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Thwaite wants coach in place now

Thwaite wants coach in place now

Senior defender Michael Thwaite has urged Perth Glory powerbrokers to select a permanent coach now so the club can get on with rebuilding after a disastrous 2013-14 campaign.

Glory have been led by interim coach Kenny Lowe since Alistair Edwards was sacked in December, nine months into his three-year contract.

Club owner Tony Sage and chief executive Jason Brewer are narrowing down their coaching options after attracting a wide range of applicants from Australia and overseas.

Thwaite has worked under Lowe, Edwards and Ian Ferguson since joining Glory in 2012 and said coaches had not been the problem at the club, which has won just 14 of 51 games in nearly two full seasons.

The 30-year-old backed Lowe "100 per cent" to continue and said players had to take responsibility for Glory's position.

"I would like to see that decision (on a coach) made now and we can even build for the rest of this year and for next," Thwaite said.

"In the last two years I've had three great coaches, it's just about the players being accountable now.

"Everybody in the last two years has had a chance and especially this year the whole squad's had a game. It's up to us to change the pattern of the year."

A large percentage of the squad is out of contract this year and Glory could turn over more than one-third of their players in the off-season.

Thwaite, who signed a two-year contract extension in December, said Glory should sign players who could instil a winning mindset at the once-proud club.

"It's all about mentality and we want players here at Perth Glory with that winning mentality, whether that's this year or next year," Thwaite said.

"I think that's one thing that needs to change.

"That's always probably (previously) existed at this club. We've always been a heritage club that battles hard with a chance to win and we need that winning mentality back."

Glory are winless in nine matches and sit last on the ladder with four games left to play, three points adrift of ninth-placed Melbourne Heart ahead of this week's tough assignment away to Western Sydney.

Thwaite has struggled with a back injury in recent weeks but is likely to start at centre-back alongside William Gallas.

"We've always been a heritage club that battles hard … we need that winning mentality back."" *Michael Thwaite *