club owners since the sacking of Ron Smith.
Mitchell has guided the club to two wins, a draw and one loss since taking over the struggling Glory a month ago. The club had previously played 18 games in almost a year without tasting victory.
The 3-1 over reigning A-League champion Melbourne was enough to convince owners Tony Sage, John Spence and Brett McKeon that Mitchell was the man for the job.
Mitchell was confirmed as the Glory’s seventh permanent manager, with a deal until March 2009, at a press conference ahead of the team’s flight to New Zealand.
Mitchell played for Australia 44 times during a nomadic playing career which took him to England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
He returned to Australia to coach Sydney Olympic, Sydney United and Parramatta Power in the National Soccer League – taking United to the 1998-1999 grand final.
Mitchell paid tribute to his predecessor, who took him to the club as an assistant before he was sacked in November.
"I want to get players in place … it is a great decision for me, and for the club so we can players in here," Mitchell said.
"When the A-League started, they wanted to have a lot of foreign coaches and there was an influx, and the local coaches got overlooked.
"I thought the team had performed well … I just thought the deal worked for both parties. If they had gone for someone else, it would have been a bit of a headache.
"I have been at the club for over a year, I know what it is needed and I want to get this club rocking."
AAP
Source: Glory confirms Mitchell as coach
