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Twelve months ago Brisbane Roar were crowned champions of the A-League – now they have no coach and no chief executive.
Chairman Chris Fong has taken over the day-to-day operations of the club following the shock departure of managing director Sean Dobson late on Tuesday, amid rumours of financial instability at the Bakrie Group-owned Roar.
Dobson tendered his resignation on Thursday, effective immediately, less than a week after the equally surprising announcement that director of football Ken Stead would leave Brisbane next month.
Outside of Fong, Dobson and Stead – the self-proclaimed ‘guardian’ of Brisbane’s famed football philosophy – were the two most powerful figures at the club and the manner of their sudden exits suggest all is not well at the deposed A-League titleholders.
It comes following a report which claimed the Roar are set to make heavy cuts to next season’s budget on the back of a predicted $2.25 million loss for the 2013-14 financial year.
AAP has been told Stead, who was out of contract at the end of the season, was offered the role of fitness coach on a quarter of his wage.
Stead had been entrenched in his all-encompassing role for the first part of this year, having previously played a huge role in the axing of former coach Mike Mulvey – but according to Fong, Stead’s exit was voluntary and came after he decided he wanted to “put his feet up for a while”.
Stead was on the hunt for a new coach following the strange reign of Frans Thijssen, who the club initially claimed would become technical director – the Dutchman later said no such discussions ever occurred.
Fong will now steer that process, which is expected to result in the imminent unveiling of Spaniard Ramon Tribulietx, the five-time Oceania Champions League-winning coach from Auckland City.
Fong revealed to AAP on Monday the Roar’s football department would be restructured and the roles of football director and technical director would be abolished, strenuously denying that cuts were on the way.
“I certainly have not gone out to any investors and shown any numbers, let alone those numbers,” he said.
“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 is now also on the lookout for a new managing director to replace Dobson, while a temporary appointment may be made next week.
Dobson started at the Roar as chief financial officer in 2011 but was soon elevated to the head office job, which he held for the past three years.
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