Sterjovski to miss Pride Park as he heads to Glory

Perth Glory marquee player for 2009, Mile Sterjovski has admitted he’ll miss Derby County despite leaving the club on less than ideal terms last week.
The 30-year-old Socceroos midfielder, who heads to Perth in July to join his Glory teammates, spent a difficult 18 months in the Premier League and championship at Pride Park but claims he’ll be a lifelong Rams fan after describing he and his family’s stay in Derbyshire as perfect.
Sterjovski told the Derby Evening Telegraph, ‘I’m going to be a Derby County supporter for life because it’s a great club and I loved my time there.
‘My family was very settled in Derby and we love the city and the friendliness of the people and the way they made us so welcome.
‘Everything off the field was perfect and we were only talking about this the other day when we said, as a family, that we couldn’t have asked any more from the club and the local people.’

Despite being settled in Derby and contracted for next season, Sterjovski felt he needed to leave Pride Park to keep his 2010 World Cup dreams alive, after being told by Rams boss Nigel Clough he couldn’t guarantee him game time.
‘I just didn’t suit the style of player that Nigel Clough wanted at the club,’ Sterjovski said having made just 18 appearances for the Rams in the 2008/2009 season.
‘Nigel never told me how I could play more games or if there was something specific I needed to work on to improve my technique.
‘It was disappointing because I felt I deserved more but I don’t have any hard feelings because everything was very positive for me and my family at Derby.
‘Sometimes, I guess it happens at all clubs, managers don’t pick certain players for whatever reason.
‘Nigel made a professional decision that I didn’t fit in with the team’s requirements but these things happen and everyone has to move on.
‘I was also concerned, with next year being a World Cup year, that if I didn’t play enough games, it could impact on my chances of playing for the Socceroos, which is another part of the reason why I signed a contract with Perth Glory.’

Sterjovski will arrive in Perth only day`s before the Glory meet English Premier League sides Fulham and Wolves, and although he can`t wait to get stuck into the A-league campaign, but he’s not looking forward to his move from the UK.
‘I go back to England on Tuesday to sort out moving back over here to Perth Glory,’ he said.

‘I have to do all the ‘little’ or ‘big’ things you do when moving to the other side of the world, sell the family cars, sell our house, cut off all contracts, phone bills etc.

‘I am not looking forward to this but what I am looking forward to is getting to Perth and starting training with them on July 6, only a couple of weeks away but I can’t wait,” Sterjovski said.