Gold Coast snatch Minniecon

Australia’s richest man snatched the 19-year-old flier from the clutches of the Roar after contract negotiations between Minniecon and his current boss Frank Farina hit a brick wall.

The ebullient Palmer couldn’t hide his glee, adding Minniecon to a list of signings that includes Jess Vanstrattan, Adam Griffiths, Michael Thwaite, Shane Smeltz and Joel Porter, with Socceroos heavy-hitter Jason Culina the likely jewel in the crown.

“The Roar have taken a few good Gold Coast kids like Mitch Nichols and Tommy Oar, so were are now reversing the trend,” said mining mogul Palmer.

“He's one of Australia's best young talents, and he'll be our marquee Under-21 player next year. I've no doubt the Roar will be upset to lose him because Frank Farina obviously rates him very highly.”

Quizzed on why Minniecon had chosen United ahead of a pack of interested A-League parties, Palmer chortled: “Probably because he wants to be on the winning team next season. It's a big loss for the Roar and a big gain for us.”

Minniecon, who burst onto the scene last season, has been one of the reasons for the Roar's recent rise up the A-League ladder but was on the bench against Melbourne Victory at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

It's understood he will earn $130,000 a season at United, whose assistant coach Paul Okon, the former Socceroos skipper, helped broker the deal.

Okon met Minniecon, who has made 20 appearances for the Roar, before Christmas to discuss the move down the M1 to the Glitter Strip.

He explained: “Tahj is the one Roar player I really wanted to bring to United and I'm glad it's been finalised.

“He has lots of pace and can cut through teams and cause damage at will. He's not somebody you will have to nurture too much because he already has some sound A-League experience and has shown he can thrive at this level.

“He'll continue to grow and improve and quite obviously isn't the finished article yet. He brings a lot of attributes with him and hopefully we’ll be able to take him to a new level as a player.”

United's head coach Miron Bleiberg said: “We are more than happy to have Tahj.

“He's a match-winner and I plan to give him a free role across the front line. I don't see him as somebody who just plays on the wing (as he does at the Roar).”

With the Roar set to visit Skilled Park in the first round of the 2009-2010 season, a mischievous Palmer scoffed at talk of an enduring rivalry between the clubs.

“I don't see it as being much of a rivalry between us. I think the first game will take care of the Roar,” he teased.

Palmer remains convinced Culina will also soon be added to the roster - with an announcement possibly as early as next week.

“We aren't offering as much as the other teams involved (Culina's current club PSV Eindhoven or Dinamo Zagreb) but we think our overall incentive package will be more appealing to him than what they are putting on the table,” he insisted.

“Everybody thinks the Gold Coast is a great place to live and we think Jason won't be any different.”