Waiting on Fowler
Roar players relish return to training but a key man’s missing
THEY’RE back in training ahead of the A-League’s restart but Brisbane players admit they’re in the dark about the future of Roar coach Robbie Fowler.
With the 2019-20 season set to resume next month, the Roar squad began preparations yesterday with assistant coach Darren Davies at the helm at their Logan headquarters.
Liverpool legend Fowler and his right-hand man Tony Grant remain in England after travelling back there following the suspension of the league in March due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Despite remaining hopeful Fowler would return to Australia soon, young striker Dylan Wenzel-Halls admitted the Roar players had no idea when both the coach and assistant Grant would be back at the club.
“Obviously the boss has been great throughout the season – he’s just got us to where we are now (fourth on the ladder),” Wenzel-Halls said.
“Everyone’s hoping he’s coming back, but that’s out of our control.
“So we’re just in here to work hard and hopefully start back where we left off before COVID.”
When Fowler and Grant do return to Australia they will need to complete a 14-day quarantine period before being able to get back to training and matches.
The uncertainty over the coach is just one issue Roar players have had to overcome in recent weeks with the league’s future also up in the air amid ongoing discussions between Football Federation Australia and broadcaster Fox Sports.
Goalkeeper Jamie Young said returning to training was a welcome distraction from those uncertainties for players across the country.
“It is concerning because you know, it’s like an elephant in the room,” Young said.
“We all know it’s there, but that’s just one of the challenges of our sport in this country.
“We have to be able to manage those situations.
“We’re back and have normality, a routine … we have to just concentrate on kicking balls again, which is great.”