A Roaring Disaster – Part 1.

It’s not uncommon for A-League champions to struggle in the year following a season of silverware. It is almost par for the course in the top level of football in Australia.

But because the current champions of Australia have claimed 5 trophies in the past 4 seasons, a poor start to the season is ringing alarm bells where usually it would be seen as the usual next-season-slump.

In fact, it has happened before at Brisbane. Twice.

Before we begin, if you haven’t already, you might like to read my previous posts on the Ange revolution that took Brisbane Roar from also-rans to become the dominant force of Australian football. It is in 3 parts.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

 

All done? Good.

The first “next-season slump” happened after Roar’s first silverware. 2010/11 saw the boys in Orange claim the club’s first trophies in dominant fashion, only losing once in 33 matches. When Brisbane lined up for their first match of the new season, they did so without Matt McKay, Luke De Vere, Milan Susak, Kosta Barbarouses & Jean Carlos Solorzano who, for reasons varying from terrible career advice from a former club captain to a loan expiring, all left the club after their success.

Because of the importance of these players (Barbarouses & Solorzano accounted for 22 of the club’s total of 62 goals) replacements were imperative. An unknown striker, Besart Berisha, was brought in to fill the gap up front, while Matt Jurman and Mohamed Adnan were imported to partner Matt Smith at the back.

These imports (Berisha & Adnan) did the trick. The results kept coming as if last season had never ended. Ange began talk of creating a dynasty of long-lasting success, dreaming out loud about becoming Asian Champions, about maybe facing Barcelona at the World Club Cup. This was before the draw had even been done for the upcoming Asian Champions League which Brisbane had qualified for the first time.

There was one key motivator that kept the engine running and the hunger burning: The Unbeaten Streak. When they beat Perth 4-0 at home on November 26, Brisbane Roar claimed the record for the longest unbeaten streak in Australian football. It was something that the players were aware of, were constantly reminded of, and worked hard to protect and lengthen at all times. It was an important milestone to keep the squad focused at a time where they were vulnerable.

It was at this moment that Brisbane’s “next-season-slump” began. A little later than most others experience, but it did happen. The very next game on 04 December 2011 against Sydney FC (played at Kogarah) was the first (competitive) game Brisbane had lost since Melbourne Victory surprised them 3-0 at AAMI Park on 12 September 2010.

But it didn’t end there. The following weeks saw consecutive defeats to Melbourne Heart, Wellington Phoenix, Central Coast Mariners and the final disgrace, a Boxing Day defeat to the bottom-placed Gold Coast United. From 36 unbeaten, Brisbane had slumped to 5 straight losses.

Most pundits attributed the losses to the absence of Thomas Broich – who was injured for some of these games – rather than looking deeper into the issue.

Brisbane went for comfortable table-toppers to trailing Central Coast by as many as 12 points at one stage.

Ange managed to recharge the team, get the famous Roar playing-style working again and got the squad back on track before stumbling at the final hurdles and missing back-to-back premierships by a very slim margin as Central Coast staggered over the line. The silver lining was that a home and away win over Central Coast meant a second successive Grand Final in Brisbane.

Woven into the back end of the season was the Group Stage for the Asian Champions League which Ange had predicted a great success for the club. By the time the Grand Final rolled around Brisbane had already played 4 matches, losing both home games and drawing both away games. Brisbane sat last on the table and were virtually eliminated with two games remaining.

Ange’s vision for Asian domination was looking like a hallucination. But at least Brisbane could still keep the silverware coming in the domestic competitions.

That Grand Final was the one against Perth where despite not recording a single shot on goal for 90 minutes, the visitors will forever hold a grudge over a penalty earned by Berisha in stoppage time which he converted to claim the Toilet Seat for the second successive time.

Two days after the Grand Final, the players and coaching staff were receiving the plaudits from the fans and the band-wagoners alike with a parade though the city streets. This was the end.

For weeks before, speculation from well-placed football journalists had hinted that Ange had accepted a huge offer from Melbourne Victory to rebuild their flailing team. This was denied by Ange. I had heard that players were told it wasn’t true when he was approached by players to refute the rumours to the squad.

Only hours after the parade, where Ange once again refused to publicly confirm he was leaving for Melbourne and that he wanted to continue on at Brisbane, he had packed his bags, resigned his post and was on the first plane out of Brisbane bound for Tullamarine.

Players were devastated. Some had extended their contract with the Roar on the basis of Ange sticking around. Offers from foreign clubs had been turned down based on this “promise” to continue for another shot at Asia. Not only did Ange leave, but so did Football Manager Paul Trimboli, and they attempted to lure conditioning coach Ken Stead down south as well.

It was the end of the Ange Era. It was what brought about the next slump.

Rado Vidosic was promoted as temporary head-coach for the remaining 2 Asian Champions League matches which produced disappointing performances for an away loss and a home draw. Players looked disinterested, tired and mentally exhausted. The off-season was a welcome relief when it arrived.

When the next season (2012/13) rolled around there was a new feeling at the club. Rado Vidosic had been promoted from a temporary position to a full-time head coaching position. This was seen as the way to have a seamless transition and ensure that success continued to flow. Rado had been on the coaching roster since day 1 at the club and knew the systems inside out. It was the appointment to minimise disruption. After all, the rest of the coaches & players were the same, they should be able to keep winning.

Gone was the authoritarian approach of Ange, in came the less-inhibited style of Rado. The public talk was of more creative freedom for the players.

Rado was already essentially a technical director at the club under Ange. This prompted some players to announce at a press conference that “Rado was the brains of the title wins” which upset some other players who felt Ange’s legacy was being diminished.

There was lingering discontent within the club. The uncertainty about the teams’ future as the best footballers in the country was eating away at the club from the inside. “Are we still good without Ange?” It wouldn’t stop. It was nagging away. In attempt to close it down once and for all, Rado called a team meeting and invited all players to air their grievances. This just let the genie out of the bottle.

Instead of revealing fears, some players took the opportunity to turn it into a Big Brother nomination session and unloaded their petty garbage and turned into a tit-for-tat session.

Rado might have the football knowledge, but one area he was severely lacking was a psychological knowledge. Keeping the mental edge was Ange’s specialty.

Ange was the bad cop and Rado was the good cop. Rado was the person to reassure players after being on the end of an Ange bollocking. Now that the bad cop was off the beat, Rado couldn’t maintain discipline as the good cop and was unable to resort to the bad cop routine of issuing threats. It didn’t fit with his persona.

At the season launch just before the first match of the season, I witnessed an unnamed player leaving early.

I later learned that same player was given a suspension by the club for other disciplinary reasons although publicly it was announced as an injury and missed the first game of the season v Perth.

That’s right. All of this happened prior to the first match of the new season. Once the new A-League season had started, it was hoped the weekly action would focus the mind of the squad on the job at hand.

First up was an away trip to Perth in a Grand Final rematch where the team failed to flatter and fell 1-0. It looked like the players were preoccupied. Maybe because the next game was the grudge match against Ange’s Melbourne Victory.

The players turned in a fantastic performance to route the visitors 5-0. It was possibly one of the best ever performances seen by a team in Orange in Australia. Roar made the banner “Without Us You’re Nothing” (held up by the crowd pre-game) look prophetic. If was such a beating that as soon as the full time whistle went Ange did a very fast clap to the away supporters and then he turned and RAN from the bench down the players’ tunnel in shame. I was so stunned I had to ask others if I saw correctly.

But it was easy to see why they were so motivated. All the pent up frustrations from the authoritarian being paid back with interest on the field. From that moment the decline set in.

Game by game the intensity dropped off. Brisbane gave West Sydney Wanderers their first ever win, lost for the first time in Gosford against Central Coast and eventually slumped to be bottom of the table for the first time in the club’s history.

Rado was stunned by the lack of intensity in each game and was unable to do anything about it. But he also didn’t have the confidence to demote established players and give the younger players a chance. Brisbane had shown that they can play Rado’s style of dazzling football, but it was all too infrequent and the players seemed unresponsive to his efforts to motivate.

Remember the good cop/bad cop routine? Without the bad cop, there was no one to put fear into the players for their futures. Players who were underperforming  were left in place, sanction-free, to continue to underwhelm because no one was there to discipline them.

Eventually the club read the tea leaves and shuffled Rado sideways to a Technical Director position: a move that they can claim as “a promotion” where he would go back to doing what he was already doing at the club while Ange was in charge.

Being able to psychologically assess and stimulate your players is as important as training and tactics for football coaches. Football is littered with coaches who are substandard in terms of technical knowledge, but can extract results by their mastery of motivational techniques.

Ange knew how to create it, how to maintain it, how to harness it. Ange knew how to make it work for him. Rado, simply, did not.

In the end, Rado’s position was filled by Mike Mulvey – appointed until the end of the season.

… To be Continued in Part 2.

The Ange Revolution – Part 3.

PART 3. THE ANGE DYNASTY

 

Postecoglou had succeeded in removing the entrenched disorder and was free to begin rebuilding for the next full season as this current season was written-off. He began experimenting with players in new positions and formations where he would decide which players he would keep for next season.

 

Reportedly on the advice of then-Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek, Postecoglou began playing Michael Zullo as left back which allowed Tommy Oar to play left wing and have both players (of considerable pace and ball playing ability) on the same side. Verbeek felt Zullo’s long term success hinged on his ability to transition to a more defensive minded player with attacking capabilities.

 

Postecoglou obviously agreed as he followed through with the experiment and subsequent sides of his have been notable for utilising fullbacks in advanced attacking positions. It is a cornerstone of the 4-3-3 formation that he used to such efficiency at Brisbane.

 

But with the precarious financial position came the necessary evil: Players would need to be sold overseas. At the end of the season 3 future Socceroos would be sold to FC Utrecht of Netherlands for $1.8M, Tommy Oar, Adam Sarota & Michael Zullo. This sale negated allowed the club to break even after a tumultuous season.

 

 

This is the reality of football in Australia. Players of talent will always be targets for foreign leagues. The players benefit from playing at higher levels in well established and more technical league, the clubs benefit financially from the transaction.

 

But the reciprocal player movements don’t always benefit the local clubs. A long list of ageing players making their way out for one final contribution to the superannuation fund hadn’t helped the development of the league or, in recent seasons, Brisbane Roar.

 

Postecoglou had to fill his international quota, but with players who didn’t fit that mould. He had a system that he wanted to play and went looking for players who could fulfil his vision of the new Australian version of tika-taka.

 

There is a key recruitment requirement of Postecoglou’s that is often overlooked when discussing his teams. He has never signed players on the downward slope of their careers, no matter how skilful. His players always have something to prove, either to themselves, their former teams. Anyone. Players who WANT to be rebuilt. Players of notable skill who’ve fallen off the rails for whatever reason to be reborn like a Phoenix from the ashes have been Ange’s speciality.

 

 

During the off-season, Ange signed Thomas Broich, Michael Theoklitos, Erik Paartalu, Kosta Barbarouses, Matt Smith, Shane Stefanutto.

 

Thomas Broich was a wunderkind in his early years, playing alongside Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweisteiger in German youth teams, before the spotlight of professional football became too much. A reset in Australia under the guidance of Postecoglou was ideal.

 

Michael Theoklitos and Erik Paartalu were Australians whose transfer to Europe hadn’t been met with the success that was expected and they were also keen to return to rebuild reputations.

 

These were all players than Ange felt had the talent, but for whatever reason, hadn’t yet reached their potential. They were perfect candidates.

 

The approach of Farina’s was gone. The coach was not there to be a friend to the players. Ange was the school headmaster as opposed to Farina, who was the new High School teacher fresh out of Uni who wanted to be mates with the cool kids. A distinction had to be made between the hierarchy. If the players are hungry enough, they will accept their place in the team.

 

“It is better to be feared than loved” Niccolo Machiavelli.

 

Ange had learned from his punditry, during his coaching exile, how to shape his talking points and interview techniques for the media.

 

Coaching the Young Socceroos gave Ange an insight as to how to manage the fragile temperament of teenagers: How to motivate them, how to punish them, how to boost confidence. When you rely on the talents of youth, you need to know how to extract maximum performance from sometimes emotionally fragile individuals.

 

He would NEVER criticise individual players in public. It would always be behind closed doors. When he needed to give the team a bollocking, it was to the group in general. If a player needed singling out, his guidance was given one on one.

 

He was out to build respect between the coaching team and the players. Ange and assistant Rado Vidosic built up the bad-cop-good-cop routine.

 

This is also a reason why Ange’s assistants have such a hard time succeeding him. After years of being the “good cop” they find it difficult to adjust to the bad cop. Rado’s problems taking over from Ange at the Roar stemmed from this. He couldn’t flick the switch to disciplinarian without losing respect.

 

Rado’s ability and knowledge in football is first class. He is an excellent technician and tactician, but managing egos is not his expertise. This was where is deficiencies lay. He could drill the team until the cows came home but he didn’t know how to motivate or punish them effectively. Rado was a part of the furniture, he was assistant coach from the inception of the club.

 

Kevin Muscat is more fortunate in that his management career is shorter than Rado’s and his reputation was of being a hard man. But he still took time to gain control of the Melbourne Victory after Ange’s departure to the Socceroos. Younger players who had signed on to play for Ange in Melbourne had to adjust rather quickly to a new coach after only 3 league matches. Muscat has put his foot down and Victory’s season was much more successful than it could have been if discipline was lost.

 

This quality is again shining through with Ange’s Socceroos job. Despite some worrying results early in his tenure, the positive nuggets keep getting fed to the media. The players read / hear it and they begin to believe. “If the coach is saying it, he must believe it.” It is a prime reason why he has such success at elite levels, he is a motivator. Players who are given his trust feel they need to repay it.

 

Brisbane began the 2010/2011 season in good form. A narrow 2-1 loss to EPL side Everton (Brisbane were the only Australian club to score against them on their Antipodean tour). Four clean sheets in the first four league fixtures, they had two wins and two draws. All four games were breathtaking for the new confidence and style of Brisbane Roar. Attacking football with precision passing was remarkable for its lack of resemblance to last season. Despite the close results, Brisbane dominated possession and created a plethora of chances in all four games.

 

The fifth game of the season was against Melbourne Victory. The first half was a similar story to the first four matches. On field domination of possession, but no goals to show for it.

 

But in the second half the wheels fell off in a similar fashion to the boxing day massacre. Structures broke down, possession was lost too easily. Brisbane lost 3-0.

 

The result disappointed, but the style impressed Postecoglou. Goals were given up while maintaining the ideology of playing out from the back, not kicking the ball away in a moment of panic. The new way could have been a short lived experiment if it wasn’t handled right.

 

What happened after the game wasn’t the same bollocking that happened after the Gold Coast debacle. Brisbane were playing the new style and this was the first road block. It was important for Ange to identify, rectify and reassure.

 

The way Ange was able to nurse the team after a bitter disappointment and install the faith the team needed to continue with the new style enabled Brisbane to go on a record run of 36 unbeaten matches. The Australian football record.

 

 

In fact, one can see how it was such a mental factor, as after bettering the Australian record. Brisbane lost their very next match to Sydney 2-0. They then went on to record Brisbane’s worst ever losing streak with 5 in a row.

 

The current Socceroos have no expectations for the World Cup. That was settled when the draw was completed and Australia were given the daunting task of facing both finalists from 2010. That suits Ange perfectly. He doesn’t have to worry about players feeling the pressure before the tournament because there won’t be. He can talk the talk about rebuilding and staying loyal to the new structure and he’ll be right. The goal is to play right, not to get the results.

 

Just like when he took over from Farina, Ange’s mission is to deconstruct, then rebuild from the ground up. It’s no coincidence that veterans like Schwarzer and Kewell announced their retirement from international football coinciding with Ange’s promotion. Hiring Ange was the signal to all players that it was time to rebuild for the future of the Socceroos.

 

Ange’s Roar rebuild was successful because he could hand pick players to fit his vision for Australian tika-taka. There’s no guarantee that it will work for the Socceroos. National teams are notoriously different beasts than club sides for the simple fact that you have a finite pool of players to choose from. Look no further than the search for a Socceroos left back.

 

Whilst he has a strong desire to transfer a form of his Roar-style football philosophy, Ange has had to compromise his Socceroos desire with reality: He has to fit his assets to his formation.

 

A prime example is Tim Cahill. Cahill is not the sort of player that Ange would have used at Brisbane Roar. He has been positioned at the top of the tree where players like Jean Carlos Solorzano, Kosta Barbarouses and Besart Berisha have played. Out and out strikers who can play behind the last line, not midfielders with an eye for goal.

 

But Cahill has been placed in a spot where one would expect Adam Taggart or Matthew Leckie would occupy. Playing two DM’s means only one spot remains for an attacking midfielder and Cahill doesn’t fit that standard position of a number 10. But you can’t leave out Australia’s most potent goal scoring weapon and most marketable Socceroo.

 

This is the paradox of Ange’s position. Cahill is 34. He is playing in his last World Cup and the Asian Cup in January will be his final tournament. The Ange of the Brisbane Roar days would probably have said “thanks for your service” and gone looking for a younger, more suitable player.

 

Players like Jade North and Sasa Ognenovski have performed more than competently in previous Socceroos appearances, and have done so in the most recent A-League season, yet they have been overlooked entirely because of their advancing age despite their suitability to perform their primary task: defend. In truth, Ognenovski was probably omitted because of his character: combative and domineering, he is not the personality that Postecoglu would entertain in one of his squads. During his time alongside Craig Moore in Farina’s Roar days , he certainly was one of Moore’s pals.

 

 

Ange would rather select players who have the potential to succeed rather than the track record. There is no expectation so they can be thrown in at the deep end and nursed into the role in time for the Asian Cup.

 

So what of Mark Bresciano? This is an even bigger mystery. Not only is he playing in the Qatar league that is considered well below Australian standards, not only is he 34 years old like Cahill, but he has been suspended from competitive football matches for 4 months earlier this year. That is three strikes that would usually be fatal for any other footballer aspiring to play in a Postecoglou squad.

 

But Bresciano’s traditional position within Socceroos playing squad is one that has no readily noticeable replacements. Is this Ange’s way of being pragmatic? Playing a waiting game until someone can fill else can fill the void?

 

The selection of Bresciano and Cahill don’t fit with Ange’s precedent for rejuvenating playing squads. Does he really think Australia has a chance at forcing results in Brazil? Are they the vital experienced hands who are needed to lend some steadiness to a youthful squad in transition?

 

The word that keeps being uttered in media appearances is belief: “We have a belief in ourselves” and “we have a belief that we can spring a surprise”.

 

It will be a massive surprise to the entire world if Australia can secure even one point in what is surely the toughest assignment yet for the Socceroos. Ange has had numerous opportunities over the years to walk away from coaching football with his many successes and settle into a comfortably paying pundit’s job, pouring a critical eye over footballing matters week in, week out (as he did prior to taking over Brisbane Roar). But that isn’t in his nature. Postecoglou isn’t the sort of person to walk away from a fight, no matter who it is with or how fearsome the opposition is. Ange is the provoker, the one who doesn’t sit still, the one who isn’t satisfied with “average”.

 

There are no shortage of pundits ready to scour over the entrails of this tournament.

 

The outcome will be well worth the wait.

The Ange Revolution – Part 2

PART 2. Ange Purge-coglou.

 

Ange Postecoglou’s managerial career had stalled after his stint as coach of the Young Socceroos and that on-air argument with Craig Foster.

 

 

He had begun reviving his footballing pedigree in this country as a pundit on Fox Sports when he was sounded out by the directors to rebuild the club after the stagnation of the past year.

 

I saw one of the directors in the time between the rumours of as approach but before his appointment and asked it was true that Ange was the leading candidate. I was told he was essentially hired. I congratulated him on the appointment and added “he’ll turn the club around. He’s a top quality manager but make sure you let him do what he needs to do”.

 

Postecoglou was indeed given the order to rebuild the club “no matter what it takes”.

 

 

His first week in charge was completed without a directive being given, an order being made. He observed the working of the club, the interactions between players, trainers and coaching staff. After getting the nod, he watched the next home game (v Gold Coast United) from the stands. Rado Vidosic took temporary control of everything while Ange got up to speed.

 

He had been briefed of the dramas within the club. He wanted to see the extent of them first hand. Had they been overblown by players trying to provoke a revolt? Was anyone crying wolf?

 

After his week of observation, he set himself the first task: kill the cancer. The cabal including Moore, Miller, Malcolm, Tiatto and Reddy needed to be removed from the club before any rebuilding could begin.

 

But taking the offensive position was never in Ange’s warplan. The ideal situation was for players to mutually terminate their contract – leave the club immediately – thereby saving the already financially stretched club from paying wages for experienced and well-remunerated players who could earn their salaries by sitting on the sidelines in retribution. He was not going to act until the players either removed themselves voluntarily or gave him no alternative to be removed.

 

First target was Liam Reddy. His contract was due to expire at the end of the season and there was an option for him to join Wellington Phoenix immediately as first choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season. It was duly taken. Reddy was gone.

 

 

Postecoglou’s first game officially in charge was at home v Central Coast. It is memorable only for one of the most excremental defensive performances ever witnessed in any A-League fixture by Bob Malcolm. Showing the dexterity of a walrus, he allowed CCM players to waltz into the box and shoot untroubled. He was substituted in the 22nd minute with the score already at 0-2. It was so bad, he would not play for the Roar again and not one complaint was ever heard by the fans.

 

 

Crowds were dwindling. After averages of 15 000+ in recent seasons, gates of 8000 and 6000 resulted from the club’s floundering on-field performances.

 

Danny Tiatto then went to the media in his support for Liam Reddy. Tiatto claimed that Reddy was being treated harshly and was unjustifiably pushed out of the club by Postecoglou. This incurred the wrath of the new coach. Insubordination would not be tolerated. Tiatto would be exiled from the playing group and not play for Brisbane Roar again.

 

 

Next was Charlie Miller. Miller’s contract was also up for renewal at the end of the season and was told that he had no place in the future of the Brisbane Roar by Ange. Miller’s poor fitness and disciplinary record was never going to endear him to the new coach, even disregarding his destabilising effect on the squad. Miller was so infuriated by the news that he sought to release himself from his contract – which was immediately granted – and he became the first “traitor” to leave Brisbane to join the new local rivals Gold Coast United.

 

 

The last one remaining was Craig Moore. The club captain.

 

In 2006, Craig Moore was one of the best defenders this country had ever produced. We has a key part of the Socceroos historic success in the World Cup. He was rightfully lauded for his excellence. The Craig Moore playing for Brisbane Roar in 2009/2010 was not in the same player as that one marvelled at in 2006. A touch slower, a bit weaker in defence, it was clearly noticeable that he was not in the same form he had shown in the previous two seasons where Brisbane had nearly won the Premiership and the effects on the score sheet were clear for all to see.

 

It all came to a head on what has since been dubbed “the Boxing Day Massacre”. Gold Coast United v Brisbane Roar in the third meeting of the 2009/2010 season.

 

 

Brisbane were yet to beat the new neighbours in their previous two attempts. This was the first at the Gold Coast’s home ground, and the first with Charlie Miller lining up for his new club.

 

After taking the lead in the 8th minute, Brisbane conceded a goal in first half stoppage time, and when play resumed in the second half the flood gates opened. Final score Gold Coast United 5 Brisbane Roar 1.

 

In the post-game debrief in the dressing rooms, Postecoglou singled out Craig Moore for some merited criticism. In fact, the entire blame for the collapse was laid at Moore feet. His performance that day was abject, especially for a player as decorated as him. Ange gave him a bollocking in front of the entire squad.

 

 

Moore resented that the coach had disrespected the club captain and was so furious, he went to the board with an ultimatum: “It’s him or me”. It was too late for that. Moore’s support base within the team had long eroded. Postecoglou knew he had the board’s full support when he made his attack, safe in the knowledge that any attempted retaliation from Moore would fail. And so it did.

 

Moore was told that the new coach was a part of the club’s future, not him. He was granted an immediate release from his contract. He would transfer to Kavala in Greece to remain match fit in order to compete for Australia at the 2010 World Cup.

 

Mission accomplished.

The Ange Revolution – Part 1.

Since Ange Postecoglou and his knack for rebuilding football squads is the talking point of the Socceroos at the moment, I thought I’d write something about his original masterpiece: Rebuilding the Brisbane Roar.

 

 

But in order to compare the Socceroos transformation to the Brisbane revolution, the history leading up to Ange’s takeover must be told. This is a full piece detailing the turmoil behind the Roar prior to and after Ange taking the reins of (at that time)the A-League’s biggest underachievers

 

Part 1 is the story of the state of the Roar prior to Ange taking the reins.

Part 2 is the story of the purge.

Part 3 is the story of Ange’s new dynasty.

 

PART 1. The Farina Days.

Frank Farina took over the management of the club from Miron Bleiberg to the delight of the local punditry. The last and only person the lift the NSL trophy north of the tweed, Farina was seen as the person to give the club some publicity amongst the saturated sports media whilst improving the club’s on-field performances.

 

 

To be fair, Bleiberg’s first and only full season was completed with what was essentially the local league’s all conquering Qld Lions. They were the Man City of Brisbane football. They had the cash and bought the best local players. Lions dominated Brisbane football.

 

When the tender went out from the newly formed FFA for a Queensland A-League franchise. Lions were the best option ahead of a Brisbane Strikers outfit backed by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones.

 

Out of reward and loyalty for Bleiberg’s performance as coach of Lions, he was offered the opportunity to be the club’s inaugural A-League coach. The players knew him, the back room staff knew him, it was just a promotion for the entire club to the new division. Best to leave the furniture in-tact and make arrangements later.

 

 

To be blunt, Brisbane’s first season was not sparkling finishing 6th in an 8 team competition. The board began to realise that if they wanted success in the new National League, what guaranteed success at city level wasn’t going to cut it in the new league. After only a handful of games into season 2, Bleiberg resigned as coach.

 

Local media jumped at the opportunity to push Frank Farina forward as the only viable option to lead Brisbane Roar. Farina was out of work after being pushed aside as Socceroos coach for Guus Hiddink a year earlier and was eager to rebuild his coaching reputation.

 

 

Farina’s success as Socceroos manager can and will be debated at length for years to come, but one field of football management he is undoubtedly excellent in is identifying young talent and promoting it in a fashion that it shines brightly.

 

Over the next seasons the following young talents would take the field for Brisbane Roar under the tutelage of Farina: Robbie Kruse, Michael Zullo, David Williams, Mitch Nichols, Tahj Minniecon, Adam Sarota, Ivan Franjic, Luke De Vere & Luke Brattan.

 

 

Farina also maintained his international connections, and in mid-2007 announced a coup for Brisbane Roar signing Socceroo internationals Craig Moore from Scottish powerhouse Glasgow Rangers (as Brisbane’s first marquee player) as well as Danny Tiatto from Manchester City and later Leicester City.

 

 

Farina got down to business in 2007/08 (his first full season) organising his team as a very well structured one. The club gained a major sponsorship from The Coffee Club (which remains as of this day) as jersey sponsors. Grinding out results and slowly, but surely, climbing the ladder to be top of the table going into the final round needing a win away at Adelaide to secure the Premiership.

 

In what will forever be known by Roar fans as “the kit debacle” the Brisbane squad traveled to Adelaide with their orange home kit instead of their white away jerseys and the match (and season) disintegrated before their eyes, losing the game 2-0.

 

Despite qualifying for the finals for the first time, it was bitter consolation as the Roar were topping the table for much of the season.

 

It was at this time that Craig Moore was beginning to have more of an influence over the club than anyone else in the organisation. Because of his experience in international football, he was the alpha male in the playing group. He maintained his close friendship with Farina (stretching back to while both were in the Socceroos set up), and now he was bearing a major influence on operational matters – especially who to sign.

 

 

Next season saw some foreign acquisitions join the club: Charlie Miller and Sergio Van Dijk.

 

Miller was a friend of Moore’s from when they played together at Rangers in the 1990’s.

 

 

2008/09 was similar to the previous season: Largely unfulfilled potential resulted in Brisbane Roar finishing 3rd, 2 points away from the premiership despite having some bright patches. In the background, a new ownership group took control of the club comprising of directors of The Coffee Club and Luxury Paints – who were both current jersey sponsors.

 

Next season shaped up a little differently. Two new Queensland clubs changed the dynamic in Brisbane. Bankrolled by Clive Palmer, Gold Coast United joined the league with former Brisbane Roar coach Miron Bleiberg who was out to prove his worth, and a Socceroo marquee of their own, Jason Culina, straight from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven.

 

 

The pressure was on Farina and the Brisbane team to deliver the goods. Moore had again been instrumental in recruiting Bob Malcolm, another mate from Rangers days. Assurances were made by Farina to the board that he was confident the team was ready for a productive season.

 

The first match of the season was the new South East Queensland derby. Farina & Bleiberg duly talked the game up, but on the field it was a demolition. The new boys tore the established to pieces.

 

 

The board were irate. Farina was already on thin ice. An entire pre-season looked to have been wasted.

 

Reports made their way to senior management that junior players were intimidated within the playing group. Some of the younger players I know had told me that they feared being picked out in a training session for special treatment if they did so much as looked at someone the wrong way.

 

Moore had built up his cabal within the playing group (including Moore, Miller, Malcolm, Tiatto and Liam Reddy) and through his friendship with Farina, his clique could act with impunity because Farina would not act against his club captain, his most experienced player, his friend. Farina’s power had been usurped by Moore who essentially had complete control over the club.

 

It was this intimidation that helped Robbie Kruse depart for Melbourne Victory. Stifled by the team environment, Kruse’s on field performances were negatively affected and his growth as a professional footballer had stalled.

 

Robbie Kruse would get to face off against his former club in the second round. Robbie Kruse would also feel the retribution from Charlie Miller who elbowed Kruse off the ball (but not off camera) and would be suspended for it.

 

 

Morale within the playing group fell to new lows. The squad outside of the cartel – especially the junior players – were dissatisfied with the way the club was progressing. One of their friends from last season was given a going over for no reason.

 

The board had had enough. The atmosphere within the club was toxic. The new Gold Coast United club was at the top of the table while the Roar were struggling. They were ready to cut Farina loose but couldn’t afford to pay out his considerable contract.

 

Then in October the board’s prayers were answered. Farina is charged with drink driving, his second offence. They now have reason to sack him without breaching his contract. But ridding themselves of Farina is only half the problem. The club itself has become infected with the Moore virus.

 

By the end, Farina had become “one of the boys” among the senior players. He attended parties and bbq’s with players. He had lost all authority and was essentially a part-time manager of a team on auto-pilot. His decline was inevitable – he just brought it on earlier than planned.

 

Comparing the situation in Brisbane to what Postecoglou found upon taking control with the Socceroos was a little different in that the atmosphere within the Brisbane playing group wasn’t as toxic given it was a national team and players could return to their more comfortable club surroundings when not on National Duty.

 

Most senior Socceroo players were heroes from the golden generation and were bankable in the marketing stakes for FFA, and they knew it. They weren’t going to be pushed aside easily without their consent, especially from a foreign coach who was more expendable than they were.

 

 

That being said, the on-field results for the Socceroos were far worse than what Brisbane Roar were achieving. The Socceroos dismal World Cup qualifying and slide down the rankings set off alarms ahead of the World Cup and the very important hosting of the Asian Cup. Time is of the essence for our National Team in order to prevent international disgrace.

 

End of Part 1.