How far must Brisbane Roar slide down the A-League ladder before coach Rado Vidosic acknowledges the power of motivation?
The Brisbane boss has long been lauded as one of the league’s finest tacticians, and his famed attention to detail played a huge part of the Roar’s unprecedented success of the previous two seasons.
But as they sit second from the bottom, cracks are beginning to show in the once all-conquering Queensland side, which suggests the team is desperately missing the motivation of Vidosic’s predecessor, Ange Postecoglou.
When the two-time championship-winning coach left the Roar for Melbourne Victory and was replaced by Vidosic in April, some Brisbane players seemed quite quick to downplay Postecoglou’s contribution as a mere motivational one.
Star midfielder Thomas Broich stirred up this sentiment again ahead of the two teams’ round two clash in October – a match in which the Roar destroyed the Victory 5-0.
“Rado is very analytical. You could call him the brain behind our success,” Broich said at the time.
Fiery striker Besart Berisha also spoke of Postecoglou’s skill as a motivator, but he acknowledged its true value.
“He taught me what a winning spirit means, and I think I was motivated at a maximum level and this is important,” he said in a Herald Sun interview just days after Postecoglou’s departure.
“The boys respected him more than 100 per cent and he respected the boys. I was having some problems but he protected me, and the way he protected me and all the players was very important for us.”
The passion with which the Albanian talks about his former mentor cannot be understated.
“Sometimes you cannot choose the people you love, but I love him,” Berisha said. “It was special and I never thought I could feel this for a coach after such a short time together.”
It was quite clear Postecoglou had all his players fired up to play for him, believing in themselves and believing in the game plan.
Tactics alone cannot account for the Roar’s simply incredible record of 36 games unbeaten. The streak had to also be fuelled by an insatiable lust for success.
Postecoglou’s mastery of the mental side of the game was also the reason Roar became known for their ability to come from behind in matches, often late in the game. This is because Postecoglou bred in the players a fighting spirit and determination, but most importantly, utmost belief in themselves.
But we are yet to see that from Vidosic, and this past round in particular showed the gulf he must make up in his motivational skills to return Brisbane back to its brilliant success.
While Postecoglou’s Victory showed immense discipline and determination in its stirring 2-0 win over Western Sydney with 10 men, Vidosic’s men never looked like mustering a late challenge, the likes of which they were renowned for, against Central Coast on Sunday.
Vidosic’s comments after the 2-1 loss in Gosford are important. “Players need to have a good look at themselves,” he said. “I can’t go out there. They have all got instructions about what they need to do and if I tell you to mark him that’s all that you need to do. You stay with him, you follow him… It’s simple as that.”
This insistence that the game is purely cerebral, played merely like a tactical chess battle, perhaps exposes Vidosic’s inexperience as a first-year head coach.
“We don’t drop back, we are not aggressive. We can defend when the ball is in front of us but the moment the ball goes behind us, or behind our first defensive line, people are walking.”
Rado, the players know what to do, but they’re not motivated to do it.
But it’s not as though Vidosic is blind to the lack of desire in his side. After their 4-1 round six loss to Melbourne Heart, he publicly lashed his charges for not having enough hunger.
“There was no heart in our play,” he said. “It was just the game that individuals didn’t want to play in, didn’t want to perform.”
Unfortunately, what Vidosic is blind to is the fact that it is his responsibility to inspire determination.
“This year it looks like it’s just not happening for whatever reason,” Vidosic said after the Heart defeat. “We are working exactly the same as we worked in the past. They are getting exactly the same information, the training sessions are exactly the same, everything is exactly the same apart from performances.”
Yes, they’re getting the same information, but they’re not getting the same motivation.
Cameron
Roar Guru
I am unfortunately starting to feel the same way and I hate to admit that.
Bob
Guest
Nice pickup Sleemo - apologies for the error.
Sleemo
Guest
The teams can't even have five players Bob - it's four including a spare goalkeeper, so that's three outfield players. Doesn't really give a coach with three subs up his sleeve many options.
Gate 21
Guest
Paartalu, Jurman & Nichols have been identified by every Roar fan as the ones with the worst attitude problems and what has he done about it? Nothing, the bench and one week out of the squad respectively. Donachie, Takahashi, Lambadaridis, Brattan, Dong and Meyer should be considered for starting spots. It is clear the current squad all need to know that the NYL team WILL BE CONSIDERED for starting spots. Man City is a perfect example of having the personnel available, but needing a personality manager to bring out the best in the collective. Hughes failed, Mancini is succeeding (so far). I heard from a club insider there have already been several training ground "disagreements" this season where egos have clashed when they were restrained in the last 2 seasons. But it isn't just motivation that is a problem, it is Rado's managerial performance. His use of substitutes is abysmal: Poorly timed and replacing hard working players instead of lazy/poorly performing ones. Just a couple of days ago v CCM, Nichols was brought on for Henrique at halftime, he meddled with the back 4 with Jurman, and then took Halloran off even though Broich had spent the entire 2nd half walking. It was no good having his rant after the loss. It was an identical performance as the 3 preceding losses v WSW, Adelaide Utd and Heart. Between those three games he made no voluntary changes to the starting eleven. In those 2 home losses, despite being a goal down and with the opposition putting the bus up on blocks, he couldn't even bring himself to change to 3 at the back and shuffle players upfield to disrupt to defense. He just left it to the same misfiring players hoping something would change. Rado might be a fine tactician and strategist. But as far as a first team coach/manager, he just isn't up to it, and - I have to say - never will be.
Dillan
Guest
I agree with most of the article, but I don't believe the players know exactly what to do. The style has changed from last year, and the players simply can't execute the new game plan. Motivation may be an issue, but Rado is having problems communicating his game plan to players. Ange P has now got MV in good shape at this stage of the season, and Rado should have done the same with the Roar in the same time. My guess is that Rado likes to tinker with his tactic's every game. The Matt Jurman substitute against CCM was an example of this, and backfired completely.
Bob
Guest
Everything is the same except Rado is in charge.......AND the team no longer has Adnan. Unfortunately Matt Jurman did not simply slot in to replace him - and the back four have looked shaky as a result. In addition to his tackling and height, Adnan had good vision and was a good long range passer - he would have been able to get the ball to Halloran quickly which would have helped the team's transition from defence to attack (this tactic worked so well in the Melbourne game and the roar looked deadly as a result - not so much since then). BTW Halloran was a really good signing but it was a shame the team missed out on Thwaite. Even more unfortunate is that the team has not posted results - this would have given Rado the option of blooding new players without the added pressure of NEEDING a result. The problem he now faces is that if he bloods new players and continues to lose he has no options left in the bag. On a side note it is a shame the teams can only have five on the bench - it would be great to see two (or preferably three) more options that Rado could call on during the game depending on the circumstance. Four bench players (one aside for a goalie) is very limiting and having a few teamates next to you vying for a gametime could really help instil the hunger to perform well.
Ballymore
Guest
RE: Nichols - James Meyer was injured at the start of the season and has now played back to back games in the NYL, scoring, for the youth team over the weekend. I wonder if RV will persist with Nichols if Meyer comes into 1st team consideration.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
You are right Jesse, it is all about motivation. You can do any job like it's a chore or you can do it like it's a passion and Bris are playing football like it's a chore. The players are arguing with each other, arguing with the ref, looking for excuses, not putting in and in some cases just look like they don't want to be there. Rado is painting himself into a corner because the players do know their jobs, the training is the same, as Rado says, "everything is exactly the same apart from performances." Well, not quite true Rado - everything is the same except the man in charge ... and that is you!
clayton
Guest
i am not into the blood and thunder, run around a lot really fast and crash into people really hard passion that some people enjoy. what i want to see is focus. guys mentally ready to go out and do their jobs, to create something greater than the sum of the parts. and right now that isn't brisbane roar. CCM? they were focused. knew exactly what they had to do, and were mentally ready to go out and do it. next week is a new week and rado and the boys still have time to fix it up. that is, if they are willing and able to work on it.
JohnL
Guest
That's the problem Kellet, the positions aren't on the line. Jurman, Nichols, Paartaluu haven't been playing well at all this season, and they are still in the game day squad. Add to that, that Rado has replaced a centre back (Jurman) with a right back (Franjic) over two other centre backs (Donachie - NYL player of the year, and Takahasi - visa sport player), I would take a guess that the motivation for the players outside of the game day squad would be dropping as well. It seems that he doesn't want to be the 'bad guy' and the players are taking full advantage of it. Unless something changes soon, then I can see a return of the "boys club" days under Farina.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Stop the rot, break up the love affair and start to drill these boys. what more motivation do you need when playing positions are on the line? The Roar as everyone will tell you, has the playing roster and ability but for some reason are lacking in the motivational department. The boys are back at home this weekend. What more motivation can you get than from your supporters?