The main thing I detest about all of them is the constant harping on about how or why somehow Australia deserves to be ranked higher, or progress further in the WC. And if only we had a better system/pathway/more money etc we would win the World Cup. Not to mention the obsession with the AFL...

It’s not a club. Never has been. These days it’s just a team with no ambition that turns over most of its squad every year. Any player half decent gets sold at first opportunity.

I think his MLS club saw the “increase”. I know it’s a wild guess, but it just might have been why they offered to buy out the sell on clause.🤷‍♂️

I think Popa deliberately played not to lose in that second half. We were on top and he made defensive subs.

I think it’s simpler. Popa was playing tournament football. He just wanted to get through the USA game with a 2-0 loss at worst and rest some players for Paraguay. Worked out perfectly and we even got a better draw than if we’d beaten the US and finished top. Unfortunately, we blew it against Egypt.

Not entirely sure what happened, but I think they initially invested a fair chunk of cash (at least half a million) and somehow got dudded by the Roar. Then a couple of years ago they pulled out of nominating for the second tier national league, because they didn’t want the same thing to happen.

That’s the missing piece. A 10-15k stadium.

Yes.

I reckon we should go for Mark Jackson as Tech Director. Did an apprenticeship at Leeds academy under the great Bielsa and then was immediately able to get the best out of a young CCM in the Australian environment. Clearly understands how to apply football theory in practice.

Agree 100%. I enjoyed supporting Brisbane Roar from a football watching perspective. But as ‘a club’ it was non existent and still is. No soul. At this stage I’d prefer the Bakries just leave and we start again. This little tin pot effnik club could be a good place to start.

I recall Roar at their peak would get 15,000 to normal club games, the odd 17,000. But you want to have a stadium of a size that people have to buy memberships to be sure of getting a ticket. So, 10-12k is good. I’d then like to see a 10k stadium at Richlands (Lions). Perfectly located, right at...

You nailed it. It’s uncommon. It’d be like banning Indian restaurants because occasionally someone gets Delhi belly. If it’s uncommon, let the 99.9% of fans enjoy the rivalries, the colour, the chants, the joy and the anger of different international cultures mixing with skips to enjoy the...

Agreed. But you said “people don’t want that” which is not true. Football fans do want that.

I agree. That was the idea. I supported it until the suits went to war with the real fans. But after 20 years of football teams with no clubs, no juniors, no crowds, just perhaps it’s time to admit it’s not going the way we want and start again.

Hmm let’s compare ALeague crowds when there was strong active support vs now? I had kids 8 and 10 at the time and they and their friends loved the active support. Most parents are sensible enough to let their kids enjoy it from a reasonable distance. Today, there’s more atmosphere watching a...

Imagine knowing so little that you’d call Club Marconi and The Lion (Richlands) “little tinpot ethnic social clubs”. Meanwhile, 20 years on Brisbane Roar has no club at all. That’s the 21st century football club you dream of?

When it’s machete crime or domestic terrorism it’s all about not blaming the many for the acts of the few. But with football …. 🙄

I’m a skip who played for Marconi and Polonia as a youngster and dad used to take me to watch Marconi. Nothing better than Marconi vs Olympic in a small stadium. Never felt in danger in the crowd. Though a APIA supporter did once threaten to stab me while I was playing in an Iteye derby. Best...

Apparently multiculturalism is our strength … Imagine the excitement and fanfare over Greek Round, Italian Round, Croatian Round … and the mainstream media would fawn over football and say how wonderfully diverse it is. And the government would give us hundreds of millions to promote even more...

I suspect they don’t see the structure of football as the key to success. They probably just pick the most skilled kids at all representative levels and wait for them to get picked up by Euro clubs. The fact that we have more players in decent leagues than ever, despite the sh1tshow that is the...