AAP


Beckham-mania has well and truly hit Perth Glory this week, but coach Ian Ferguson will be banking on two of his regular stars to do the job against A-League rivals Wellington Phoenix on Saturday night.


Glory skipper Jacob Burns, who has missed the past three matches with a quad injury, and prolific striker Shane Smeltz are in line for starting roles against the seventh-placed Phoenix at nib Stadium.


Smeltz is yet to open his goal account this season, with a mixture of injury, international duties and personal reasons keeping him out of action for all but two games.


But Ferguson is confident the 31-year-old won't take long to return to his prolific best, saying Smeltz probably would have made the difference in last week's shock 1-0 home loss to Western Sydney had he been playing.


Although Smeltz and Burns normally capture the headlines at Glory, they've barely been mentioned this week as the club attempts to land soccer superstar David Beckham on a 10-match guest stint.


Perth, Central Coast, Melbourne Heart, Western Sydney and Adelaide are all in the hunt for the 37-year-old, who will finish up with his MLS club LA Galaxy next month and has already expressed his eagerness for a fresh challenge.


"If we can get Becks here, it would be phenomenal for the club and the A-League," Ferguson said on Friday.


"To me, if you're just bringing a 37-year-old out here for a holiday and just to be paraded in front of the crowd - and he's finished - then yeah I would say (it's not worth it).


"But if you've got a player still playing at a top level and still doing it week in, week out - which he is - then I would say it's a massive tick for the A-League."


Wellington were knocked out of last season's finals race by the Glory, but Ricki Herbert's charges will enter the rematch full of confidence following last week's 3-0 smashing of Newcastle.