Henrique’s Roar pledge
DEPARTING Brisbane Roar stalwart Henrique is saddened by the club’s plight, but insists the future is bright for the struggling three-time ALeague champions.
Suffering from the dreaded osteitis pubis, the man dubbed “Slippery Fish” has played his last game for the Roar.
It’s not the way Henrique wanted to finish his decorated Roar career, but he insisted he was leaving on good terms.
“I have nothing bad to say about the club, only good things,” the Brazilian-Australian livewire said.
“I have great memories playing with the Roar, and I will never forget them.”
He is the only member of the Roar squad to have played in the club’s three championship-winning teams.
Henrique rates scoring the extra-time winner in Brisbane’s 2-1 grand final win over Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium in 2014 as his career highlight. “I played, I scored the goal and we won … it was an unbelievable feeling,” he said.
The feeling was in stark contrast to the embarrassment of Saturday night, when the Roar were spanked 6-1 by Newcastle at the same venue.
It was the latest disaster in what has been the club’s worst season.
“It was sad to see us lose 6-1, but you can see the direction of the club,” Henrique said. “They’re putting a lot of young players on the park, which gives hope for the future. It will take time, no doubt about it, but the future is bright.
“I’m upset that the club didn’t have a great season. It’s not the results we expected at the beginning, but everything happens for a reason.”
Henrique’s 177th and final appearance for the Roar in all competitions was Brisbane’s 4-1 A-League loss to Melbourne City on April 5.
Having entered the contest at the start of the second half, the 33-year-old was forced off in the 78th minute with a groin injury he knew was going to signal the end of his Brisbane career.
“It can be a long-term injury. I need to fix my body.”
If Henrique can get fit again, he hasn’t ruled out continuing his career elsewhere.
“I’ll take the time to think about it. I’ll be looking at any opportunity now as a player, when I get better, and as a coach as well.”