Alex Singer at Perth Glory training | TWG Alex Singer at Perth Glory training | TWG

Shaun Murphy has achieved plenty in the men's game including representing Australia at all levels, stints in the Premier League and captaining Perth Glory.

Now he's back at the Glory, this time with the Perth Glory Women as an assistant to John Gibson.

Shaun, congratulations on your assistant coaching role.  How has it been being in charge of 16 girls for the last couple of weeks?

It's been interesting so far but I am really enjoying it actually.  The girls are a good bunch to work with and they really want to learn.  I feel like I am doing some real coaching in advancing their technique and how they play the games.

Is that the difference with girls and boys?  With girls its more grassroots coach and guys it more managerial?

Very much so.  We are very much at the development stage with the ladies.  They are possibly a little bit behind the guys in terms of technique and just their ruthlessness towards the game.  With the guys they have most the skills and its more of a maintenance thing.

What has surprised you about the women's game?

The skill level definitely.  I've been impressed with the way we have gone about what we are doing and I think some of the girls in our squad have some great skills.

You spoke about improving them tactically and technically.  Are you looking at developing the girls understanding, awareness and reading of the game?

That's part of it as well.  I have eluded to that ruthlessness.  I believe half the game is played in your head.  If you can educate the girls about thinking about the game and watch how other people do it, I think it can go a long way to improving their own game.

Since you have started with the girls, where do you think they have improved?

I think their technique.  Gibbo [coach John Gibson] focuses lot on their technique.  That goes so far to improving them as players and not making basic mistakes and silly errors.  The girls have really taken that on board and are improving as players.

Psychologically, how do you get the girls ready after a defeat?  How do you keep them motivated and up when they have had a tough game?

It is more about keeping them focused and believing in what they are doing.  We have a really good group of girls and they do that very well.  They keep themselves fairly well grounded.  They don't get too excited about things and they just really enjoy playing.  They have proved this year that they can be competitive.

What are the challenges for the Perth Glory Womens? What are you working on?

Having come from England they have long seasons and you just need to have the mindset and the ruthlessness to win games.  I have said to the girls that you are not always going to play well but if you can come away with something from the game because you battled well its progress.

We are working on the back girls appreciating a clean sheet, along with their relationship with the 'keeper.  We are working on conceding set pieces.  We are just targeting areas which we can tighten up.

Last season we only kept three clean sheets for the season and this year we have two clean sheets already.

What are you enjoing about the experience so far?

I enjoy the underdog status of the Perth Glory Women.  Having finished second last in season one and having got off to a reasonably good start, I would like to see them challenging for a finals place.  That would be good progress.  We have tough games coming up but we are just quietly going about our business.

The coaching of the girls is what I am enjoying most.

Thanks Shaun and good luck.