Bobby hunting for more goals

It is more than two months since striker Bobby Despotovski scored for Perth Glory but the deadly finisher still has a chance to finish as the Hyundai A-League’s top scorer.

Despotovski is currently second in the scoring charts with seven strikes, just one behind Archie Thompson, who left Melbourne Victory for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven recently.

Having not scored since the 3-0 home win over New Zealand Knights on November 11, the Glory’s famous number ten knows he is due a goal, and a return to his early season form could make the 34-year-old the Hyundai A-League’s top scorer.

Although Bobby has not scored in two months he is quick to point out that there was a three-week break in the season during December and he also missed two rounds through an ankle injury, which now seems to have cleared up.

“I would usually get a goal at least every three or four weeks but it has been a long time since I last scored. We did have three weeks off but I am definitely due to score and I will be trying my best to score this weekend,” Despotovski promised.

“If you look at the games against Newcastle, Sydney and New Zealand I hit the post or the crossbar in each of those games so I have been very close so it is about time one of them hit the net.”

Despotovski was instrumental in last week’s win in New Zealand, acting as provider from two set plays and putting his usual stamp of class on the game.

The Serbian-born player has never previously been top scorer in a league season and only finished top of Glory’s club goal scoring charts twice (in the 1996/97 and 1997/98 seasons). But, despite being Glory’s all-time leading scorer, he stresses that his own tally always comes second to team performances.

“For me it’s never about being top scorer, if there is someone in a better position then I will pass them the ball. If the team gets three points and I don’t score then I am happy, I don’t care if it is Jason Petkovic who scores!”

With Archie Thompson clocking up eight goals before leaving for Europe, there are a number of players who will fancy their chances of overtaking the Socceroo striker in the remaining two rounds of the Hyundai A-League season.

“Archie Thompson is on eight goals and the rest of the players, like Ante Milicic, are on seven. With Archie being in Holland now it could be one of those players on seven who scores a couple in the last two games to finish as top goal scorer.”

Bobby is feeling confident though and is pleased with the way his ankle has recovered since his recent injury.

“I thought it was going to be much more sore but it is ok, I had been feeling it in training for some time but it was fine in the game last week. After the injection I had and two games off it feels better than it has done for a long time,” he said.

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