Tommy Oar signs for Brisbane Roar

All good jb :)

Waz -I thought there had to be a thread of commonality.I too am a retired engineer and also have that mind the when I read someone's opinion and don't get the "full message" I feel compelled to pass comment and try to debate earnestly on a particular subject. (I also studied basic economics and you will have noted my ongoing debate with FIUL recrowd trends which I know may bore some peoplebut I find quite interesting when trying to forecast the future. I don't read your comments with any other interest other than it is good debatable material OK? jb

Chopper- Everyone is aware of the "financial constraints"suffered by Roar during the close season,but it is now some months since that time and we are led to believe that all debts had been cleared (I think they were given to Christmas) so how long are those "financial constraints" going to be used as an excuse for not teambuilding?. You mention my experience in "writng contracts" and for some reason or other bring Brisbane Lions into the discussion. I was signing players to play against Hollandia as far back as 1968 so I don't know what Brisbane Lions have to do with that experience, maybe just a small part of the experience!!!! You go on to start talking about salary caps and budgets causing problems when in fact one is totally reliant on the other so that in a managers job,he knows how much he can spend and because of that he knows who he can buy and who is "out of his reach". Get it???? There is nothing wrong with caps and budgets if they are used properly ,but that is another argument altogether You go on to explain your thoughts on the talents of an ex-player,a soon to be retiree,and a veteran player as being the men to help solve the "defensive frailties",-----Can I put it to you that the people you mention have been there all season and the frailty is still there. Can you better explain your thoughts to me?. Now your final statement I wholeheartedly agree with,.Roar have been "blessed " with a host of midfielders not one of whom could be described as a "ball winner" and in the modern game that position is a necessity,for when an opponent gets possession they must be "pressed" almost immediately if they are to be kept out of the "front third" they are trying to get to,.and it is in that job the "ball winner" becomes invaluable and I agree with you that is one of the most imporatant position to be filled and to be honest Tommy Oar is not remotely that type of player. Waz has an outlook for Brisbane Roar,no doubt but just lately he has been starting to question the decision making that is being foisted upon Roar fans ,so that his earlier thoughts my be changing somewhat.Waz and I will continue to discuss that,no doubt.That's what these columns are for.Hope to hear from you. Cheers jb

Chopper - I agree with where you're going, The past decision making on players signings has been poor not helped by having too many people involved in the decisions. Left back is then one of the hardest to develop/recruit for hence steffs extended run in the first team, although I actually think brown has the potential to be a really good left back but his confidence took a beating in the second half of last season and hasn't recovered nor do I see signs it will. Interesting that Roar announced plans for a new training base in Logan today along with a future academy. This wont fix today's problems but will at least continue the drive towards greater stability.

jb: please dont read my questions as being challenging of your opinions, rather the opposite. I suffer from an engineers inquisitive mind and it looks to me like something fundamental is wrong behind the scenes. I think you and I may be treading the same path. Thanks for the amplification :)

jb: .... "am I correct in saying your comments herewith are starting to show elements of doubt creeping into your thinking?" ..... nail on the head jb; doubt sums it up. I've looked at (what is at times a defence that has disintegrated) for explanations and it's not the people being used or the formation being played so naturally that raises questions on the only other variable - the coaching (and possibly the owners?).

Waz you are correct in your outlook of Brisbane Roar. Financial constraints stopped them from chasing Zullo, Nicholls, Paartalu, Wilkinson etc. The players themselves think they are worthy of big dollars and that is not to say Oar is coming cheap. My understanding is that he will take one of the marquee spots when that becomes available. In particular the left back spot has been spoken of all season with Steff too slow? and Brown out of form or too much of an attacking fullback that gets stranded upfield. Fans do not appreciate the conveyor belt of youth football that may well contrive to give us a left back well within the salary cap or that with a good man manager Brown may come good (after all he is still well regarded at international under 23 level) The other thing that jb fails to recognise when talking about his time writing contracts is the salary cap we have in place. Brisbane Lions FC certainly did not have on official salary cap to meet even if they worked within a budget. It is an unenviable job accommodating a full squad within the constraints of the cap and also your own clubs budget. We see today the remnants of some poor decision making in the past which locks some players in to the club long term but to the detriment of the squad (and sometimes the player)as a whole. On another more urgent point, that of defensive frailties, I would think we have plenty of good defenders with years of experience to collectively solve the problems. I am talking of Craig Moore, Luke Devere, Jade North, Shane Steffenuto all of whom have donned the Green and Gold at Senior level. I believe the lack of a tough tackling defensive midfielder is the biggest failing within the defensive unit. That is apart from the fact that defence starts from the point of attack.

Waz - I honestly don't know of your experience in managing professional or even semi- professionsl football teams ,but I do read your comments, which are lucid &,well thought out, indicating a certain degree of intelligence which I have no wish to denigrate, It is now over 50 years since "managers" of football clubs did not ask for,but demanded,sole selection of teams as part and parcel of the job. It is a fact of life now that sees managers discarded llike old shoes if a team should not achieve some sort of improvement during a season and this does not only happen at the "top", where they earn millions, but in my experience percolates right through to the bottom of our professional football structure where the practice goes on unabated. John Aloisi appears to be a nice guy whose coaching experience has already seen him fall into this dangerous area of employment.Now in his favour he has surrounded himself with his chosen staff,who he may or may not take into confidence when assessing team and player performance,but one thing is sure we have to accept that there are 3 men,Football Manager,Head Coach and Assitant to Head Coach that would be heavily involved in team tactical and player form decisions and directions and it is in the last 5 or 6 weeks that this sideof the game has come into focus Unfortunately,as I have said ,a Head Coach can demand certain conditions, but when things go "sour" and those conditions are not being achieved that man has nowhere to turn,he is in fact a "lone wolf" in what can be a very unforgiving environment. I think JA might be getting near that place now. jb

Waz - You have asked me a question which I will attempt to answer.Most players today who have ventured overseas are represented by an agent who ,for a percentage,act on, or for, the player in dealings with those potentially interested. Now I think you will agree that for the last 2 or 3 months you and I ,and others, true fans like yourself, have been discussing the "goings on' at Roar and you can bet those self same agents,with better contacts than you or I ,will be fully aware of those "goings on" and should be passing that information to their clients. Now you have often referred to Roar's diabolical pre-season problems,and you have praised JA for firstly, apparently ignoring that storm and then settling his inherent squad into some sort of order for the coming season. Now in that time you have been proven correct time after time,no argument, but now ,when we are 21 rounds into a 27 round season,am I correct in saying your comments herewith are starting to show elements of doubt creeping into your thinking? That is the "goings on" I am referring to,the dropping of Young,the apparent refusal to try and replace the retiring Steffanuto,the apparent refusal to try a player,so obviously one footed,on his preferred side.the almost continuation of fielding these same 13 players week after week usually in the same positions even after they have been on the end of some resounding defeats.I could go on but you know full well what I am referring to,and in my mind,right at this point in time,that does not make Roar a very attractive proposition,unless of course there is money talking ,but that brings me back to my original comment,if it is money, I would think the agent would be in Tommy's ear as to where the best prospects were in the HAL right now.Do you think Roar are one of those clubs??? Cheers jb

Waz I was writing contracts with players probably before you started taking an interest in the game so fully understand what being "under contract" means if taken to the letter of the law. However point taken. You go on to say we shouldn't believe all we read and then tell me of reported interest from Bilboa and Ajax. Where did you get that information????? My "last comment lacks definition" so I'll try to explain my "top clubs" statement.. Ask yourself if Victory,with by far the largest support base in the country for the last 3 or 4 years (over 20,000),Melbourne City with the indirect backing of the billionaire owners of Manchester City, and the present top of the league Asian champions WSW, are not entitled to be referred to as the "top" clubs in our league. I have too much respect for your intelligence to discuss this any further ,but I do think Tommy may be one for the future.Cheers jb

jb: again I have to say, when you say "...... but the overall manner in which today’s players are being “handled” is also now a greater worry." .... what do you mean? Do you know something or basing this on your experience? I say that latter point because I looked at the performance on Saturday and alarms bells went off, in no way were the effort levels those of a motivated team of players out to right the previous weeks wrongs - they looked like last seasons teams going through the motions and we now know what the cause of that was. So what are you thinking here? But on a point of detail, Steff was retiring last season and it was only when a self imposed transfer embargo came in (by the Bakries) that Steff was extended for one more year - so that's not indicative of the squad management at the time but of the financial constraints on the club. The correct question should be - is Zullo (or similar) being pursued now in time for next season? And of the remaining 9 players off contract who will stay and what quality will replace those that don't? Oar won't come cheap, no suggestion he's occupying a marquee wage at Roar but all the same, he'll be earning in the top third of salaries. That is some form of statement at the very least.

jb: you are being unusually cryptic with your comments in this thread. When you say "would Roar be an attractive target to any player at this point in time" .... what do you mean?

jb: you're confused on what "available" means, Ipswich would have been within their rights to enforce his contract so he may never have been available, expectations were he'd stay until the end of May. We all know better than what to read in the press right, so what was said was largely irrelevant as is his move to the UK which occurred at a time he thought Ajax and Bilbao were interested - it is a fact that within 4 weeks of his Ipswich contract being terminated he'd agreed terms with Roar, and a week later signed (so he hadn't been a free agent "for months" which is the part of your comment I found a bit harsh). Your last comment lacks definition "To a recognised “top” club like Victory, Sydney or WSW, rather than Roar" ... how are you defining a "top" club I wonder?

Lionheart - A strange comment.Who are the great signings made by Roar in recent times.? Tommy apart, we have seen ex players Rado,Nichols,Zullo,and Paartlu,all members of the Roar's "great "team,all return from overseas to play in the HAL with clubs fighting out for top positions today, WSW and Melbourne City (yes I know Paartlu has moved on). It has been known for some time now (a season) that Shane Steffanuto was retiring at the end of the year and one would have thought Zullo the ideal replacement, but was he "chased"? apparently not. Now I like your comment that young players are attracted to successful teams,that is very true, but first you must have a "top" team and even dyed in the wool fans like you would know that that description does not cover Roar at this point in time,despite their apparent high position in the league.The "top" teams in our league today are more and more being "populated" by 5 or so good imports,a couple of outstanding locals coming back from overseas, and as you say a couple of outstanding locals but usually sourced from some other HAL identity.(Paartlu's replacement at City). Lionheart,the signs are not good that the signing of Tommy is a new page being turned over,for those signs are not only pointing to the playing staff being replaced but the overall manner in which today's players are being "handled" is also now a greater worry. Cheers jb.

WAZ - I refere you to Lionheart's comment below, In December we were reading about Tommy's wish to return home even though ,as you say,he was still under contract to Ipswich,. Also he had become "available" to any club when he indicated he was leaving Holland, so instead of being "harsh" I was only expressing an opinion that it had been known for some time that he might be available. I refer back to your statement and pose the question, "If you were a player, with whom we must assume has an agent keeping tabs on things, where would you go if you were returning "home" (Tommy has bought a house on the Gold Coast)?,.To a recognised "top" club like Victory,Sydney or WSW,---- or to Roar????". I'll leave that one with you to ponder. Cheers jb.

Welcome home Tommy Oar. Reports out in December, and still on the Ipswich town club website, say that he was homesick and wanted to come home, and Roar is it. In nine appearances for Ipswich he scored one goal, and their manager would like to have kept him. He may take a while to settle back in, but he'll be an asset for us once again. Some great signings by Roar, it's time to show us all again why young players are attracted to us.

jb: that's a bit harsh, his contract ended 5 weeks ago in England and within 4 weeks he's agreed terms with a club on the opposite side of the world - no coincidence that the signing came less than a week after the Chinese transfer window closes I'm sure but all the same, that's reasonably quick given he wasn't moving from Ipswich until late December.

I'd be happy to see Polenz back too but that ship has sailed. Would like to see Clut getting a run too - but I think all this should have been looked at 6 or so weeks ago. If we lose again on Friday night, then is JA just going to continue with the same week in week out until the end of the season?

Especially when his agent is on record saying he wouldn't be playing in the A league.

Broich should play as a mid-fielder like when Frans Thijssen was the main coach. Theo (or Young) Polenz; Donachie; North; Devere Bowles; Mckay Brady; Broich; Oar Maclaren Or, (if Matt McKay is on maternity leave to welcome his first baby on this Friday). Read this:http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/a-league/brisbane-roar-skipper-matt-mckay-could-miss-wanderers-clash-to-be-at-birth-of-first-child/news-story/2025fb889f3d464465a0a637cde89f33 Theo (or Young) Polenz; Donachie; North; Devere Bowles; Clut (or Lustica) Brady; Broich; Oar Maclaren Still, the defense is more important. The team cannot keep losing big number of goals.