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Brisbane Roar facing backlash after NPL forfeits

25th June, 2015
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Cash-strapped A-League club Brisbane Roar faces a fierce backlash from the wider Queensland soccer community after forfeiting two games in the state’s National Premier League competition.

The Roar’s youth team, which plays in the second-tier league, has withdrawn from away games against Cairns-based Far North Queensland FC (July 11) and Townsville-based Northern Fury (July 18), citing increased training demands ahead of their glamour friendly against Liverpool on July 17.

However, it’s understood the real reason is that the Roar – currently crippled by a financial crisis and unable to pay players and staff – cannot meet costs for flights and accommodation.

Rival clubs are furious at the decision, which has been seen as hugely disrespectful to the NPL and damaging to the competition’s integrity, with both forfeits to be recorded as 3-0 defeats.

Football Queensland chief executive Geoff Foster said he was unhappy but accepts Brisbane’s justification.

“They certainly understand how seriously we treat the league and the level of disappointment we’re currently feeling,” Foster told AAP.

“We will share our disappointment with FFA.”

Football Federation Australia declined to comment, saying it was a matter between the club and Football Queensland, while Brisbane Roar had no further comment beyond their initial press release issued on Wednesday night.

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It comes after the state of Brisbane’s perilous finances were laid bare on Tuesday by a leaked e-mail to staff, which claimed owners The Bakrie Group had promised to refinance the club with a $3.5 million cash injection.

However, the money is yet to arrive, leading to the non-payment of wages which were due on June 15.

Both FFA and the A-League players’ union described the situation as “unacceptable”.

It may not get better in a hurry – the club has significant debts owing to a string of creditors, their sponsorship with The Coffee Club is set to expire on Tuesday and sacked coach Mike Mulvey is poised to take legal action with the Roar yet to pay out the rest of his three-year contract.

Meanwhile, the Roar are scrambling to find a suitable training venue for when players return for pre-season duty next week.

The club’s contract with the Queensland Rugby Union to train at Ballymore has expired and Brisbane’s new home base, Perry Park, is not in a good enough condition to deal with any further traffic.

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