NEW Perth Glory coach Alistair Edwards has brought the swagger back to the A-League underachievers, declaring the WA outfit is Australia's benchmark club.

Edwards, who will win the job full-time, as revealed last week by The Sunday Times, was damning in his criticism of the club's recent direction.

The former Glory striker said the club had ignored its own plan to promote WA youth that came out of a sweeping independent review two years ago.

"There's so much potential with this club," Edwards said.

"It's great to hear all the positive things about Western Sydney Wanderers and those type of clubs, but we are the benchmark club in the competition. Always have been.

"When we started, that's the reason why the A-League modelled everything on what Perth Glory used to do. The plan we've got in place is to bring that back to Perth Glory.

"The three-year plan has been there for the past two years.

"If you look at the plan and look what's happened, it's like the complete opposite."

Edwards, who has led the team to three wins in four games since taking over from sacked coach Ian Ferguson, is using his position of power in bargaining with the club but will sign a long-term deal.

It comes as Glory prepares to give away 10,000 free tickets to its last regular-season game, against Adelaide United in a fortnight. The game will likely decide whether Perth makes the finals.

The club is aiming to pack the newly completed 20,500-capacity nib Stadium and set a home crowd record for an A-League match, eclipsing the 16,019 fans who turned up to watch Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler's Glory debut in 2010.

The free tickets are being given to junior players, parents and officials, in conjunction with Football West.

Glory will continue its remarkable late bid to snatch a spot in the finals series when it hosts Wellington Phoenix in a must-win encounter today.

Exciting youngster Daniel De Silva, who has turned 16 since he made his senior debut a fortnight ago, has forced his way back into a full-strength Glory squad and will be on the bench.

Skipper Jacob Burns will make his first start for Glory in two months and will partner Michael Thwaite in the heart of defence.

Edwards was confident Perth's good run would continue against the Phoenix following a sharp training session yesterday morning.

"It's been the best week of training that we've had since we've been here," he said.

"The boys are buzzing.

"When I walked into the changeroom with the players that were in the squad, there's no way that the team deserved to be on the bottom of the league.

"I thought that with a few little changes in the way that we play, and with the ability of the squad, now we've got a situation where the guys are performing."