Fowler signs with Perth Glory

Perth are well on their way to becoming the new "bling" team of the A-League after
convincing Liverpool great Robbie Fowler to join the Glory next season instead of
Sydney FC.
Fowler will reunite with former North Queensland coach Ian Ferguson, with Glory
owner Tony Sage revealing the club's acquisition of Ferguson as an assistant worked
favourably in their pursuit of the striker.
Fowler was left fuming last January when Ferguson left him out of the Fury's
starting XI in the round 24 clash with Brisbane Roar.
The 35-year-old striker refused to play in that match but the pair have patched
things up to such an extent that Ferguson played a crucial role in luring Fowler to
Perth.
"A bit of an advantage for us is he played under Fergie last year," Sage said.
"Despite all the media reports he gets on very well with him ... in fact the first
call that was made was by Ferguson to Robbie saying we were interested.
"So let's dispel any rumours from the beginning that there is any animosity between
the two.
"They are both men, they've both sorted it out so there's no problem there ...
otherwise the contact wouldn't have been made in the first place.
"Our offer wasn't the highest, there were two or three other offers, especially from
a Middle Eastern club, that were higher."
Sage also said Sydney FC's offer was "a bit higher" than Perth's, a claim refuted by
Sydney chief executive Edwin Lugt, who said his club was weeks away from even making
a formal offer and would have signed Fowler as a squad player, not a marquee man.
Fowler scored nine goals for North Queensland last year but was released from the
second year of his contract after the club hit financial strife and were taken over
by Football Federation Australia (FFA).
Sydney are expected to turn their attention to securing Socceroos midfielder Nick
Carle as one of their marquee players after missing out on Fowler.
Under new laws from FFA, clubs are now allowed to recruit two marquee players whose
wages fall outside the salary cap, but at least one must be Australian.
Sage said Fowler's presence for Perth next season would help offset some of the
massive financial losses the club has endured in recent years.
"If we only get an extra 3000 members only that will fund Robbie Fowler," Sage said.
"It will take a lot to turn around a $2.5 million loss we had last year but this
will be one huge kick in favour of that.
"For the first time ever for us we'll manage to sell all the corporate facilities."
Perth were knocked out in the first round of the finals by Wellington last season
but enter the 2010/11 campaign with one of the strongest outfits.
Fowler will join the likes of Socceroos Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns, Chris Coyne
and former Premier League defender Andy Todd in a formidable team led by coach Dave
Mitchell.
"Our aim again is top four," Sage said.
"We want to have a home final.
"But I'd be disappointed if we didn't finish in the top two, but top four is the aim
initially."
Fowler is expected to arrive in Perth in the first week of June, meaning he will
miss about three weeks of pre-season training with his new teammates.