A Message To Ross Pelligra

This is not a piece I anticipated writing this early into the new season, but I believe it’s time to have some honest thoughts. It is essential to have an open and critical discussion about the direction Ross Pelligra, Perth Glory’s new owner, is steering the club.

Many will remember how exhausting the 2023/24 season was for everyone connected with the club, from staff and players to loyal supporters. Much of this fatigue stemmed from the uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership after former owner Tony Sage returned the club’s license to the APL in July 2023.

When Pelligra acquired the club for a token fee in February of this year, it’s fair to say that optimism soared among the fans. There was genuine hope that his leadership would mark the beginning of a new, prosperous era driven by a commitment to both success and sustainability — two of the three key pillars of the new owner’s vision for the club.

The optimism surrounding Ross Pelligra’s acquisition of Perth Glory was undoubtedly fuelled by his group’s impressive revitalisation of Sicilian club Catania FC. In 2022, Catania was declared bankrupt and expelled from the Italian professional leagues, with the Italian Football Federation releasing all of its players and staff. Yet, just one year after the Pelligra Group took control, the Italian-Australian entrepreneur seemed to have the Midas touch, as Catania convincingly won Serie D, restoring pride to the club and the wider community.

Unfortunately, since Pelligra’s acquisition of Perth Glory earlier this year, that Midas touch has not translated to on-field success. Glory finished the 2023/24 season with the wooden spoon and, at the time of writing, are enduring one of their worst starts to an A-League season.

5 games played, 4 losses, 1 draw, 0 wins along with 2 goals scored and 16 conceded. This poor start was accentuated by a recent 5–0 home loss to Melbourne City — the club’s worst home defeat in its history.

That match was as shocking as it was disheartening, with chants from the Shed and the Bay, echoed by many other fans inside the stadium, capturing the mood: “We’ve got the ball” and “We’ve lost the ball” symbolising just how dire the club’s start has been. Following the match, the overarching sentiment among fans, particularly on social media, was a call for accountability.

Fans’ frustration and anger have been directed at the club’s hierarchy, given the hype and excitement generated by bold promises and lofty expectations. Ben Smith wrote a fantastic article for the West Australian recently, where he stated, “Perth fans were sold a pipe dream of attacking football, competing for finals football and exciting signings in the off-season; all three of the clubs look ill-equipped to deliver after four rounds this season.”

When Ross Pelligra acquired Perth Glory, he made ambitious statements such as, “I’m relishing the prospect of re-establishing the Glory as a benchmark club of Australian football,” and, “We want it to be the envy of every other A-League club, just like it was when it was first founded.”

But have the Glory’s performances this season reflected these ambitions? Regrettably, the answer must be no.

There was initial promise when the club brought in former Socceroos David Zdrilic as Head Coach, Stan Lazaridis as Football Director, and Vince Grella as a Club Director. Personally, I found Zdrilic’s appointment particularly exciting and bold. His coaching credentials, honed under the guidance of Ralf Rangnick during his time at RB Leipzig, suggested a progressive vision for the team.

However, many fans argue that Zdrilic has not been adequately supported in the transfer market to assemble a truly competitive squad. Despite 14 new signings, the club’s poor start to the season suggests that not all these additions have lived up to expectations, which was perhaps foreseeable for the younger players.

Of the 14 signings, five are under the age of 22, with this season marking their first exposure to top-tier football, while another two are also playing top-tier football for the first time in their career, both of whom are visa signings and in their mid-twenties.

Much of the fan criticism stems from the way Football Director Stan Lazaridis spoke about these players prior to the season. In particular, during an interview with Peter Vlahos on Sportsday, Lazaridis made a statement that may have come back to haunt him, claiming the club would make 5–8 signings who would make the fans go “wow.”

The public rhetoric from Lazaridis has unfortunately been nothing short of disastrous. In an interview with Roger Sleeman, several statements stood out and highlighted why the new Football Director’s comments have caused considerable frustration among fans. When discussing some of the Glory’s young talents, Lazaridis made claims such as:

“The players were heroes, which has been lacking, and we now have players like [Abdul] Faisal, who is being compared to Mohamed Salah and is getting more hits than Taylor Swift. Adam Bugarija is reminiscent of an old-fashioned Hristo Stoichkov, someone fans can connect with, who can strike the ball from distance with considerable power… Vietnamese striker Khoa Ngo showcases the skills of a [Diego] Maradona.”

The sensationalist and highly exaggerated nature of these remarks has fostered unrealistic expectations among fans regarding these young players. While I believe they are undoubtedly talented, setting such sky-high expectations is unreasonable and places a significant burden on these players to perform at an elite level prematurely.

Lazaridis, despite his seemingly positive intentions, has significantly undermined his credibility since taking on the role of Football Director. Fans have lost trust in his ability — and by extension, the club’s ability — to deliver the signings that David Zdrilic needs to build a truly competitive squad. There is also growing scepticism about whether the calibre of these signings will meet expectations.

His recent comments about targeting 8–9 high-profile signings in the off-season, only for none to materialise for various reasons, have only added to the frustration. Now, we’re being told to expect “major” signings in either January or the next season — an explanation that, especially given the poor start to the current campaign, feels entirely perplexing.

Why would top players want to join Perth Glory? What project are we presenting to entice them? What’s the long-term vision? And, crucially, is the club being run in the most professional and structured manner? These are valid questions that, as fans, we are yet to receive clear answers to — a point I’ll delve into further later in this piece.

The combination of the “wow-signing” remarks and the Football Director’s public admission of talks with Socceroo Martin Boyle — only for the deal to fall through — suggests that the Glory were attempting to overhype a product that was never realistically positioned to meet those expectations.

The primary aim of this piece is to stress the urgent need for Ross Pelligra to come to Perth, address the current situation openly, and establish clear and honest communication with the fans. It doesn’t matter whether it’s me or another Perth Glory supporter starting the conversation — the key issue is that we need to hear from you. Given the team’s dismal start to the season, transparency and genuine engagement with the fanbase are absolutely essential.

Many fans are questioning your level of investment in the club. While I understand there’s a distinction between the Pelligra Group’s broader financial commitments to various projects and the cash flow allocated to Perth Glory, it’s evident that our football club is lagging significantly behind the competition. This gap demands accountability and a clear plan moving forward.

We want to support you, your team, and your vision for the club, but your plan has not been communicated effectively to the fans. Currently, we lack a publicly available strategic plan that outlines your ambitions and roadmap for Perth Glory. In contrast, in 2016, former owner Tony Sage and CEO Peter Filopoulos introduced the “Glory Way” strategic plan for 2016–2020. While not without its flaws, it provided fans with a sense of direction and clarity about the club’s goals during that period.

Communication is absolutely critical, Ross. You’ve stated on multiple occasions, not only as the owner of Perth Glory but also as the owner of Catania, “I’m a people person. I’m a person that likes to be amongst the community. I’m a person who likes to listen and understand what people need, what they want, and what they want to see… I’ll never hide behind my people; I will always be on the front foot to understand what I can deliver to the people.”

Yet the reality doesn’t align with your words. We rarely see you. And when you do attend games, it feels more like a surface-level engagement — walking around the stadium, posing for photos — but without truly engaging in meaningful conversations with the broader fanbase. As I mentioned on a recent episode of my podcast, Glory Days, we don’t hear from you nearly enough. There’s been no sign of you actively seeking to meet with fans to have open discussions.

You’re not on the radio, you’re rarely seen on TV, and your presence on social media is minimal. Meanwhile, fan frustration is mounting, and the blame is being placed squarely on your shoulders as the owner of the club. That’s a reality you must acknowledge and address.

At this critical juncture, fans need that same sense of clarity and purpose — something that feels absent at the moment.

To conclude, at the very least, some fundamental questions need to be answered:

“It’s been widely reported that significant financial backing was promised for Perth Glory’s development, but there have been concerns over the visible investment in player recruitment, especially given the increasing competitiveness of the A-League. How do you justify the lack of substantial expenditure in strengthening the team, and how do you reconcile this with your initial commitment to elevate the club’s stature on and off the field?”

“Given the multi-million dollar investment you’ve promised into Perth Glory, fans are keen to understand exactly how those funds are being allocated. Can you provide specific breakdowns of the investments made in the club so far, particularly regarding player recruitment, squad development, and any other operational areas? Additionally, how do these allocations align with your long-term vision for the club’s growth and sustainability?”

“How do you plan to measure the overall success of your vision for Perth Glory beyond just on-field performance? Will the performance improvements of the team be the main indicator, or do you intend to also measure success in other areas such as financial stability, infrastructure development, fan engagement, and community impact? What tangible milestones can fans expect to see that will demonstrate the club’s progress under your leadership?”

“Given the expectations around your ownership and the promise of significant investment, how do you plan to improve communication with Perth Glory fans to ensure they are kept informed about the club’s progress? Will you commit to providing regular updates on the club’s financial health, strategic initiatives, and long-term development plans? Additionally, how do you envision involving fans in the decision-making process and ensuring they feel connected to the club’s future direction?”

Now is not the time to retreat and hide in the background. I urge you, Ross Pelligra, to come to Perth, engage directly with the fans, and work to rebuild and strengthen your relationship with one of the club’s most crucial stakeholders — the supporters. Failing to do so risks deepening the apathy, discontent, and frustration that are already palpable among the fanbase.

At the end of the day, I’m just one fan, but I probably represent many others who are desperate to hear from you. We want to believe in your vision and leadership, but that belief can only be restored through honest, open dialogue.