A-League: Hard work and patience pays off for Melbourne City custodian Thomas Glover
Thomas Glover has gone from warming the bench at the A-League’s worst club to playing in a grand final.
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Two years ago, Thomas Glover struggled to get a game for the worst team in the A-League. Now the young goalkeeper is about to play in a grand final for the competition’s richest club.
It’s meteoric rise that led to the former Central Coast Mariners gloveman shedding a tear after his excellent performance in Melbourne City’s 2-0 semi-final win over Western United on Wednesday night.
“It just came over me,” the 22-year-old custodian said.
“There’s been ups and downs the last couple of years, and it’s a reward that’s paying off for all the hard work for myself and team.
“Two years ago I was part of an A-League team where I only played four games and we got the wooden spoon, and to Sunday going to play in a grand final.
“For me ... these are the good times and working hard through the bad times to get to these times.”
https://twitter.com/MelbourneCity/status/1298550536216514563
A grand final win would cap off a great year for Glover.
Having started the season as City second-choice keeper behind the enigmatic Dean Bouzanis, Glover not only displaced Bouzanis but also was the gloveman for the Olyroos’ side that qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
“At the start of the season it was more of a waiting game. I had to be ready for my opportunity. I’d like to think that I took it,” he said.
“(A win on) Sunday would just be the icing on the cake, with the Olympic stuff ... and the season that we’ve had this year.”
Glover said the key to his rise up the goal-keeping ranks was as simple as weekly selection.
“For me it’s just getting experience, and it’s about getting games. You can’t buy experience,” he said.
“I’m very thankful this club has given me the opportunity to do that, and to showcase myself.
“That’s my aim for next season as well, to continue playing week in, week out.”
But before next season comes Sunday night’s decider against reigning champions Sydney FC at Bankwest Stadium.
A Sydney boy who spent three years as a teenager with Tottenham, Glover would love to win a title in NSW in front of his loved ones.
“I’ll have all my friends and all my family and everyone there supporting me, so it’ll be good,” he said.
“It’s very rare that I get to play in Sydney having been overseas and down in Melbourne.
“They don’t get to watch every single game ... it’ll be even more special doing it in my own town.
“As long as I can play my role, then beautiful.”
Originally published as A-League: Hard work and patience pays off for Melbourne City custodian Thomas Glover