Ever since the Bakrie Group acquired the Brisbane Roar in October 2011, fans have been asking crucial questions. Who are our owners? What are their intentions? What vision do they have to make this club great?
The Bakrie Group’s financial moves have been well documented since, yet they have continued to cough up the money required to keep the club alive.
And the club has remained the most successful of in the A-League.
Since October 2011, Brisbane Roar have won the premiership, finished runners-up in the race to the premiership once, made the finals every season, and won the grand final twice.
No other club has managed such consistency and success – but more questions remain than answers.
Heading into season 2015-16, the club had threats of being wound up and sent into liquidation, lost fan-favourite Luke Brattan due to unpaid superannuation, while there were more unpaid players and staff, and longstanding club sponsor the Coffee Club withdrew.
Just weeks prior to the season’s start, FFA CEO David Gallop held frank discussions with the Bakrie Group, making it abundantly clear what was required. The group were to clear debts, restore faith in the supporters, and create a longstanding vision for the club to grow and prosper.
The group said they could turn the club around, appointing interim chief executive David Pourre to become the Roar’s permanent CEO.
With outstanding debts paid, a CEO anointed and the club back on track, Brisbane rallied and came within a whisker of fourth grand final appearance in six years.
Though as the season drew its last breath, Pourre was out the door and the club’s direction once again came under question.
Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill penned an article briefly skimming the troubles that lay ahead for the besieged club, though he did not delve too much into the underlying issues.
Now, according to the Courier Mail, Football Federation Australia have handed the Bakrie Group a one-day ultimatum to document their vision for the club or risk breaching their A-League licence.
It would appear it is groundhog day for Brisbane Roar fans, players and coaching staff. There is a distinct possibility the club could once again end up in the hands of FFA.
In On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Stephen King wrote: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.”
Brisbane fans, coaches and players continue to be taken for a ride, and FFA continue to allow them. The Bakrie Group are making fools of us all, and enough is enough.
With FFA looking to assure the financial viability of the competition and its clubs with a new broadcast deal to commence in 2017-18, it needs to ensure fans do not grow discontent with the running of the club.
It was not that long ago Brisbane Roar eclipsed a club record of 10,000 memberships after winning the premiership/championship double. Now the club struggled to scrape past 5000 for the past season.
It is truly astounding, especially when you have the community willing to back the club long-term.
Recently the club relocated to Logan City, their first permanent home in the club’s 11-year history – further proof there is support for this club.
Though from the Bakrie Group’s perspective, what support is there for Brisbane Roar and its fans?
Even if the Bakrie Group can, for the first time since their taking over of the club, clearly articulate and outline a vision, fans such as myself will remain suspect.
Until that clear vision becomes reality, I will not be taken for a fool any longer, and my hard-earned money will remain firmly in my pockets.
There will be those who cry out the need to support through both good times and bad, and I hear you. But actions speak louder than words and if other Roar fans continue to be treated this way, the club will go nowhere.
At present, I see no vision for this club under the ownership of the Bakrie Group.
Realist
Guest
I believe they are back to the practice of not paying staff on time again.
marcel
Guest
You've missed my point completely Cameron....what I was attempting to say was that in the information age we allow ourselves to obsess over matters that ultimately have no causal impact on our lives. You have a successful football team, you were one result away from the Premiership....declaring that you will no longer support them because you are unhappy with what happens in the back room.....Is like a child rejecting a xmas present because they don't like the paper its wrapped in. Too many whining supporters like you forget that the purpose of the exercise is "football"....not whether the club comes to your house on your birthday and gives you a hug....get out and support your team and stop behaving like a spoilt brat.
pauly
Guest
The Queensland Government are bloody useless, only interested in far-flung bids for the NRL GF. No word on whether Brisbane gets a Socceroos WCQ either, meanwhile SA and Vic are lobbying furiously for the Japan game.
j binnie
Guest
Towser - This is one of your best efforts ever,The steam roller going backwards up a hill and Newton's theory are priceless. Just a word of warning however,I would leave Qld Lions out of the list of former owners,that is another story altogether ,one that should be left to dissipate in time for it is not a pleasant tale. Can Roar exist???? That is the question, for the franchise has always been seriously underfunded and there is little doubt some very serious fiscal management discussions have to take place soon or it will be too late for even the raffle ticket sellers to save the club. It is all very well for the FFA to pontificate as to where games should be played and at what costs but the blunt truth is evident everywhere,with average crowds in recent years sitting around the 10-12000 mark the need to use 50,000 seater stadiums is simply an ego trip and it is time State Governments should be subsidising those interested in using "THEIR" stadia which otherwise would be lying vacant for most of a year,shades of QE11 all over again.Keep up the good work. Cheers jb
j binnie
Guest
Peter - One could write a novel about the real cause of the never ending trail of troubles that appear to haunt Roar OFF the field. This goes right back to the time they first entered the HAL ,hopelessly underfunded and with people at the "helm" whose deep knowledge of the game was gained from books or magazines they had read. Those 2 factors alone were suffice to send the franchise into free-fall when it came to the successful management of a football club and over the years nothing much has happened to improve that situation. It has been evident for 11 years now that Roar were never going to fill Suncorp with their 12-15000 loyal fans,and yet there appears to have been very little discussion as to how that crippling cost could somehow be reduced. Then we have the decision making on coach hire with the franchise having had 7 different coaches in 11 seasons ,hardly an encouragement towards some sort of longevity in season to season performance and yet despite that failing the team has performed well on the field which says a lot for the players who have remained loyal to the cause. So where to now is the question on everyone's lips?.Over the last few seasons the departure of key figures in management and sponsorship has been noticeable, with the hoped for replacements from overseas nowhere to be seen. Now to play devil's advocate,what is going to happen if the Bakries say "no more".When the FFA take over,as they would have to are we going to see Roar reduced to another "also ran" like Jets and CCM for lets be honest the running of a successful professional football club is not a widespread talent available in our "halls of power" either,in fact some of their management decisions in 11 years make up enough discussion for another novel. Some radical thinking is needed in the way our professional league is set up.It is all very well to say there are 2 or 3 clubs holding their own but what is needed is for the 10 franchises to "hold their own" and some room made for another 2 or 4 identities to come to the fore. Until plans for this to happen are unveiled the situation surrounding Roar today will be repeated over and over ad infinitum. Pity. jb
Cameron
Roar Guru
Well PA, with what appears will be a seven day extension for their vision to be explained, I think to may be onto something.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Marcel, As a mate says ” you don’t need to know what’s going on under the hood to drive a car” No, but you know when there is something wrong with it. I don't think what your mate says is the best advice to follow. If it weren't for the interwebby... What kind of a retort is that? We've had the interweb for many years and it's a part of life. Had the interweb before Brisbane Roar too. But what a ridiculous statement. It's called if it didn't exist then we'd rely on the reporting of our local papers or the Courier Mail etc and a thing called books. If the club were to state they achieved a record 10k + memberships then next season barely scrape above 5k then that would raise concerns and issues where I would expect any concerned supporter to question why. If there were no interweb we would still get answers. All the interweb has done is make things much much easier. This issue has nothing to do with the way in which the team play but what it is as a supporter I expect. TBG are in essence running a business and in doing so are doing it terribly. Why would I put my hard earned money into the business when it puts nothing into the organization? It does nothing for its stakeholders being the fans. No transparency and no vision. I'll watch from home and put my dollars into hopefully assisting in a larger tv deal but not an ownership group that does nothing for my club and would do nothing with my money but use for already existing debts.
Cameron
Roar Guru
AR, I would say they've just taken their sweet a... time in addressing the issue.
Waz
Guest
Its wasn't 24 hours, it was at least two weeks. The 24 hour public deadline came after the Backries missed their first deadline.
Midfielder
Guest
Given the alternative wait 7 days or take over the club... and in law asking for a week on a 24 hour demand is quite reasonable. You get the feeling FFA have quite a few issues one of which is the next media deal and they want a plan out of their third biggest market. The suggestion by some is TBG want to wait for the next media deal and then sell. I think they will get there 7 days.
Peter Cotton
Guest
jb, there appears to be not only a shortage or absence of "people in positions of importance who have no real knowledge of the football culture in our city", but also a shortage or absence of people with any reasonable degree of business nous, not to mention their deplorable lack of communication via media skills. The skills required for FFA as master franchisor to effectively market its franchises are sadly lacking. There again, it is not easy to market franchises which, with perhaps the exception of MVFC and SFC, are guaranteed to lose the investor several million dollars per year. The only way such an operation can survive is to provide generous subsidies. Is this happening? Where is the detail?
Waz
Guest
welcome back jb, until last night about this time there was nothing publicly to discuss officially just the usual silence and the odd old rumour. Then bang, we get a 7-day notice from the FFA followed within the hour by a shortened time line of 5PM today. It's clear the Backries disconnect continues and despite the drawbacks of such a move, I'm hoping for FFA control. The farce that is the current situation must be brought to a swift end before more damage is done.
j binnie
Guest
Waz -As i have just returned to OZ from overseas I have missed out on he "goings on" but I do remember a couple of weeks ago of warning you that an article written by Simon Hill may have a bit of substance behind it. On consulting my contacts in the game it is now more evident that the "signs" Simon noted are actually worse than first envisaged and it would appear this latest "demand" by the FFA, has resulted because a supposed recently returned director who was going to report the top managements plans, has already departed the country without the requested "report" being delivered. All in all the news is not good and it is to be hoped that out of the behind the scenes shambles some sensible action can occur that will see Roar take the field next season.We all hope for that but the news leaking out does not bode well for the future What it does highlight is the continuing hiring of people into positions of importance who have no real knowledge of the football culture in our city and how it can be targeted upon.We can but hope . Cheers jb
AR
Guest
"Considering" an extension...2 hours after the deadline has lapsed..??
Waz
Guest
..... and the FFA are "considering it". Bored yet? http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/ffa-statement-on-brisbane-roar/60ssq8ty11noz3quk3g0tfwf#sthash.mKWkQIqg.dpuf
Waz
Guest
This is the outcome any seasoned roar fan would have expected. Another week without progress. And you know what, the FFA will get what they deserve next season if they allow this farce to continue.
Cameron
Roar Guru
Vince Rugari has posted the following in twitter: BREAKING: The Bakrie Group has asked FFA for a seven-day extension to provide their plan for Brisbane Roar's future #aleague #aapsport Groundhog day for sure. Even if they no longer want the club, if they can articulate this to the fans and state they're looking for other investors then at least we know where we stand.
marcel
Guest
"I will not be taken for a fool any longer, and my hard-earned money will remain firmly in my pockets." Cameron...If not for the interwebby you would know nothing of the back room issues at the Roar....Is there anything about the way the team played that was visibly the result of these issues? I get your frustration...but is it really that important?....Would you prefer a well financed club with a crap team like SFC? As a mate says " you don't need to know what's going on under the hood to drive a car"
AR
Guest
Absolutely. But a public 24 hour deadline doesn't give much wriggle room does it? Sadly deja vu for Roar fans.
Realfootball
Guest
Obviously been a lot going on behind the scenes, AR. Who knows what other deadlines have not been met. That FFA have gone public suggests that this has been in train for some time.