Recruiting:
Ins: Henrique Andrade Silva (Formiga, Brazil - 1 year), Bob Malcolm (Motherwell, Scotland), Matt Mundy (Brisbane Roar Youth - 2 years), Adam Sarota (Brisbane Roar Youth - 3 years)
Outs: Chris Grossman (North Queensland Fury), Tahj Minniecon (Gold Coast United), Hyuk-Su Seo (released), Ben Griffin (released)
Re-signed: Craig Moore (1 year), Danny Tiatto (1 year), Matt McKay (2 years), Massimo Murdocca (2 years), Mitch Nichols (2 years), Andrew Packer (2 Years), Michael Zullo (2 years).
Analysis:
The Roar is a worse team on paper without Tahj Minniecon. Minniecon's pace was a trademark of the Roar's attacking style of football in the 2008/09 A-League season. The club will obviously be hoping that pintsized Brazilian livewire Henrique Andrade Silva can fill the void left by Minniecon. Nicknamed Buliquinha - which is Portuguese for 'slippery fish' - it is likely that 165cm Henrique will soon become a fan favourite at Suncorp Stadium. Henrique's blistering pace was clear for all to see when he was signed on a loan deal for the finals last season, but it remains to be seen whether he has the same set of slick skills as Young Socceroo Minniecon. Scottish defender Bob Malcolm will no doubt add depth to Brisbane's squad, but the Roar's troubles were rarely down back last season. With Frank Farina re-jigging his midfield due to Massimo Murdocca's broken leg, Malcolm may well have to fill a void in the middle.
Pre-Season:
Unspectacular at best. Injuries to key personnel and representative duty have often combined to limit Farina's options in the pre-season and it has shown. Brisbane hosted Celtic in a successful match that drew 31,340 fans to Suncorp Stadium, but were downed 3-0 by the Scottish powerhouse. A loss to a side of Celtic's stature is understandable, but defeats against Brisbane Premier League side Peninsula Power and a Japanese University Select side would be more concerning for the club. The Roar have fared similarly poorly against A-League opposition and suffered losses to Newcastle and North Queensland in their past two starts.
Improvements:
Brisbane's improvement could well come from its forgotten players. Brazilian striker Reinaldo had a season to forget last start when he was struck down with a chronic bout of osteitis pubis. After overcoming the debilitating injury he then damaged his ankle early in the current pre-season, but has since recovered. Reinaldo completed training for the first time last week and is slowly approaching full fitness. If the 25-year-old can return to his best he will offer Farina another option up front along with Dutch striker Sergio van Dijk.
Robbie Kruse was another Roar player to have a 2008/09 to forget when off-field indiscretions saw him fall out of favour with Farina. Murdocca's injury has opened the door for Kruse to prove the doubters wrong and revisit the dazzling heights he reached in 2007.
Aside from that, the Roar's strength obviously comes from its famed veterans - headlined by captain and Socceroo Craig Moore, former Socceroo Danny Tiatto and the A-League's Foreign Player of the Year in 2008/09 Charlie Miller.
Concerns:
Representative duty with the Young Socceroos. Farina has battled to get a quality side on the park during the pre-season due to injury and the Young Socceroos' tour to Argentina. The Roar coach is optimistic his squad will be injury free, bar Murdocca, in time for the season opener against Gold Coast United on August 8, but the wild card remains representative duty.
The FIFA World Youth Cup in Egypt could well see a host of Roar regulars unavailable for several weeks in September and October. Luke DeVere, Mitch Nichols, Isaka Cernak, Tommy Oar and Luke Brattan (if he is able to overcome FIFA's ruling that he is ineligible) are all expected to make the cut. Combined with a few niggling injuries, the Roar - who are traditionally slow starters - could well be behind the eight ball early on in the season.
On the field, the microscope will again be on the Roar's mental demons and their ability to finish clinically in big games after they wasted countless opportunities in last season's Preliminary Final against Adelaide. It was the second year in a row that the men in orange stumbled at the final hurdle before an elusive Grand Final.
Key player:
Charlie Miller - Miller's thick Scottish accent, large frame and exploits on the pitch saw him quickly become a cult figure in Brisbane when he came to the club for the 2008/09 season. An attacking midfielder who has a knack for scoring miraculous goals, Miller was in fine form as the linkup man in the Roar's engine room before a double hernia derailed his campaign. He finished the year and picked up the gong for the A-League's Foreign Player of the Year, but due to fitness constraints was largely restricted to cameo roles late in the part.
A groin injury has limited Miller's preparation for the 2009/10 campaign, but he has been slowly building match fitness. At age 33 Miller is getting no younger, but his experience in a midfield that will be minus Murdocca (broken leg) and Young Socceroos Mitch Nichols and Isaka Cernak for much of the season will be key.
Up or down?
Most of the Roar's changes in-between seasons have been off the field. The addition of Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury forced them to swap the 'Queensland' moniker for 'Brisbane', with a subtle change in their playing kit to boot. A shift in ownership also saw Chris Bombolas takeover as CEO from Lawrence Oudendyk. The latter will be unlikely to have much of an impact, but the pressure cooker environment of the Queensland derbies could well steel the Roar for the finals.
Considering Brisbane was just one win away from claiming a place in the lucrative Asian Champions League, it will be a lot easier for the club to go down this season rather than claim a spot in the decider. However the Roar's list remains one of the better ones in the competition. Moore will be doing his best to impress national coach Pim Verbeek ahead of the 2010 World Cup and the extended season could well work in Farina's favour. The Roar should again be among the pacesetters.
Coach's Quote - Frank Farina
"Consistency is the key. Last year we were very consistent from about Round 4 on, we were very consistent away from home, but consistency has to be a progressive thing throughout the year if you are really going to give things a shake."
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Check out all our 2009-10 A-League Team Previews:
Adelaide United | Brisbane Roar | Central Coast Mariners | Gold Coast United | Melbourne Victory | Newcastle Jets | North Queensland Fury | Perth Glory | Sydney FC | Wellington Phoenix