I Was Shaken Up: Goalkeeper’s Candid Take on Glory Mistakes – and His Road to Recovery

Perth Glory’s goalkeeper, Oli Sail, has revealed that self-reflection and resilience have been instrumental in helping him bounce back from a series of mistakes that have cost his team goals during his initial two years at the club.

The 29-year-old New Zealand international made the move to Perth in March 2023 after spending nearly a decade with Wellington Phoenix, where he served as vice-captain and established himself as a key player.

However, over the course of his first season-and-a-half in Perth, Sail’s performances have frequently faced scrutiny, particularly due to errors leading to goals for opposing teams. This week, he addressed his form with a candid reflection on his time at Perth Glory.

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One of Sail’s recent mistakes resulted in Central Coast Mariners’ young talent Haine Eames scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw during Round 19. Nevertheless, the seasoned goalkeeper rebounded with a man-of-the-match display against Sydney FC, where an extraordinary double save late in the game secured a point for Perth.

“Coming off a clean sheet is always a great feeling,” Sail commented.

“Before that match, I had made an error at home, but that’s part of football, and I consider myself a resilient person.

“It affected me for about 24 hours; I sulked at home and felt a bit down. But I was back in on Monday, ready to go and doing my job at training, so it didn’t keep me down for long.”

“It’s part of the role. You make a blunder, it’s spotlighted, and it usually costs a bit more than it would in other positions. That’s how it is,” he continued.

“When I came here, there was an expectation placed upon me, which I’m grateful for. When mistakes occur, and people have those expectations, it naturally invites criticism.

“Unfortunately for both myself and the club, my errors seem to have all happened at once during my time here. I didn’t face many mistakes at Wellington for around 85 games, and now I’ve had a few here. I suppose that compounds the criticism a bit, but everyone is entitled to their views, and honestly, it doesn’t affect me too much.”

“I’ve done a lot of soul-searching and tried to work through things. My approach to training has remained consistent, and my preparation hasn’t changed. A new environment naturally brings new challenges, and we’ve found ourselves under significant pressure as a team, I believe.”

“In games where I’m expected to make five or six saves instead of just two or three, it naturally heightens the chance of making a costly mistake. That’s simply part of the game. It’s essential for me to learn from those errors and focus on the next action while also preparing appropriately for upcoming games.”

“I think I’ve come to terms with it, and I hope to see my performances improve as well.”

Sail is currently in the second year of a three-year deal with Glory, a club undergoing a transition following a busy off-season and a mid-season player exodus that saw seven team members leave as new head coach David Zdrilic and football director Stan Lazaridis revamped the squad.

Rumours had circulated regarding a potential departure for Sail during the January transfer window, but when asked about the possibility of leaving the club, the goalkeeper firmly dismissed such speculation.

“Those discussions and rumours originated from your side,” he explained to reporters. “Not you specifically, but they weren’t coming from within the club. They were external chatter.”

“I didn’t play any part in that.”

On Sunday afternoon, Sail and Perth will head to CommBank Stadium to take on an in-form Western Sydney Wanderers in the final match of Round 21. Glory are fighting for pride in the latter stages of the 2024-25 season, currently sitting five points above last-placed Brisbane Roar and eight points clear of Wellington above them in 11th place.

The Wanderers are on a four-match unbeaten streak and are riding high after a resounding 4-0 victory over Central Coast in their previous outing, securing a spot in the top six. However, young forward Nicolas Milanovic will miss out this weekend after receiving five yellow cards, resulting in his suspension.