God’s plan
They may call him ‘God’, but Robbie Fowler is set for an unholy baptism of fire in Brisbane.
The incoming Roar coach was in the stands for Thursday’s record-setting 5-3 defeat to Adelaide United and, put simply, would not have liked what he saw.
Having led the match on two occasions, poor defending in transition soon cost the Roar an unlikely win at Suncorp Stadium as the Reds repeatedly sliced their suspect defence open in transition.
Isaias’ 85th-minute strike was the icing on the cake for the visitors, who saw the Roar set a new A-League record for the regular season.
The Spaniard’s effort was the 71st to have hit the back of the Brisbane, surpassing the 70 set by the Central Coast Mariners in 2016 and 2019.
Despite the doom and gloom, the managerially raw Fowler believes he knows exactly what the three-time A-League champions need next time out.
“I know what I’ve got to do, I know what players need to come in,” Fowler said.
“It’s obviously a challenge, but a challenge I’m up for.”
With an array of players set to depart this off-season, Fowler’s first task will see him prepare his own assortment for the forthcoming campaign.
But with little pedigree beyond his playing days and big-name marquees a rarity at the Roar, Fowler may have his work cut out for him.
‘I want to play Victory’
Melbourne City’s 5-0 victory over the Central Coast Mariners gave them the best chance of avoiding rivals Victory in an elimination final next week.
And on Sunday, Perth Glory made that a reality.
But while City coach Warren Joyce gave no preference over his side’s opponents, club captain Scott Jamieson certainly did.
“I don’t know what people behind the scenes will say about this but I want to play Victory,” Jamieson said.
“Nothing against other teams but we want to go against them, knock them off and then go onto the next game.”
The Glory’s 5-0 thrashing of the Wellington Phoenix provided the necessary swing of results for City, who will now have to travel away from AAMI Park and take on Adelaide United.
City were one of two teams the Victory failed to defeat this season and edged their seasonal three-game series for the first time since 2012 due to a 2-1 win back in round one.
And with Joyce’s side unbeaten in their last 12 matches at AAMI Park, perhaps their best hope of progression stood in the form of another cross-town showdown.
Nevertheless, City fans will have their fingers crossed against the Reds – not least, Jamieson himself.
Bimbi, not Arnie
Graham Arnold made a habit of backing up confidence with results at Sydney FC, but in his absence, Steve Corica’s attempt at imitation has only made things worse.
“I think if we play like that against any A-League team, we’ll destroy them.”
Steve Corica’s comments, made after a midweek Asian Champions League clash, have since yielded just one win in four matches.
Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to the Newcastle Jets was a new low for this season’s second-placed side, who earlier failed to see off fellow A-League strugglers Western Sydney.
Corica’s confidence may yet turn to caution as a result, with an unwelcome week off threatening to further affect their form ahead of a manic May return.
A must-win match against Ulsan Hyundai on May 7, in Korea, will precede a semi-final on home soil against the league’s best remaining side just days later, and such congestion could prove costly.
The Sky Blues were, strangely, near-full-strength for Saturday’s defeat to the eliminated Jets and will rue a slew of missed opportunities.
And now, with an even larger target on their backs, their season might be the next to end.
Problem position
On Sunday, Perth Glory exposed the Wellington’s Phoenix’s biggest flaw heading into the finals.
Just days after teammate Steven Taylor took it upon himself to praise Mark Rudan’s “magnificent” stop-gap at right-back, David Williams came crashing back down to Earth.
Playing once again in place of the injured Louis Fenton, Williams’ positioning was this time picked apart by the Premiers, who ran out 5-0 winners at HBF Park.
As the makeshift right wing-back, flanking Ryan Lowry, Williams was unable to keep tabs on both Chris Ikonomidis and Jason Davidson in transition, with the duo combining on countless occasions.
In fact, the Glory’s opening two goals – enough to send the Nix sixth – both came via a counter-attack down the visitors’ right-hand side.
Should Rudan fail to fix this glaring weakness on Friday night against Melbourne Victory, it could prove curtains for the Kiwi club’s campaign.
But with little options outside of his out-and-out winger, he may have no other choice.
An Aussie promise
Rarely in professional football will a coach survive the sort of season Markus Babbel produced at the Western Sydney Wanderers, and yet, he’s done just that.
Babbel has been granted a further season to dispel the club’s persistent problems and return them to the finals for the first time since 2016-17, and it appears he’ll have the board’s backing to do it.
With a clean-out of the eighth-placed squad imminent, the German has promised “a stronger side” for their return to Parramatta with a greater focus on more talented Australians.
“It’s not the biggest problem to get foreigners,” Babbel said.
“It’s more the problem to get the good Australians, because the good ones, most of them play in Europe.”
Of the current Socceroos contingent in Europe, Robbie Kruse will likely consider a return to the A-League should other offers fail to file in following his imminent VfL Bochum exit.
Failing that, time will tell if Babbel’s allure is enough to bring the big names back to Wanderland.
