Roar’s sorry season finishes

NEWLY appointed Brisbane Roar coach Robbie Fowler should have no illusions of the rebuilding job that lies ahead of him at the A-League club.

The Liverpool legend was a spectator at Suncorp Stadium on Anzac Day as the Roar’s miserable 2018-19 season came to an end with a 5-3 loss to Adelaide.

The defeat not only ensures the Roar finish the campaign with just four wins from 27 matches but they created an unwanted record when Reds’ skipper Isaias scored in the 85th minute. The Spaniard’s strike was the 71st the Roar have conceded this season, eclipsing Central Coast’s mark of 70 from 2015-16 as the most conceded by a club.

Yesterday was also the last time retiring club captain Matt McKay pulled on an orange jersey with the ex-Socceroo making his 302nd start for the Roar in all competitions.

McKay is one of several players who’ll exit the Roar in coming weeks. Veteran Brazilian Henrique has been told he’ll be released while Brett Holman and Thomas Kristensen are also leaving.

In all 13 players including late-season signings Eli Babalj and Charlie Lokoli-Ngoy are off-contract. Interim coach Darren Davies, who will stay on as an assistant, said he was eager to start plotting the path forward for the Roar.

“The new manager’s in place and we can really sit down, plan our way forward and then fully support the new manager in getting us back to where we want to be next season,” Davies said.