A-League Men: Perth Glory coach David Zdrilic thankful for owner Ross Pelligra’s support into next season

Perth Glory coach David Zdrilic has thanked club chairman Ross Pelligra for his steadfast support after the owner backed him to continue beyond his disappointing first season in charge. Pelligra told attendees at the club’s chairman’s function on Saturday they supported Zdrilic’s vision and announced director Jason Bontempo would be the club’s new vice chairman. Two hours later, Glory were basking in the glow of their best performance under Zdrilic, having thrashed an out-of-form Adelaide United 4-1 at HBF Park. Despite Zdrilic’s poor first season, which has seen fans turn on him and the club approach historic lows, Pelligra gave the embattled coach his backing pre-game, with two years left to run on his deal. While Zdrilic conceded the results had undeniably been poor, he was grateful for the support of Pelligra and Perth’s ownership group. “On the owners, they’ve been fantastic. They have been so supportive the whole way and that’s not always the case, and I understand that, and I appreciate that,” Zdrilic said. “I’m very respectful of that trust that they’ve given me and the group. “I’m quite strong and resilient. I’ve been in many different difficult situations in my different careers, as a player and as an assistant coach as well, I’m used to difficult times and getting through them being uncomfortable situations. “But I am happy that result and that performance came because it’s been there, but when it’s not there and it doesn’t happen, then you can just keep talking. “I keep telling them that’s what we have in us, and now they’ve seen it.” The 4-1 thrashing of Adelaide was by far Perth’s best showing of the season, as Adam Taggart and Trent Ostler scored in the first-half before Ben Folami pulled one back for the visitors. Zdrilic, who called it their best result of the year more so than their best performance, said the difference was how they managed key moments after they faced pressure from the visitors during spells in both halves. “We managed the moments better because, we got to 2-0 and then when that goal went in it was easy to think, here we go again,” he said. “You can see the quality they have, and especially in transition I thought they were very dangerous. When we were going forward, we lost the ball, they were coming at us and I thought we managed those moments well. “You saw the guys playing with much more confidence. We just haven’t had those moments this season but when we did finally today, it’s almost like a weight off their shoulders, and they started playing with freedom. “That’s the kind of football we want to play, but more more of that, and more aggressive and more high pressing. With Adelaide pushing to make it 2-2, it was Glory academy graduate Jaylan Pearman — playing his last game at home before an expected move to QPR in the off-season — who made the game safe. The talented 19 year-old scored twice in seven minutes with two classy finishes to sign off in front of the HBF Park faithful and Zdrilic said he was delighted for the attacking midfielder. “He’s a great kid and he’s come a long way this season. He was playing NPL at the start of the season, and getting sometimes pushed off the ball,” he said. “His quality was always there, but the strength (wasn’t), and he’s come into the team and looked straight away at home, but every game seems like he’s taking it to another level.”