Not the same person

I thought he looked good although I’m probably biased having watched him in the youth a lot. He was too isolated though, which shows Holloway as a bit of a flake unable to create anything for himself or his striking partner. Can’t see Moratovic hanging on to his place but I think he’s overtaken DWH in the Peking order  

At first I believed it was 100% a squad issue and believed RF could coach, but as the season goes on, the more you listen to RF post game, the more you look at the tactics; more blame has to go on to RF than just the playing squad. But he won’t get sacked regardless of what happens...and is there any point sacking him now...probably not. 

You really have zero understanding of what happened at the Nix. 

I really am beginning to wonder if you are on staff at the Brisbane. You are perilously close to propagandising. This post is demonstrably untrue,and I'm not sure how you can not know that. 

One key player can make a huge difference. We've seen the influence Brooch had (admittedly in a better group of players). The Nix have Davilla and we have no one of comparable influence. 

My perception is that Nix have more pace, but I have no stats to back that up. 

Apart from all that , and it's fantastic to see another Australian coach step up. 

Agree with that.

My take is Roar are struggling with a very Australian problem - they can’t move the ball forwards with any pace or precision. 

Agree that it is a very Australian problem and has been post Hiddinck/2006.  We nearly didn't qualify for Russia because of exactly that issue, and Ange P couldn't fix it.

Not convinced it is all about coaching.  The calibre of players and the way they have been raised to play must be part of it.  My hope is that we will see that change with the young players coming through out of the small sided games base.

What a nuthugger.

Hope you enjoy the bottom of the table. Because that's where you and your Royal Brigade of British Duds are staying.

Well Ufuk Talay having considerable experience, compared to Robbie, in playing and coaching in Australia with Australian/Kiwi talent has a better idea of players who succeed in the league and can't. Robbie really doesn't have someone who can effectively give him the lay of the land, I thought Davies was going to be that person but apparently not, after eg. Scott Neville, Jake McGing and Max Crocombe have had far too much time as starters - surely he can see why they've been rejected by other HAL clubs.

The reason I say it’s a coaching thing is because they’re not even trying. 

I was impressed by him.  I certainly think he deserves to be given a run of games now to see what he can do.

Interesting perspective. But surely an ex top line striker like RF would have those drills in place?

I do think that if you take Davilla out of the Nix it would greatly affect their play.  The closest we have is O'Shea and he isn't close.

Agree on your comments on RF and his playmaker signing.  

We have so many issues.  The idea that Bowles is starting shows how deep they run.  I was dismayed at how much pace Hingert has lost.  We have so many players who wouldn't make other team's squads, let alone match day 11s.

The tragedy is that RF had the rare luxury of being able to undetake a genuine rebuild, and he's saddled us with a substandard side for 2 seasons unless players volunteer to leave.  What a waste.  

Cacace, Fenton, Taylor, Rufer are all carryover players and first team players. The club maintained some parts of a strong core for all that they lost a lot of good players too. They copped some injuries - but after they had a chance to develop and mould the team. The benefit of retaining 4 good players in an outfield team of 10 is huge compared to a fresh start.

In no nasty way, NZ sporting teams also have little dog syndrome in a big way - determined to do more than just hold their own against any comers. The drive to succeed across their entire sporting ethos is also no small factor, and for the Nix specifically they are representing NZ in our comp - not just Wellington.

For us, Young is the only run on player we had at the start of the season (and he has done his bit for us). The many players we retained are bench players at best for us so effectively Robbie has had to build an entire first team from scratch. We do not fight for or represent Brisbane as a team when we run on the field - we have no city loyalty - we run out for our club - and that is not the same as carrying your country's flag.

Biased view perhaps, but Devere would be good for any ALeague team's backline - so a big plus for his recruitment to the NIx - he knows his craft and gives a team immediate stability at the back by himself. I like Aldred but I do not see the same complete quality and leadership/decision making in him so we have to work more to get to a competent level as a defensive unit.

Talay is proving himself a good coach as his team are really building and improving on the good they had to begin with - but I do not think Roar and the Nix are coming from anywhere near the same place to make the comparison of coaches all that relevant.

As time goes on, it is for Robbie to show us what he has got - and for his comments and outward persona to mature and become more professional (he is flying closer to Trump than Obama in his media role I am afraid). The development of the team is slower than I expected, but as an armchair coach it is easy for me to say "swap out these pieces for these ones" based on the qualities I perceive. In reality a coach has to stick with players and his vision long enough to prove that they are not working before making changes - then making those changes in controlled increments to manage the process. My view is that Robbie has reached the "need for change" position.

I do know that charlied. His namecalling in response to my jab at you was what lead to that comment.

After watching the game and listening to Fowler after the game,the problem is him.
He is kidding himself he he thinks Roar were the better team because they controlled possession they deserved to win.Yet the Jets could have scored another three goals.And they are worse than us apparently.
He coaches this slow side to side waste of time bs.He coaches  the slow counterattacks.He coaches long balls.He picked the players.
WP play an up tempo,high press,forward passing and quick counterattack,quick short passing game.Chalk and cheese.
Its the coach and the team he has picked.
Roar no matter what they do are insufferably vulnerable in defence and impossibly boring in attack.
How can a bunch of average players be expected to unlock defences which are set and stacked?No wonder our strikers barely get a shot on target.
Roar are the most boring team to watch and most times i watch i think they could play the same way all weekend and not score.

Nuthuggers don't laugh at the nuts they hug.

Just do what Tony Popovic does when he no longer wants a contracted player - freeze them out, make them train alone and play for the youth team.

In relation to the drills - they’re not unique drills it’s just whether he chooses to use them in training? 

I agree that this is all on Robbie to fix.

But what I find hard to accept is that people cannot see any good at all in our players or our play - and have not from the start (not aimed at anyone in particular).

We are playing poorly, but not without some positives amongst all the negatives. I don't care that others cannot focus on those positives and imagine/hope them becoming the norm; that is a choice I make. But to deny there are any redeeming features or qualities in any of our players or plays is as bad as saying "all is well" because we look dangerous a couple of times.

There are still qualities in this side that are not coming out - maybe that is Robbie and maybe he just can't do the job. For me, next game will tell me more about Robbie as a coach than previous games. He made some changes and I want to see him identify the good ones and cement them in (and as important identify the bad ones and stop trying them) rather than going back to something that has not worked.

I think O’Shea has been one of the best players in the league this season. But the players around him are terrible, no off the ball movement, absolutely no football understanding, and this shows when the only way they can score is through an Inman wonder strike 

You could easily put some of the Roar players in another team and they could do well.But playing the RF way they look average,because they are not highly skilled game breaking players.
Ufak Talay doesnt have a team of world beaters.But they play with intensity and agression .sure they have a star player(who wasnt when he arrived).But the rest are no names...Piscopo and Devine?...Devere...choke....How embarassing to to toss him out and bring in two visa players of no better quality.
Ball was laughed at during the FFA Cup and Hooper has barely played..(both players played above League One)
Does anyone else in that team get in other teams easily?

Roar ,the team and the coach can only be judged on what we see.After five months we have seen it all.There is no more upside without an overhaul of either the players to play the RF way or the coach so the players can play to their strengths.Either way some players need to go and new players come in that can tip the balance to more goals scored  and less conceded.

WP have a few players to build a team around and a playing style..Roar dont yet,because we still dont have a successful playing style .If the coach goes.Rebuilding starts all over again..If he stays could we ever get the right players to play the RF way and win games?

Squad was the wrong word - that was my fault. I have explained what I meant about starting with a more stable core above.

Read my posts about the Roar again if you can be bothered - you will find an acknowledgement all the way through that we are playing poorly but with bits of promise, That I choose to focus on those positives as a promise of what is to come is just how I am. I admit Robbie is an inexperienced coach and hope he can prove himself. To simply label my comments as propaganda with disregard for what I consider a balanced (if perhaps overly positive) perspective shows a lack of courtesy that does not enhance your posts.

For the record - I have nothing to do with the club beyond being a paying member :)

A fair response.

And I admit that, as a supporter of RF's appointment, I do find my disappointment colours my perception.   I knew we were shot, frankly, as soon as I saw who he had recruited.  It was blindingly clear that the quality we needed simply wasn't there.

Why shouldn’t he? 

I agree that comparisons to Talay are warranted, but only because they're both rookie coaches in their first proper gig. But I definitely don't agree that the level their signings have come from are comparable.. Hooper came directly from the Championship with an impressive CV and very goal scoring record. Davilla for whatever reason found himself in India immediately prior to WP (only played 6 games), but spent his almost entire career in Spain and Mexico. These two alone clearly have played their football at higher levels than every BR signing, and Davilla has proved his quality by being one of the best players in the league this season. Of course teams can win titles with lesser squads if you have a brilliant coach (Ange literally did this at BR, though granted he had a superstar in Broich), but getting your foreign signings right gives you an enormous advantage. WP overall still don't have a hugely impressive squad when compared to the likes of SFC or MC, but clearly Talay can actually coach, and their football and results prove this. Fowler has a very average squad, but unlike Ange, he has done little to show that he can actually coach at this level.   

A lucky escape. Quiet annoying to watch, at times they look like a well oiled outfit but the minute they are close to the penalty box nothing eventuates. Opposition keeper barely made to work. 

Young had a fantastic match, Hingert is a breath of fresh air and a reminder of a player from the golden days. I likee Marutovic, he did not look out of place at HAL level, i hope we see more of him. 

ROD looked good when he came on. 

I don’t think the signings of Roar and Nix were similar quality. Yes the levels the players came from may be somewhat comparable, but very little comparison in terms of quality.
All of Fowlers overseas signings came from League1/2 in England. Only one of Nix’s came from there, that is Ball, who I would argue is similar in quality to Inman, and of Roars signings only O’Shea is (slightly) better. But Ball is starting to look ok now because of the quality of players around him.
Of the other Nix signings, yes Dávila came from India but he had been around Spain and Portugal previously, and he had shown he is quality (much more quality than any Roar signings). Hooper (although he hadn’t played much) - significant EPL experience. Steinmann - B1/2 experience and is better than any Roar player. Marinovic - current NZ first choice keeper. Piscopo - yes from Serie C, but spent time with Inter and is still very young and is a Socceroo potential maybe. The NZ domestic signings, Paine and Hudson whatever his name is are NZ internationals, but are only squad players (Paine playing now because Fenton is injured). And McCowatt is a very young player who has been given an opportunity, and looks very promising so far.
Look at the Roar signings of domestic players like Ingham, McGing, Neville - they generally have been bit part A League players at best. And Devere has gone to Nix - yes he had had injury problems but is a proven quality defender when fit and Nix have got him fit. He is head and shoulders above Aldred and Gillesphey in quality.

I agree with all of that.

Young was good even for Young on a good day. That will keep Crocombe on the bench for a bit longer - as long as the injuries Young copped don't hold him out.

Roar should have been 2-0 down by the time they equalised, but it’s not unusual for HAL players not to finish one on one with the keeper.