Socceroos great Stan Lazaridis appointed football director of Perth Glory

A Socceroos stalwart is set to play a key role in the planned revival of A-League club Perth Glory.

Former Socceroos star Stan Lazaridis (right), pictured with Harry Kewell, is Perth Glory’s new football director. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Former Socceroos star Stan Lazaridis has vowed to make Perth Glory “great again” in his newly appointed role of football director.

Perth product Lazaridis, who played for the Glory for two seasons at the tail end of a career that included stints at English outfits West Ham and Birmingham City, said he “needed to give something back” to his hometown club,

“For me personally, there’s unfinished business at the club,” he said.

“I feel that when I left, I needed to give something back and this is just the right time to do that.

“My motive for coming back is simply that I want this club to be better. I want us to achieve things again.

“I’m going to work my damnedest to make this club great again and the board have given me full trust.”

Stan Lazaridis will work to make Perth Glory ‘better’ in his role as football director. Picture: Lea Tracee

The Glory was recently bought by Melbourne property tycoon Ross Pelligra, who also owns Italian team Catania FC.

“I could see that (Lazaridis) had that leadership in him and as I got to know him more, I realised that we need a person like Stan in our club, someone who understands football, knows football, has lived football and can help the next generation of kids come through,” Pelligra said.

Having dominated the old National Soccer League, the Glory is yet to win an A-League championship, and will struggle to play finals football this season.

“Top of my priority list is looking at the playing squad because we’re actually quite thin on the player roster,” Lazaridis said.

“I’ll be looking at how we can strengthen for next season, looking at players whose contracts are running out, speaking to them individually and seeing where their minds are at in terms of whether they want to still be here or whether they want to move on.

“We’ve got such a great owner who’s very humble, very financial, but also wants success and he’s given us his ideas of what he wants.

“It’s going to be a big team effort. We’ve got some wonderful staff here and I just can’t wait to get stuck into it.”

Originally published as Socceroos great Stan Lazaridis appointed football director of Perth Glory