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Brisbane Roar chairman Chris Fong has denied reports the deposed A-League champions are set to make huge cuts in the face of a $2.25 million loss this season.
According to News Limited, the Roar will reduce spending by $2.28 million next season in an effort to dramatically reduce their annual loss next year by $1.8 million.
The report is based on a document that purportedly contains comparative figures Fong sent out to potential investors, as owners The Bakrie Group seek to share the burden of running the club with another partner, preferably Queensland-based.
Fong, however, flatly dismissed claims that the Roar was slashing costs and said the club was on course for a loss of approximately half of what was reported.
“I certainly have not gone out to any investors and shown any numbers, let alone those numbers,” Fong told AAP.
“We are certainly not slashing costs to the detriment of the club.
“If we are reducing overheads, we are doing things in a smarter way or different way.
“That has always been the view, striving towards sustainability and a club that can stand on its own, and that’s a healthy business.”
Fong said he was not sure where the document had come from, but a Roar spokesman earlier said the figures were previous financial models that had been long dismissed by the club.
Fong did concede the club has endured a tough season off the field and is set for a bigger-than-expected loss due to a fall in attendances – which Fong blamed on bad weather and unfavourable scheduling due to the Asian Cup, bringing football into direct competition with rugby league and rugby union – and “accounting methods” related to a debt the club owes to FFA.
Meanwhile, Fong has taken over the process of selecting Brisbane’s new coach following the resignation of football director Ken Stead, the self-described “guardian” of the Roar’s philosophy.
Fong revealed Brisbane’s football department would be restructured next season with the new head coach to have complete autonomy over the football department, abolishing the roles of football director and technical director.
“It is not a sustainable model in the Australian marketplace and we’ve realised that,” he said.
Fong said Stead, who will depart the club next month, was not pushed but had decided not to renew his contract to instead take time to “put his feet up for a while.”
Fong also conceded a “miscommunication” that was not corrected led to the widespread understanding that interim Frans Thijssen would become Brisbane’s technical director next season.
Thijssen is expected to depart the club having not applied for the head coaching role, which is likely to go to Spaniard Ramon Tribulietx.
Fong confirmed he is in talks with all-conquering Auckland City coach Tribulietx, who is currently in Brisbane, but said a decision has not yet been made.
“He’s a very interesting coach who had a very interesting experience at the (Club) World Cup,” Fong said.
“We intend to sign a coach who is going to be with the Roar for a long time – we’re not messing around with this.”
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