Coach John Aloisi says the A-League’s salary cap is to blame for the loss of Brisbane legend Thomas Broich next season, calling for it to be changed or scrapped to make it easier for clubs to retain long-serving players.
The 36-year-old will leave the Roar after seven campaigns, three titles and two Johnny Warren medals, having not been offered a new contract for next season.
Broich made the definitive call on his future after talking with Aloisi, who said he would not know what he could offer the former German international until salary-cap calculations were done at the end of the season.
Broich had been unsure if he wanted to play on until two weeks ago, when he first informed the club of his intent.
There is scope for A-League teams to pay up to $200,000 outside the salary cap, as part of a ‘loyalty player allowance’, but it operates on a sliding scale and it’s understood the Roar have used up almost all of it on other players.
Aloisi said it would have been easy for Brisbane to keep Broich, and better for the competition, if that allowance was increased, echoing recent calls from Ange Postecoglou for the cap to be removed.
“The salary cap is that complicated for us to explain to all the supporters; people don’t understand – they just go ‘why can’t you keep Thomas Broich?’,” he told AAP.
“It’s not as simple as that. I would have loved to.
“It’s like Roma with Francesco Totti – you want your legends to be able to stay at their club for the rest of their lives.
“We’ve been put in a position where we can’t keep him, virtually. I don’t really agree with it, because this is what can happen.”
Broich is believed to be eyeing off a move to Asia, and his move to apply for Australian citizenship could make that easier.
It is hard to imagine him wanting to play for another A-League side, given the depth of his love for the Roar, the club where he rekindled his passion for football in their golden era.
Aloisi said the door was open for Broich to return to the club in a coaching capacity at any time in the future.
He also said the best way for upset supporters to channel their emotion – instead of being angry at the club – was to pack the stands in what could be one of Broich’s final matches at Suncorp Stadium, Friday night’s elimination final against Western Sydney.
“I’m hoping it’s not. I’m hoping we play a grand final – but I hope there’s a big crowd to see him play because what he’s achieved at this football club and the A-League has been phenomenal,” Aloisi said.
TheVolley
Guest
Bingo. I have no idea how 'salary cap' is an issue with Roar. We've let go more players than we recruited in recent times. Hello!?!?!?
Lionheart
Guest
they're the marquees for next season so it doesn't impact the salary cap or Thomas Broich, but no, not sure what their agreed wages are.
Alicesprings
Guest
Point taken about Wellington but both Newcastle and CCM have had their day in the sun - although not for a few years. The equalisation of the comp is imperative. If you think the comps uneven now I shudder to think what it would be like if restrictions were removed. No doubt it would benefit some clubs but it would be to the detriment of the clubs you say already struggle. We can dream all we want about having the best players but overreaching would send the comp broke much like the train wreck that is the ARU. Happy to be proven wrong but i reckon abolishing the salary cap is just fantasy stuff.
TK
Guest
I think they pver committed to oar and holman. Anyone know what the spend is there?
Chopper
Guest
Spot on RBBAnnoymous the A League is stuttering from an equalization program which is counterproductive. It is also suffering from FFA incompetence where they are a bit like the divorced missus and want 50% of the income for staying at home and doing nothing.
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Why would removal of the salary cap be irresponsible. Are you saying that owners and clubs chairman wouldn't be aware of how to spend their own money? How would teams dominate year in year out. Don't we have that now. Aren't we seeing Wellington, CCM and Newcastle languishing at the bottom of the table every year. At least if you abolish the salary cap you can allow for the A-league clubs some flexibility in how they spend their money and how they are better able to retain players. At least those clubs can drive the A-league forwards with their spend. I want to see clubs rewarded for investment and buying good players. It doesn't hurt any league where this happens. In fact it makes things more attractive for the fans and TV executives. I don't want to see a league where every team gets a turn to win the league. I don't think you understand the impact the salary cap is having on the A-league.
Alicesprings
Guest
The removal or modification of the salary cap would be absolutely irresponsible (not to mention the marque rule already compromises the integrity of the competition). Even top-up payments - it's a slippery slop towards having a couple teams dominate year in year out. I wonder if those advocating this really understand what they are saying and the impact it would have on the competition.
Chopper
Guest
Aloisi sidelined the Broich issue on Facebook and over 90% of replies were for Brisbane to offer Broich a contract. A couple were for Moore to go which might have some resonance.
Lionheart
Guest
Listening to Aloisi's press conference, basically he said 'It's the salary cap. It's complicated. I don't want to talk about it.' Pathetic John.
Cool and Cold
Guest
Thank reminding. I will be in that ACL match.
Lionheart
Guest
well I enjoyed reading it twice JB, well said. I doubted your word before, over the months that Roar management was sour. Now it is writ large and clear for all to see. Of all Roar's players, management should have been all over Broich's future, and they should have been in frequent talks with him so that he knew where he stood. That he had to break ranks so to speak, and speak up is a sad indictment on Roar's man management. That Roar allowed this to soar out of control in the past 36 hours while they buried their heads in silence showed a complete lack of awareness of fans interest and again highlights their appalling management. Can't say I know where the problem lies but the MD must take ultimate blame, with the football manager next in line. This is the guy coming back off a ban for abusing an official right, a prize example of where Roar should not be. If they want a successful football club in Brisbane, off the field I mean, they have to raise their personnel and club management standards much, much higher.
Fadida
Guest
While I think Roar are mad to let Broich go, he is twice the player Oar is, is it possible that Broich's late turn around on his retirement was a factor? Did it throw our Roar's calculations? Aloisi is correct BTW, the cap fails if it stops the likes of Broich being retained. It is supposed to benefit the competition.
Chopper
Guest
There is something we seem to be missing from all this turmoil and that is the huge increase in TV revenue that is about to be dispersed between the clubs and the FFA which will mean the salary cap will be raised for the 17 - 18 season? The FFA were not releasing the final figures because they were waiting on the free to air component. Then there was a dispute with the clubs and FIFA re governance issues so perhaps this has been put on the backburner. Irrespective of everything else that has been going on the FFA should have been lobbied to assist in fixing this cock up as they did for Victory with the Archie rule and they did for Melbourne City with the special marquee (Cahill) rule. Or perhaps Brisbane Roar are doing something stupidly wrong and paying a lot of the players too much because if one looks at Victory and SFC for example they can still fit all of their illustrious players within the cap. Or perhaps Brisbane are not as stupid as I thought and they have other major signings that they wish to make and Broich is just collateral damage.
Realist
Guest
There is one more home game for Roar in the ACL, but being mid-week, we all know the crowd levels for those matches. Perfectly understandable for Broich to make this announcement so not only can the fans say farewell to him, but he can say farewell to them. It's s sign of disrespect that the club believed that making an announcement of Broich's departure after the season concluded would've been best. And then the club wonders what can be done to increase the fan base.
TK
Guest
No john the salary cap isn't hard to understand for fans. Managing commiitments within a budget is something we all do on a regular basis. I hear Club ceo is on abc this morning in response to this matter.
Cool and Cold
Guest
AAP: "Brisbane Roar Craig Moore has expressed his disappointment with the timing of Thomas Broich's announcement that he will be leaving the club, suggesting it was something that could have waited until the end of the A-League season". He, Broich, has to announce because the Friday night match against WSW may be his last time playing in front of his fans and supporters in Suncorp. It is about the possible last match in Suncorp. Unless otherwise Roars have a home grand finale in Suncorp on 7 May 2017, the coming Friday match can be his last time playing in front his fans. So no one can blame him about the announcement. It is so understandable.
j binnie
Guest
Sorry - technical problem meant "double entry" jb
j binnie
Guest
The only conclusion that can be taken out of this report (and others) is that Thomas,despite his age,and the much discussed "bad ankle", is already a sure-fire selection for Friday night's finals game against WSW. To anyone watching this can only be taken as meaning one thing,Thomas is still regarded by the manager and his staff, as one of the best players in his 20 odd man squad. That being so ,all this rubbish talk about why they can't offer him a deal is just that ,a furphy, and the club management has come out of this with a massive amount of "egg" on their proverbial faces. If Broich is regarded as one of the clubs top players at this point in time he should have been offered something,acceptable or not, by now, and not have to have "asked the manager" what was happening about his future. The questions around the Roar club management continue to be prevalent, not only in this case ,but almost since the day the club was launched back in 2005. Despite almost continuing success on the field over those years they have one of the highest "coach usage" rankings in the HAL. That in itself tells a story that this case has just expanded upon. jb.
j binnie
Guest
The only conclusion that can be taken out of this report (and others) is that Thomas,despite his age,and the much discussed "bad ankle", is already a sure-fire selection for Friday night's finals game against WSW. To anyone watching this can only be taken as meaning one thing,Thomas is still regarded by the manager and his staff, as one of the best players in his 20 odd man squad. That being so ,all this furphy talk about why they can't offer him a deal is just that ,a furphy,and the club management has come out of this with a massive amount of "egg" on their proverbial faces. If Broich is regarded as one of the clubs top players at this point in time he should have been offered something by now, and not have to have "asked the manager" what was happening about his future. The questions around the Roar club management continue to be prevalent, not only in this case ,but almost since the day the club was launched back in 2005. Despite almost continuing success on the field over those years they have one of the highest "coach usage" rankings in the HAL. That in itself tells a story that this case has just expanded upon. jb.