Fowler commits to Perth

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has verbally accepted an offer to stay with A-League club Perth Glory next season.

The Glory have been in discussions with Fowler since at least last December as the striker, who turns 36 on Saturday, weighed up whether to spend one more season in the A-League or head back to the United Kingdom to further his coaching ambitions.

With the A-League in a long off-season remission before the new campaign starts in October, Fowler has joined MK Dons as part of Karl Robinson’s backroom staff, while he will also spend the next week at Bury assisting caretaker manager Richie Barker.

But despite having taken some steps towards becoming a coach after retirement, Fowler has given the clearest indication yet that he wants to play out one more season in Australia, having already spent two years in the country with the now defunct North Queensland Fury and then Perth but is yet to sign a contract with the Glory.

“As you know we have made an offer to Robbie Fowler on reduced terms for next season,” a Perth Glory spokesperson said.

“Robbie has verbally confirmed his commitment for the 2011-12 season but the club will make a formal announcement once the contract is signed.”

The Glory are probably wise to not count on Fowler staying, as the club has been betrayed in the past, when midfielder Paul Reid made a verbal agreement to join in 2008 only to change his mind at the last minute and head to Adelaide United.

Fowler was the Glory’s international marquee player during the 2010-11 season, although he was slightly disappointing, scoring nine goals during a campaign where Perth came second-last, with five of those coming in two matches.

With the Glory fielding a big offer to Gold Coast and New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz to head west as their international marquee, Fowler’s wages will have to be incorporated into the club’s general salary cap.

Despite club chief executive Paul Kelly maintaining that the Smeltz deal is close to being finalised, it’s been reported the Kiwi international is still considering another lucrative offer from China.