How can a club that looked set to be the dominant force in the domestic game become one of the A-League's disaster zones just a couple of years after setting a record that could take decades to equal?

The downfall of Brisbane Roar and their recent near-death experience is a sorry saga that:

* Shows the club and its management in a poor light.

* Calls into question the way Football Federation Australia examines the bona fides of potential owners when it allocates licences.

* Reflects poorly on the A-League, and further amplifies the impression there are serious issues concerning the sustainability of numerous clubs in the competition.

* Poses questions about the commitment of the Brisbane soccer public, who might reasonably have been expected to bolster attendances to Melbourne Victory-type levels given the remarkable success the club enjoyed and the quality venue it occupies.

The Roar have survived under the ownership of the Indonesian Bakrie Group by the skin of their teeth, after the company promised to invest $1 million to tide over the finances on Tuesday night.

Earlier in the day, FFA boss David Gallop had said that unless Bakrie stumped up the cash by close of business, the club would be taken off it, but he clearly relented once the assurance of a short-term cash injection was made.

But if this tale of woe goes along the lines of earlier scripts, this will only be a Band-Aid.

The Roar are in hock for millions of dollars. Star player Luke Brattan has already walked as an out-of-contract agent following non-payment of wages and statutory benefits, while local businesses attempted to put pressure on to recover money owed by beginning winding-up orders.

Does anyone have confidence that under the present ownership things will really improve that much?

Their track record in charge hardly inspires it, although, sadly, there is plenty of precedent in the A-League for poor financial performance.

The Central Coast Mariners seem to lurch and stumble from fiscal black hole to black hole, pleading poverty and trying to shift games and even sell home advantage to better-supported opponents to balance the books.

The Newcastle Jets have become a byword for fiscal misadventure, particularly under the disastrous stewardship of one-time coal king and billionaire Nathan Tinkler.

It all seemed such a great idea at the time – the local boy made good rescuing the local A-League club when it came upon hard times.

Like many fairytales, it was too good to be true, and the Jets are reeling and rocking, and desperately trying to stabilise themselves under the control of the FFA.

Still, being run by the game's governing body is hardly anything to be ashamed of these days.

It seems half the league has been administered at some point from City Hall, FFA's head office having become the lender of last resort as league bosses shore up the 10-team competition to ensure television contracts – which demand five matches a week – are met.

Adelaide and Perth have also been subject to head-office control in their time. Gold Coast ended up imploding in a sea of red ink and recrimination, and while Wellington Phoenix are OK now, they were teetering before their present owners came on the scene.

It seems only the big-city Melbourne and Sydney teams can generate sufficient cash-flow and backing to prosper on their own – and even Western Sydney Wanderers were under the control of the game's governing body for a long time, until an owner could be found.

The Mariners and the Jets have both won the A-League title, but as smaller clubs from regional areas perhaps it's not such a huge surprise they have endured some financial problems.

But Brisbane? Say it ain't so. The Roar have been the most successful team – bar Melbourne Victory – in the league's short history.

The men in orange won three titles in four years, in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2013-14.

They became the first club to go back to back in grand finals, and their run of 36 games unbeaten is an Australian record that may take a very long time to even equal, never mind better.

With current Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou at the helm for those first two grand final triumphs, playing an attractive brand of possession-based football, it looked as though the Roar couldn't fail.

So why did the wheels fall off?

Was it because, within days of that second championship, Postecoglou quit to return to Melbourne, to take over at Victory? It's hard to blame that, because under Mike Mulvey the club won the championship two years later.

Was it because Roar didn't invest enough in quality players? They had, in German Thomas Broich, the player many regard as the best import the league has seen.

Perhaps it was instability on the bench. After Postecoglou left, his assistant Dario Vidosic was appointed. He lasted barely eight months before Mulvey was given the job. Despite winning the title, the Englishman was shown the door early in the 2014-15 season, to be replaced by Dutchman Frans Thijssen. Now John Aloisi is in the hot seat. That's four coaches in 3½ years.

Whatever the reason, and it's a combination of several factors, it's a bad look for the Roar, bad news for FFA and a real image-breaker for the A-League. The sooner it can be sorted, the better.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/soccer/aleague-soccer-how-the-mighty-brisbane-roar-became-a-whimper-20150916-gjo4ph.html#ixzz3lxj59MTD

The row erupted in April when the PSSI halted the country's top-flight league due to a disagreement with the sports ministry over the participation of two clubs. The ministry then froze all activities of the PSSI, and said it was setting up a transitional body to replace the association, which has long faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

FIFA, which takes a dim view of governments interfering in domestic associations, backed the PSSI and gave Jakarta until May 29 to allow the association to resume activities, or face a ban from world football.

A series of last-ditch efforts this week to resolve the row, including an attempt by Indonesia's vice president to persuade the sports ministry to back down, came to nothing. Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi has refused to change course and in recent days expressed hope that the crisis engulfing FIFA would delay the sanction.

Top FIFA officials were arrested this week after being accused by US authorities of taking huge bribes, while Swiss police are investigating the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

President Joko Widodo has supported Nahrawi, saying urgent reform is needed in Indonesian football. "It doesn't matter if we are absent from international competitions for a while as long as we can win big in the future," he was cited as saying in the Jakarta Post newspaper on Saturday, before the suspension was announced. "I'm confident when the reforms are made, we will be moving forward."

The suspension is just the latest crisis for Indonesian football, which was only just recovering from a feud between the PSSI and a breakaway association, which led to the creation of two separate leagues. FIFA also threatened to ban Indonesia over that row but the two sides eventually came back together, avoiding a sanction.

Weak management, poor security at games, and :shock: high-profile cases of foreign players dying after going unpaid :shock: have also cast a shadow over football in the world's fourth-most populous country.

Yeah i have to agree. Although I know Buggalugs hates the a-league model, with regards to this issue, this thread has been a good source of up to date info re Brisbane.

Just wish the topics put forward weren't always so negative. But in the case of Brisbane there really is no good new to report.

:lol: Brisbane fans gloat about winning silverware = Horrible.
Victory fans gloat about winning silverware = Awesome.

It took Brisbane 6 years to start winning trophies, they had a right to go a little nutz and gloat. Just like Victory had a break for 6 years before they got back to winning silverware and can rightfully gloat. You are both so a like its not funny.

More likely for Tony Abbott turning out to be the best prime minister in history than that happening.

5 if the campaign in my sig is successful \:d/

4 if you count Funky (may he rest in piece)

4 if you count Funky (may he rest in piece)

Three mods from Victoria last I counted, and I'm pretty sure Benjamin isn't a Victory supporter. :lol:

Does anyone remember when the Coffee club guys came in and hiked up membership and ticket prices.
If the fans are too cheap to pay enough for tickets to run the club, why are they whinging about the Bakries who have sunk in millions.

You are correct in what you say however the relationship between the Bakries and the fans has been poisoned. The Bakries will never be trusted unless they not only pay all their debts but also inject extra capital to progress this great club forward where it belongs and win the hearts of the Brisbane public.

You want more than 3 now :lol:

Fuck off Bakries. Cheque is in the mail, the kunts are just stalling and giving a big fuck you to the FFA because they know they wont do shit. They waited until the last minute supposedly to send the money, just enough to keep ticking on. The FFA made a deadline, they didn't meet it, grow some fucken balls and kick them out, it was due today not tomorrow.

:lol: Brisbane fans gloat about winning silverware = Horrible.
Victory fans gloat about winning silverware = Awesome.

It took Brisbane 6 years to start winning trophies, they had a right to go a little nutz and gloat. Just like Victory had a break for 6 years before they got back to winning silverware and can rightfully gloat. You are both so a like its not funny.

Nothing was worse than the Brisbane days. Some of the shit you guys posted was infinitely worse than our rightful boasting.

I look forward to your reaction when the next mod chosen is an mv fan pauly

Sorry bud, but those trolls were just as active when I was at my resort and inactive on this forum. You will never change the Victards or the bitters on this 442MV forum.

Nothing was worse than the Brisbane days. Some of the shit you guys posted was infinitely worse than our rightful boasting.

Deep down, Buggalugs/jvdbb/santo sam and ed loves the A-league. He's just hurt at the moment and is projecting. He'll come 'round.

Yeah i have to agree. Although I know Buggalugs hates the a-league model, with regards to this issue, this thread has been a good source of up to date info re Brisbane.

Just wish the topics put forward weren't always so negative. But in the case of Brisbane there really is no good new to report.

Buggalugs on his own is fine as he just posts articles, its the usual trolls and others that come here to bait pauly which make it a troll thread.

Now of course they are doing it so they can sell the club, I think that bits been established.

Naturally that's going to be an issue if it goes on long term especially if their valuation continually exceeds any buyers. The smart money is on them waiting for the new TV contract and use that as the carrot for a sale.

But looking at this pragmatically - the owners have just put $1m into the club, that's good news by any definition. Then they've committed to clearing the remaining debts by months end (another million?). And then they've committed after that $100k each and every month to recapitalise the club. Please tell me where any of that is bad apart from the Bakries staying of course ;)

Roars annual losses were reportedly $500k plus ACL - the biggest issue now is can they get fans through the gate? That's unknown but is next months problem.

I remain less than thrilled with the situation but we now have owners being clear about their objectives: stabilise and prepare the business for sale. That's a win if it takes the club off the front page of news and sticks us back in the sports section where we belong.

As much as people think this is a troll thread, I gotta say Buggalugs, this is the best place on the net to keep up to date with the roars sad saga.

Good work...

They currently have 19 in their squad.

I've a feeling that the free space is going to be taken up by either Broich or McKay coming back in to order to reach the Floor.

Do you know how many more players they need to sign for the minimum squad numbers ?

Brattan to Brighton hopefully.

Free up some more space for the young Brisbane side to develop.