Fan Focus: Harry McDougall Central Coast Mariners

For us, the Central Coast Mariners fan interview is the one club that we've been looking forward to interviewing. Since the A League's creation the Mariners have been arguably the most consistent and stable on the field but off it its been far from it. From the financial problems to the low crowd figures, we have got the word from a die hard local that knows the Central Coast Mariners. Harry McDougall  has been a supporter since the Early days and by no means a bandwagoner. We talk Graham Arnold, his favourite player Liam Reddy and who's his choice as the best player ever to represent Gosford.

You go into the 2013/14 A - League season as defending champions as a die hard mariners fans how does that feel ?. 

In short, it feels good. It'll be a tough year with so many leaving last season, but we're defending champions, who cares.

Mariners fans were previously labelled chokers after reaching the grand final 4 times, a tag we saw as unfair it must feel great to finally win a Championship ?. 

It was more of a relief then anything, having been to all 3 previous grand finals and experienced all the emotions, it was just a sigh of relief as well as tears once the final whistle went. 

What did winning the A - League mean for the Gosford region ?

It means everything, we've had fans not come back after the previous grand finals, now everyone wants to be a part of it, we saw more then 5000 people line the streets of Gosford for the street parade wanting to celebrate the clubs success.

Before Peter Turnbull saved the club last season were you afraid the Mariners would fold ?

 As a fan, of course I was afraid, we are the Coasts only sporting professional sporting team, this area needs one but at the back of my mind I just thought that the FFA wouldn't allow this, they wanted a regional side at the start of the A-League and we're that side, we are here to stay. 

For one of the league's most successful clubs the Mariners only averaged 9k last year, what can the club continue to do to increase their fan base ?

Some say 9k is poor, but yet don't realise there's only approximately 300 000 people living on the Coast. Averaging 9k in a Rugby League area is a good achievement, and having 6 NSW derbies this will help this average to be well over 10k by seasons end. 

Take your emotion away from this question if you can but long term can the Central Coast Mariners survive in the A- League ?

 Yes. Every A-League side has had financial problems, our financial situation can only get better, our player development is second to none and each year providing dollars back into the clubs pockets.  

The Tuggerah centre of excellence, as a fan has / will this be a good investment ?

Not much has been done to date, with a full training facilities for the players as well as a Soccer5's complex being built, but if you ask players like John Hutchinson, this is heaven after having to train on up to 15 pitches a season. Also, don't forget we've already had the Socceroos and Young Socceroos have training camps there. Over the next year or so will see more developments in the Centre of Excellence so time will tell whether it will be a good investment.    

Graham Arnold has turned out to be a club legend - what does he mean to you and the rest of the fans ?

He's done what all of us wanted, he has won us the premiership and an elusive grand final win, he came to Coast with plenty of haters but will leave the Coast, yes he'll eventually leave, with plenty of admiring with what he has done.

He was supposedly as good as gone to Chinese side Guangzhou RF  last season before Sven Goran Erikson became available, If Arnie did leave who should replace him ?

Arnie doesn't hide the fact that he still has a dream to head overseas, and so we'll have to replace him, in which will be a tough ask. Ideally I'd want to see a young coach come into the picture, perhaps even Zwaanswijk who will be in charge of the youth side this coming season. 

Lets look forward to this season now, what will be classed as a successful season this year, can the Mariners go back to back ? 

I think this year will be one of the toughest yet, not only for the Mariners, but for all sides. Not 100% on the the Mariners going back to back but they will be thereabouts come finals time. 

There have been more outs than ins in the off season have u been satisfied with Arnie's off season recruitment ?

Satisfied hits the spot, was always going to be hard to replace the likes of Maty, Ibini, Bozanic, Dutchie and even to a certain extent Rogic. The keepers position is difficult with only a few keepers coming off contract, with a relatively young backline for another season the experience of Seip should help. Flores will ease the pressure off from Mcglinchley who carried many of the forward attacks after Rogic left, and Matt Simon adds to an already quality forward line. We've still got the likes of Duke, Anderson, Fitzgerald, Sainsbury, Caceres and Morton improving and hopefully Roux and Slater will grow as footballers under the guidance from Arnold and Zwaanswijk  

Matt Ryan will be a big loss, are u confident in Justin Pasfield and Liam Reddy? 

It'll be a tough year without Maty in goals, and regardless of how well Pasfield or Reddy go, we have to remember that our past keeping stocks have been strong in Ryan, Vukovic, Redmayne, Crawley, and to a certain extent Bosnich. Us as fans should have the belief in Arnold and Crawley to make Pasfield and Reddy better keepers, we may not like them an even not cheer for one, but it was the clubs choice and we'll accept that.

You are not a fan of the decision to sign Reddy, does he not deserve another chance by all reports he's a very cheap option who has a lot of ALeague experience ?

 Me personally it of course was the indiscretions that refuse to accept that he was even considered, yeah sure he got drunk on the flight to Wellington but many forget that he stomped on one of our players whilst playing for the Jets in season one. But also there's 2 other things, we're the champions, we should easily be able to attract better keepers, and from seeing many NSW National Premier League games, he wasn't the best one in that competition. Also why don't we bring in an young keeper (someone like Liam Jacob) and trust Pasfield, he went well last season in the few games he played.

Marcos Flores has very disappointing for Victory is he under pressure to perform for the Mariners ? 

Not at all, at Victory he was played in a position that didn't suit him, as well wasn't comfortable in his surrounds, here he is enjoying where he lives and loves the culture of the club. He will play with the freedom he wants with no pressure. 

With left back being a problem position for the Socceroos how has josh rose not featured for the national team ? 

Who knows !! One of the standout Left backs for the past few years and doesn't get considered, it's ridiculous. And no, age is definitely not an issue with Holger's sides 

Pedj Bojic is also a big loss does it hurt to see him move to such a close rival ?

Yes and no, he'll be missed for his runs down the right hand side, but towards the end of the season he was too focused on promoting his fashion label. We've now got Morton and Roux fighting for that spot so it's and exciting time for the club with both players having represented Australia and New Zealand at age level.

We've seen Ryan, Ibini , Bozanic and many others sold to overseas clubs who's the next to go ?. 

It's a toss up between Sainsbury and Duke. Duke's selection in the Socceroos squad for the Brazil squad will only help his chance. I'd even add McBreen to that list, if he keeps performing, I don't see how he couldn't land a permanent deal in China. 

Ok a tough question now but the who's been the best player to play for the central coast mariners?. 

Overall, it would be Patrick Zwaanswijk. not only for his talent on the field, but he was/is a player that would make time to talk to any fan. Wilkinson, Jedinak, Ryan, Hutchinson, Rose and Simon all get honourable mentions. 

And the worst ? 

The worst ? wow, there's been a few ordinary players, but John Sutton tops the lot, might have only been a loan but he was just terrible. Nicky Travis would also be up there as well as a few others like Leo Carle, Russell Woodruffe, Vuko Tomasevic, Matthew Trott and Ahmed Elrich would also deserve mentions.  


In 10 years the mariners will be ....... 

Still the forefront of Australian football by developing very talented players.

Fan Focus: Newcastle Jets with David Mcgraw

Our latest fan focus interview takes us to the Hunter with passionate Newcastle football fan David Mcgraw. We started these interviews to get an inside view on the A - League clubs from the people that ultimately keep the club going, the fans. David is an avid sports fan who loves his football, he has always supported the world game in Newcastle first with the Breakers and now with the Jets. Strap yourselves in for a fiery and honest interview, as we discuss Emile Heskey, Con Constantine and of course Nathan Tinkler.

Enjoy......

We are now just under 2 months till the A-League season starts. Are you excited?

It is always exciting to see the return of the A-League but in a lead up to a World Cup we are participating in means through to the Asian Cup in 2015, we are about to have football in the limelight in Australia for the next 18 months.

How do you think the Newcastle Jets will fare this season?

The Jets will finish in a similar, if not worse position than last year I believe due to a lack of depth in the squad.

In our opinion they have one of the best squads in the league and under achieved massively last year, was last season a failure?

No, this squad is very young and still developing, it is not one of the best in the league, however the potential is there to improve if the team is not disassembled and allowed to mesh into a formidable unit in the future. Last season was disappointing because after Ryan Griffiths was sold the squad looked listless and disinterested with the task at hand.

Is Gary Van Egmond under pressure?

Yes, but most of this is a little unfair as players are constantly let go or sold. GVE seems to be very cautious these days and must promote a more attacking style of football in Newcastle. He worked at the AIS for the FFA and yet rarely fields a true 4-3-3.

Speaking of Van Egmond, he has made a few good signings this season. Are you satisfied with whom he's brought in?

There is still a lot of angst over local captain Jobe Wheelhouse being dumped onto the street and the sale of Ryan Griffiths to a Chinese club. Also Jeremy Brockie and Nikolai Topor-Stanley were deemed unfit for the A-League and went to star at other clubs, so the management of players is a real concern for Novocastrian supporters. 

Let’s talk Emile Heskey - has he been a good marquee singing?

Yes, he is a class act and gives his best on the field. He is enjoying life in Newcastle and is moving his family here so I am pleased he is returning to Newcastle for a second season.

What are you expecting from him this season?

Now he is used to the heat and the hard pitches, more goals and more aggressive pressuring on full-backs who clearly do not enjoy marking him.

Who do you expect to make a big impact this year?

Connor Chapman and Josh Brillante who have both tasted international football and should show their class this season. They are great lads who are popular with the fans.

You've just signed ex Dutch international Kew Jaliens who looks to be a good signing. Your thoughts?

His profile seems to suggest he is the real deal and coming straight from Europe should be a technically sound player, which we need at the back. The mere fact he played at the World Cup and represented Holland 10 times being regarded by Marco van Basten as a quality player says it all.

Nathan Tinkler; have you been impressed with his ownership?

No!

What do you make of the dual ownership with the Newcastle Knights, has he been guilty of favouring the Knights in terms of funding etc?

Definitely, but that is to be expected as he is a Rugby League fan, not a football fan. He has attended just one game since he bought the club and that was an exhibition game involving David Beckham, so he has shown his true colours.

He tried to hand back his license a few seasons ago were you worried the club would fold?

No, because Frank Lowy met him at Brisbane airport and sorted it. If Tinkler walked away, Uncle Frank would have taken care of the mongrel under the rules of the old school. He actually did hand his license back and once Lowy was finished with him, he took it back real quick.

Con Constantine or Nathan Tinkler; Who's the better owner, or is it unfair to compare?

Constantine, because he loves football. The guy may be a nutter, but many in Newcastle still admire him because he bleeds for the game. Con wound up the Newcastle Breakers which still hurts, but he did create the Jets and should not be forgotten for doing so.

The Jets have very impressive membership numbers, is that all down to being so cheap and accessible?

Pretty much the case. This is still a working class town and things are tight, but the club is building a loyal following regardless of expense I believe and attracts decent numbers to away games. The Squadron are disappointing and could not make anywhere near the same amount of noise the old Rowdies brigade made in the NSL days even if they had a few thousand members.

You are so close geographically to your rivals the Mariners. Long term is there enough room for both teams
to succeed on the Central Coast?

We are the seventh largest city in Australia and are not the Central Coast. Gosford is pissant and does not have any cultural or social connection with the Hunter or Novocastrians. In saying this, they run a magnificent club and play at a wonderful stadium. There is room for both and good luck to the Mariners who are worthy champions, but they are not Newcastle.

Let’s back track to the Branko / Jason Culina saga, were fans angry with what happened there?

We have no idea what happened so no one is angry, just confused that Tinkler screwed the whole thing up. One day Branko is here and launching the season, the next he is out. I believe Tinkler has a personal problem with anyone not white and Anglo-Saxon, so he did not like Culina from the moment he took over the club.

The Jets have had some great players who's been you're best player?

1. Ned Zelic

2. Paul Okon

3. Milton Rodrigues

4. Joel Griffiths

5. Nick Carle

And the worst?

Unfortunately Mario Jardel but Guy Bates is also up there. Mark Bridge was the definition of lazy when he played here. He scored the grand final winner so everything else is forgotten.

What will be classed as a success this season?

Avoiding bankruptcy which is where our owner is heading and the top six would be a huge success.

In 10 years the Newcastle jets will be ....

Hopefully playing in a purpose built 15000 capacity stadium owned by a passionate football nut that does not follow the other brutal codes that pollute our national sporting landscape. We will be wearing green, cinnamon and white, our city colours will be our home strip and we will be playing some classy football.

Fan Focus: ESCAPE TO VICTORY

In this edition of our "Die Hard Fans of the A-League" series, we travel down to Melbourne to talk with Die hard Melbourne Victory fan Steven Chang. InsidetheboxFC would like to thank Steve for taking the time to answer our questions, his answers are so in depth we have split the interview into two parts.

Part One

1. First lets talk Victory vs Liverpool, Did you go to the game and what was it like?

The Victory vs Liverpool game was a contradictory affair. For obvious reasons, it was an incredible experience in some respects. Especially as I support both Victory and Liverpool. I'm stating the obvious here, but Melbourne's rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was surreal. Seeing tens of thousands of us hold our red and white scarves aloft and sing one of the iconic football anthems of the world was a highly emotional moment. I'll admit to shedding a few tears during YNWA!

But it wasn't all spectacular. For much of the game, there was a notable absence of singing and chanting that you might hear at a Liverpool home game at Anfield, or even at a Melbourne Victory match at AAMI Park. Famous Anfield songs about Steven Gerrard and 'The Fields of Anfield Road' barely got off the ground, except in the makeshift Liverpool active area, which some referred to as "Australian Kop End". It was clear that the crowd was very mixed. Hardcore Liverpool fans with Scouse accents could be found sitting alongside casual sports fans adventuring out to their first football game in Australia. The Melbourne Victory faithful, too, were present, decking out the home active area with Victorian blue and white.

2. 8 years ago when the Victory were born did you ever think that your Club would pack out the MCG playing mighty Liverpool FC?

Sadly, I joined the A-League party late compared to many people, and I wasn't around in Season 1. But I'd say even the most optimistic Victory fans wouldn't have dreamed of hosting one of the most renowned European football teams at the time of the A-League's inception. Even on the day of the game, I could scarcely believe it was happening. When I first heard rumours that Victory would be hosting Liverpool in Melbourne, I was both shocked (in a pleasant way) and skeptical. To fill up the MCG with 94,000 fans is a testament to the hunger for football and potential success of the game in Australia.

3. Do you think Victory should make it a annual event? It would be good to form a partnership with one of the worlds biggest clubs ?.

Yes - a no-brainer, for me. In fact, it was reported in the Herald Sun that Melbourne Victory are planning a trip to Anfield to further consolidate the new relationship with Liverpool, as well as future Victory vs Liverpool exhibition matches in Melbourne. Huge positive benefits to forming a partnership with club like Liverpool. Chief among them is exposure for Victory to a broader audience in both Europe and a key target area for the club - Asia. There has been a convergence between Australian and Asian football in recent years, and the inclusion of Australia in Liverpool's regular Asian tours would be a definite plus. That said, I think it's also worth critically reflecting on the highly corporate and somewhat superficial nature of these exhibition matches. But that's another story altogether!

4. Which Victory player impressed you most in that match?.

Connor Pain impressed me the most against Liverpool. His marauding runs down the left flank were a constant danger, and he seemed to feature in every attack that Victory launched to breach Liverpool's defence. I think his most valuable characteristic is his raw speed. But he's also an intelligent footballer who makes smart runs, and can also beat his man to create space.

5. Your new CEO Ian Robson is quite a controversial appointment,  as a fan what do you expect from him in his new role?

 

Robson's appointment as Victory CEO is indeed controversial. I can certainly understand why some A-League fans are wary, given the drama at Essendon and the circumstances of his departure from the AFL scene. Controversies aside, though, he seems to have a strong record as ex-Chief Executive at Essendon. I don't follow AFL, so I can't comment in detail. But others who are keen footy fans seem quite adamant that he is a wise appointment, if you can look past the potential powder keg of the AFL drug saga.

6. Melbourne Victory is currently the biggest club in the country but Western Sydney are snapping at their heels, is that a tag u want to keep ?.

As with any large club, the size and success of the club is something that Melbourne Victory supporters wear with pride. If we take pure numbers as a mark to measure Victory's "big club" tag, I think it is largely an accurate description. Victory aims to hit 23,000 members for the 2013/14 A-League season, and with less than two months until the opening round, the current MVFC membership total stands at 15,171. We have consistently achieved the highest average home crowds and are known for the atmosphere created at our home games, particularly at AAMI Park.

That said, Western Sydney had a tremendous inaugural A-League season. I never anticipated that they'd manage to be so successful - in fact, I predicted that the Wanderers would finish bottom of the league! Turned out to be very wrong, obviously. To me, though, the greatest achievement of the Wanderers is not on the field but off the field. The atmosphere created in the stands at Parramatta Stadium is sensational. I've experienced it myself when I went there for Victory vs Wanderers, and the cauldron of noise ignited by the Red and Black Bloc is seriously impressive. What also stands out is the interaction between the active area and the Wanderers fans on the wings. It's all a breath of fresh air, and yes, I do think that Western Sydney is beginning to challenge our self-proclaimed status as the most passionately supported club. It should provide impetus for Victory to improve both on and off the pitch to keep up or stay ahead of the Wanderers.

 7. With AFL so dominant in Melbourne, the Victory have been very successful  in establishing its own brand, how do you think they achieved that?

I think there are a number of reasons behind Melbourne Victory's success in a city so utterly obsessed with AFL. The first factor is Victory's early success. If we can conveniently erase Season 1 from our collective memories, Season 2 saw MVFC embarking on a rampage of winning streaks and pulling in an average of 28,000 fans a game.

Secondly - being the only A-League club in Melbourne at the time, I think the club became strongly identified with Victorian pride and love for the city of Melbourne, with its iconic "Big V" boldly emblazoned on the front of the jersey. Through its broad sweeping appeal, Victory attracted both fans of the old NSL and also a wider football crowd who hadn't invested themselves in an Australian club yet.

Thirdly, the momentum generated from these first two factors effectively snowballed - success breeds success, you could say. For example, broad appeal and championship-winning success generated more revenue via committed sponsorships, bigger crowds, and increased gate receipts.

8. Talking of South Melbourne, if they did take over bitter rivals Melbourne Heart do u think it would be good or bad for the game?

While personally I would welcome South Melbourne back into the top flight of Australian football, I'm not sure a South takeover of Melbourne Heart would be good for the A-League. It would immediately raise a number of problematic issues. Firstly, it would be a recognition of the failure of FFA's initial Heart model. 

Secondly, it would throw up the issue of club colours - there is a direct clash between South Melbourne's traditional blue and white, and Melbourne Heart's red and white stripes. It's not simply about aesthetics, but also of the fundamental identity of the club. The question on everyone's lips would be: Is this more South Melbourne, or is this more Melbourne Heart? Hence the jokes on Twitter about South Melbourne Heart Hellas and so on.

All that said - I think Lakeside stadium would be quite an appropriate place for Heart to play at.

9. As a Victory fan would you agree that a second team in Melbourne has been good for the game ie the Melbourne Derby?.

Absolutely no doubt. I don't like Melbourne Heart, and they are major rivals, but in no way do I wish for their demise. The existence of expansion clubs in Melbourne and Sydney is a sign of the A-League's maturity and capacity to sustain two clubs in each city. And as you alluded to, the Melbourne derby has been a blessing for Australian football. Many would consider the derby to be the flagship achievement of the league in the last few years. 

It seems to have become A-League custom now to kick off the opening weekend of the season with a big derby at Etihad stadium, attracting crowds of more than 40,000 on several occasions. There have already been some classic encounters between Heart and Victory, and I don't think any MVFC fan present on the day can forget the surreal scenes and subsequent pitch invasion celebrations after Archie Thompson's 90th-minute winner at the Christmas derby last year.

BRAZIL 2014. THE WORLD IS READY, IS BRAZIL?

When news surfaced last month about a double murder committed during a Football match in Brazil, the world could hardly believe it. Referee Otavio Da Silva and Footballer Josenir dos Santos were the victims of these brutal killings. The murders occured after Dos Santos was ordered to leave the field by Referee Da Silva. After refusing to do so, Da Silva brandished a knife and fatally stabbed Dos Santos (who later died on the way to the hospital). Fans soon became outraged and stormed the pitch, brutally taking matters in to there own hands by killing Da Silva. After the gruesome murder (in which Da Silva was decapitated), fans then dragged his body for some time before dismembering the corpse. A court of law, The Police Department's report and a Coroner's inquest will not be a happy place in the aftermath of this brutal tragedy.

Instead of deciphering who was right or wrong or what was the cause of death, we should instead be asking ourselves this question, "Is Brazil a country that's ready to host a World Cup"? The answer, in my opinion, is No. Although Brazil boasts an impressive World Cup record (5 World Cup Wins) and has produced some of the greatest players in history (Pele, Ronaldo, Kaka etc), the country itself is far from being a First World nation. With a widening gap between rich and poor and constant trouble between various factions (Drug Lords, Gangs) and the Police, it's hardly a place you would take your family for a holiday (unless you were under the constant watchful eye of a close friend or relative). And while this latest murder is a shock and sad indictment on the game of Football, sadly it's not uncommon nor is it the first instance in which violence like this has broken out during a Football match in Brazil. Since 1988, there have been approximately 155 Football deaths in Brazil, mostly due to Football violence (hooliganism).

While FIFA likes to adopt the rotation policy when it comes to World Cup host nations (meaning all continents get to have a go), sometimes it is not the best option when deciding on a host country. South Africa 2010 was initially perceived to be a questionable choice, as the country has had a lot of unrest and turmoil going on for over a decade. Now with Brazil 10 months away and this tragedy happening just over a month ago, It seems this is the same case for Brazil. While there is great anticipation and fanfare leading up to this World Cup, one must wonder how much Security will be in place when the tournament kicks off. Although this is a great boost for the Country, and will no doubt generate a lot of revenue for the Brazilian Government, one hopes this World Cup is one of change. A World Cup which will show the rest of the World that this is a new Brazil, a country which will takes giant leaps forward in years to come. But, as long as stories like this emerge (July's brutal murder), it seems like Brazil are still worlds away from the rest of the World.



Written by Alex Stilianos.

Fan Focus: WE ARE BRISBANE, HEAR US ROAR.

Continuing on with Part 3 of our "Die hard fans of the A-League" series, this week's series features Veteran Brisbane Roar fan Ben Clark. We sat down with Ben this week to discuss all things Brisbane Roar, from the early days of the club, to his thoughts on where the club will be in the future.

1. It's been almost 2 seasons since the highly successful Ange Postecoglu era ended, have u been satisfied with how the club have replaced him ?.

Initially, I was happy to see Rado replace Ange, as I believe promoting from within promotes stability and continuity, and obviously after back to back titles those were important attributes to have. However, when it became apparent Rado was struggling with the stress of the top job - and it was taking a toll on his health - there should have been a more thorough process to replace him. I think the Mulvey appointment was rushed, and convenient, more than the best outcome for the club, although I do believe he should be given this preseason and the first half of the season to prove he can do the job. I don't believe that he is a coach that can compete tactically with coaches like Arnold and Postecoglou, although it could definitely be worse (cough GVE cough) - I don't have confidence in us winning trophies under his guidance. I'm happy to be proven wrong, though!

2. Rado Vidosic was famously labelled the brains by some of the players do you agree with that and what was your opinion of that whole saga?.

Rado was and is a brilliant coach, tactician and strategist. He worked perfectly with Ange - Rado was a brilliant micro-manager, Ange was fantastic at implementing the overarching formation and strategy. I think the different aspects of the top job weren't suited to him, particularly amongst players he was already comfortable with - motivation and man management obviously suffered. I think if he were to have taken the top job at another club he may have found more success, but I would have liked to see him retained in his old job, because he is certainly the best assistant in the league.

3. He lasted only a couple of months in the hotseat and replaced by Mulvey - what are your thoughts on Mulvey so far ?.

 I was not impressed with his initial period in charge - there was seemingly little to no change in performance from Rados time in charge, so there was frustration as to why the move had been made. As the season progressed, it is obvious he was able to better shape the team into his image, remove dressing room problems like Paartalu, and remove the complacency we saw in the first half of the season. In the preseason so far, we have played with an impressive structure, and some of his recruitment decisions seem likely to prove shrewd, so hopefully we continue building momentum for the season ahead.

4. As fellow Roar supporters we are unsatisfied with this seasons recruitment drive (excluding Liam miller) so do you feel the same?.

Liam Miller is an excellent signing and precisely the player we need - and the type of player very hard to come by domestically. We've been able to get him on reasonable money, too. Diogo Ferreira is a quality squad player on a small wage, and very flexible - a handy player to have on the bench to cover positions. We have gotten rid of Dong, Henrique will become naturalised in August, so we have at least one foreign spot - two pending paperwork - to add another midfielder or attacker, as that's where I feel we are light on numbers. The return of Matt McKay seems likely at this stage, and would be a real boost to midfield - and crowd numbers - especially with Lambadaridis' unfortunate injury.

 5. We would also like to see a big name marquee signing do u share our view ?.

I don't care too much about a big name marquee. I would love to see McKay back, obviously - as he is a proper marquee signing in Brisbane, being a local and a club legend, and a starting XI Socceroo likely to be starting every game in Brazil. If we could get an ADP-quality marquee, it would be stupid not to, but we should not be bringing in second-tier guys as marquees just for the fuck of it. They have to have a profile that transcends codes like ADP for it to be worth it.

6. If so who would you like to see in the orange jersey as a marquee ?.

If we could get someone like Francesco Totti, that would be the ideal profile of a player I think it's worth blowing marquee money on. I'm not sure a player that was never at a major tournament and has no name recognition with the non-footballing public is worth it.

7. The Bakrie group has been In charge for a couple of years now r u satisfied with their ownership ?.

I think the Bakries have provided stability in an area we have previously had none, and given us links to Europe and Asia which are unique in the A-League. The off-field improvements have been notable - particularly in media, marketing, etc - and there are plans afoot for a training ground of our own so we don't have to groundshare with the Reds - who obviously have their pick of training times and access to facilities at present, being the primary tenants of Ballymore. This will be great when it happens.

8. What or where could they improve ?.

Their strategic direction is excellent and the Roar brand is growing in the Brisbane and Queensland sporting consciousness. I would always like to see this growth happen faster. I also like that they have largely kept to the background, since I am unsure how comfortable a lot of people would be with their dealings in Indonesia. I would obviously feel more comfortable if they had nothing to hide... And I would like to see them be ambitious when targeting marquees and coaches in future, and get the very best people for the jobs available.

9. After achieving back to back championship titles the Roar's fan base didn't really grow is brisbane a football town ?.

Absolutely - as much as you can be in Australia. I think the Roar have a huge fan base which is growing fast, but the problem with Brisbane crowds isn't football specific - it's the fact that we are a city who doesn't go out if its overcast, or raining, if its too hot, etc. We have seen similar effects on Broncos or Lions games in bad conditions, but the Roar playing in the stormy summer exacerbates this effect on our crowd averages. Regardless, there are lots more people watching at pubs and at home and staying engaged with the team, whether they go to games or not - the challenge in Brisbane is always translating that into bums on seats.

10. We think Suncorp is too big for the roar would you like to see a purpose built football stadium in Brisbane ?.

I think Suncorp is the best football stadium in the country, and we need to be playing there as the stature of the league grows. We should be aiming to fill it for big games, and average 20k+ overall - and as you and I know, 20k in Suncorp doesn't look terrible, and sounds about ten times as good as an NRL crowd twice the size. Unless the Bakries were to build a boutique stadium - which I'm not sure they can do, without it being under the jurisdiction of Stadiums Queensland - there is not an existing site which is remotely suitable. Ballymore has no transport and no modern amenities, ANZ is horrific and in the middle of nowhere, and all other sites would cost too much to upgrade. We're stuck at Suncorp, we need to make the best of it.

11. Roar fans often get some stick for the lack of atmosphere at games do you think the size of Suncorp has something to do with that ?.

I think theres a few factors which contribute, but an average 15000 strong crowd in a 52000 seat stadium creates great atmosphere at times - I think the fact that the Den are the only group consistently making noise certainly makes the rest of the stadium seem a bit quiet. I'd like to see the Den try some things to engage with the prawn sandwich eaters, a la the RBB.

12. A few beers in Caxton st then walking to the stadium is just magical what can the roar do to attract more members ?.

I think using the atmosphere as an attraction is a strategy we could use. There's very little crowd noise at Broncos or Lions games, and the match day atmosphere suffers as a result. Using this point of difference would be a smart move. However, I think what they are already doing - engaging with local clubs through the One Goal program, engaging with the community at large with their new disability football program, and doing lots of promo work in various forms is paying dividends and will continue to do so. The amount of kids wearing Roar gear out and about in the school holidays - in the middle of the other codes season - shows just how far the Roar have grown over the last few years, and the preseason attendances so far show a real hunger to see the team.

13. In the 8 years of Roar who has been our best player ?.

The best player over that time has to be Matt McKay. Worked hard from day one, and developed his game as the league grew over many seasons to win a move overseas. A local lad and a legend of this football club. The most talented has to be Thomas Broich, and we may yet see him overtake Matt in the public consciousness as he spends more time here. He could have chosen anywhere, but he chose Brisbane, and the Roar, and he loves this place and us as much as we love him. I think they are the two undisputed legends of this club for different reasons.

14. And the worst ?.

Has to be Bob Malcolm. There's been quite a few candidates over the years, but they were playing in a worse standard of league, and didn't seem quite so out of their depth. Bob was hopelessly, utterly out of his depth in every minute he spent in orange... Perhaps he should have laid off the sauce.

15. You are a big figure in the #holgerout campaign on twitter - now that we've secured World Cup Qualification do u still want him out ?


Absolutely. Brazil will be utterly humiliating for the Socceroos with Holger in charge. There is no plan, no formation, no mentality, no tactical structure, no awareness, no knowledge - the man is a charlatan and a snake oil salesman who has stumbled into qualification. By comparison, against the best sides in the world, this embarrassing qualification campaign will look like a proud, spirited performance. Can you imagine us playing like we did against Oman at home against Spain, or Germany? The creaking collection of veterans we will roll out will go down in World Cup history - with the Zairean team of 1974, or the Saudi team of recent times, as the most hopelessly inept team we have ever fielded. We need rejuvenation, and it is obvious that Holger won't provide it - if we are going to be competitive in Brazil, here in 2015, and in 2018, we need to be starting a younger side, largely based around the youngsters in Europe or on their way there.


16. Finally in 10 years the Brisbane Roar will be .....?

Averaging 25k and basking in the glow of their fifth title.