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An agreement has been reached and now all Matt McKay needs to complete his move to Scottish giants Rangers is a work permit. He should get one on appeal, so the question for Brisbane Roar is how they can replace not only McKay, but also Kosta Barbarouses and Jean Carlos Solorzano.
McKay’s move to Glasgow has been held up by the fact he hasn’t featured in 75 percent of Australia’s international fixtures over the past two years, but the inspirational Roar skipper is likely to secure a UK work permit nonetheless.
The diminutive midfielder’s rise from workaholic club stalwart to Socceroos regular is testament to the growing strength of the A-League, and there’s little doubt McKay is one of the most influential players to have plied his trade on Australian soil over the past six seasons.
He’s been ushered to Glasgow partly due to the influence of former Roar players Charlie Miller and Craig Moore, who both talked up the pedigree of the Scottish giants to a player who has spent his entire career in Australia, aside from a couple of loan deals in South Korea and China.
Miller’s description of McKay to Scottish newspaper The Daily Record was telling, with the former Scotland international concentrating on McKay’s willingness to “play his heart out.”
“He will tackle and get on the ball and play, as he’s the type who just loves to get involved,” Miller said.
Miller was as renowned in the A-League for his ability to play through balls as he was for his inability to do anything else, but the former Roar playmaker only made a brief mention of McKay’s expansive passing range.
However, last season in particular saw McKay add a new dimension to his game with his insightful vision and incisive passing, and it’s one of the traits Roar coach Ange Postecoglou will miss most.
Postecoglou still has German playmaker Thomas Broich to soften the blow, but there’s no doubt McKay’s imminent departure will have a serious impact on the champions.
Less obvious is the impact the exit of Jean Carlos Solorzano and Kosta Barbarouses will have.
Costa Rican striker Solorzano joined Melbourne Victory months ago after an injury-riddled first season in the A-League.
The enigmatic front man took time to settle in, but once he did he looked capable of troubling plenty of defences, and I wonder if the Roar will rue his departure after Victory secured his services from Alajuelense on loan.
Barbarouses was another who drifted in and out of Postecoglou’s starting eleven, but like Solorzano, the New Zealand international seemed ready to take his football to another level.
The Kiwi striker recently scored the winner on debut for new Russian club Alania Vladikavkaz and his pace and penetration may be sorely missed once the new campaign rolls around.
That said, Postecoglou has already proved an astute judge of talent and the arrival of young defender Jack Hingert from the defunct North Queensland, as well as former Sydney FC youngster Kofi Danning should help replenish Brisbane’s stocks.
Hingert is a useful acquisition, not least because the versatile Milan Susak has long since departed, but it’s Danning who many expect to fire after a wretched time at Sydney FC last season.
The Australian youth international has stagnated since suffering a serious knee injury in December 2009, and the 20-year-old will hope to resurrect his career under the popular Postecoglou.
Plenty of pundits predicted Brisbane to fail under Postecoglou’s stewardship last season, but there’s unlikely to be too many making such bold declarations this time around.
Nevertheless, much could hinge on how Postecoglou replaces his talismanic former skipper and another two exciting attacking talents.
And while the likes of Broich, Danning and James Meyer offer Postecoglou plenty of firepower, whether they’re enough to fire Brisbane Roar to another A-League title is surely a topic worth consideration.