Roar signed Emilio Martinez to the youth team and Oxborrow to an injury replacement contract for Bowles today

Club will confirm soon I'm guessing?

Got the feeling we may be waiting a little while for that right winger but I'm confident that we'll sign a good player. I'd rather them wait and sign someone good than rush. They must have felt they could do better than Hooi.

@ BRFC

Spoke with Kingsman today on the Drew Sherman fan forum due in a couple of weeks so that's when he told us about Oxborrow. Everything else is pretty much hush hush but he says they're looking at two visa wingers, both might be signed with one a lot closer than the other and the second subject to cap space then being left

Interesting. If the wingers can also slot into the am midfield role could be useful.

Kinda forgotten what oxborrow is like

Awesome.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the season.

Hopefully a positive performance tonight v Lions to kick things off

Another Big Mac article, can't say he isn't getting attention and it contains my favourite paragraph of the off-season so far:

"If ever there was a player destined for cult status, Massimo Maccarone fits that bill .... a man who made international headlines for celebrating scoring by swigging a fan’s pint while playing for Empoli" 😂

http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/07/25/cult-hero-maccarone-risky-business-brisbane-roar/#comment-5810352

Roar v Lions tonight at Richlands. Kick off is 7PM with players signing autographs before hand. Entry is gold coin donation with limited parking but walking distance from Richlands station.

Is there any recording or streaming. Have a terrible cold and needs some football to cheer me up. 
Be interesting to see if FKB or bigmac (probably not) play. 

The good thing about this season is that we have an entire off season with the squad. 

@ lolitsbigmic

I haven't seen anything - I'll check when I get to the ground and if there is I'll post it here. Get well, bloody cold n flu has been everywhere this winter

cheers mate

Here's video of the young Spaniard on trial with Roar, played 23 minutes tonight:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K6tsfqdWxho

How did he look?

@ BRFC

We looked good, moved the ball well, players looked fit. We looked clueless on corners though (we had about a million)

Lions were very aggressive, they clearly wanted a performance/win but rarely threatened our defence who seemed to be playing a back 3. MOTM for me was probably Holman who looked really, really sharp all game. D'aggers worked hard and looks physical much stronger than last season but he didn't get many chances, Brady also looked good but with him it's whether he can do it against A league opposition.

Other than that it's a bit hard to draw any conclusions. Roar dominated the game but the scoreboard never looked like blowing out, mainly due to Lions last-gasp defence which was excellent along with several good saves from the keeper. Add in our usual shyness in shooting in front of goal and you get 2-0

Brisbane Roar defeat Lions FC 2-0 in opening pre-season game to claim Heritage Shield

Marco Monteverde, The Courier-Mail
July 25, 2017 9:40pm

SECOND-half goals to Shannon Brady and Rahmat Akbari secured Brisbane Roar a 2-0 win over Lions FC in Tuesday’s Heritage Shield clash at Richlands.

The Roar made hard work of their opening pre-season game, with youngster Akbari ‘s goal coming in the final minute after Brady had put the three-time A-League champions ahead on the hour mark.

Brisbane Premier League club Lions more than held their own for long periods, and seemed set to take a shock lead in the 25th minute after referee Chris Beath awarded a penalty for a Jade North foul on Henry Hore.

However, Roar goalkeeper Michael Theo dived to his left to save Nathan Shepherd’s penalty.

Lions keeper Luke Borean was called into action seven minutes later, denying Roar midfielder Brett Holman, who unleashed with a powerful strike.

Borean was again called into action in the 49th minute, doing well to keep out a goal-bound header from Roar substitute Aaron Reardon.

However, Borean was eventually beaten in the 60th minute when Brady netted from close range to give the Roar a 1-0 lead.

Akbari’s late goal sealed the win for a Roar side that went into the contest minus newly signed marquee man Massimo Maccarone, and fellow off-season recruits Fahid Ben Khalfallah and Corey Gameiro.

Among the Roar’s substitutes was Spanish triallist Guillermo Torres, who played the final 23 minutes.

Match highlights from last night here:

https://m.facebook.com/FootballBrisbane1/

npl clubs seem to have improved a fair bit. Still a huge gap though

"The Roar coach implemented a new system that included three central defenders, two wing backs and two players in “No.10” roles"

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/a-league/brisbane-roar-signing-massimo-maccarone-set-for-debut/news-story/427b73e737c6360ce5e02191925a0cf7

Have just recently been very impressed with Caletti on the  ball for the Young Socceroos.

He is hopeless at winning 1v1 contests though. He needs some time with my gym trainer, a nationally second ranked powerlifter, in order to increase his muscle mass by 10 kilograms  to become a pocket tank like Maradona.

In terms of handling speed and deft footwork, Caletti was rarely caught in possession, because he was so quick at receiving and passing the ball in tight spaces. His footwork and body shape was superb. 

Along with Mark Milligan,  if he plays for MV this year, Ninkovic, Castro, Matt McKay, he has the best skill set in the A League in this facet of play.

Caletti probably needs to play with a twin screener who is a rugged ball winner, like  a Christensen, Milligan, Jedi, Brillante, O'Neill, Rostyn Griffiths type player.

give him 24 months to bulk up and get match experience and he could be one of the best

he is statistically the most accurate passer in the opposition half in the a league i believe

best young player in the league

Peter Skapetis on trial with us

After six seasons in England, which included spells with Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City, the 22-year-old former South Melbourne junior is back on home soil and out to win a Roar deal for the 2017-2018 A-League season.

Skapetis looked to be on an upward trajectory when Mark Hughes signed him for the Potters in 2014.

But a ruptured ACL proved a significant setback, and his hopes of a breakthrough at the Britannia Stadium were cruelly crushed when lightning struck twice as he returned to action after the first rupture.

Skapetis went on to feature for Derby County's under-23's and was close to a deal at Championship club Cardiff City recently, but financial fair play rules intervened to deter Neil Warnock from signing him.

Renowned for his pace and power, Skapetis also had a stint with non-league Dover Athletic before opting to return home.

Having left for England at 16, Skapetis will now bid to force an A-League breakthrough, with John Aloisi having the first option for one of Australia's unluckiest youngsters.

via TWG

I wonder if it's a case of him or Torres or him and Torres (and therefore no new winger?)

If that is so,then the the youth will need to step up,because there will be a lot of games if we get into the ACL.Also I am certain the older players will be nursed through the season.Which means lots of resting if there is muscle soreness....BKF,Holman,Pasta man,Kristensen.Even McKay would be long odds to play every game.
Also Gameiro will have to be given a light workload .
Then you have Hingert who gets at least one injury a year.
Last year Brown and Hingert missed games along with many others.
I expect the youngsters to play a lot of games.

So all in all, don't expect any miracles there. 

Just as applicable for Roar even though Adelaide stole the headline:

THE Australian soccer players’ union report has savaged the A-League’s lack of faith in young players but Adelaide United is bucking the trend.

Players under 21 made up less than 10 per cent of the total games played last season which is worrying.

But Adelaide last season had eight players under 21 — headlined by Ben Garuccio — who played in Guillermo Amor’s campaign.

Reds chairman Greg Griffin says Adelaide is deliberately focusing on youth and improving its scouting network with plans of being a key gateway club.

The Reds plucked Riley McGree and Jordan O’Doherty from outside of Football Federation SA’s pathways program. And Griffin said United’s new coach Marco Kurz was continuing to keep faith in young players.

Kurz is demanding young players — and his senior men — train harder and more frequently than they have been in the past.

The German has called for at least three daily double sessions a week in a bid to get his players up to the higher demands of European soccer should any of his stock be given a chance.

“If young players get to go to Europe they’ll be ready to meet the very high demands,’’ said the former German Bundesliga 1 and 2 coach and 299 games veteran.

“We do have good young talent. Aan example is Pacifique Niyongabire who was given a chance in the NPL team after he trialled last year,’’ Griffin said. “We’ve also had trials in June for a squad of 16 under-16 players for the Zibo Birthplace Cup in October in China where we will play clubs like Atletico Madrid, Arsenal and the Chinese national team. It’s paid for and it’s another wonderful opportunity to see if these young players can take the next step.”

Professional Footballers Australia 2016/17 A-League on Monday released its report which showed Garuccio made 27 appearances, the most amount of games for a young A-League player.

Socceroo McGree, 18, played 17 games for Adelaide before signing for Belgium’s Club Brugge last month and 19-year-old O’Doherty also played 17 Reds games.

Brisbane Roar led the youth stakes with nine players under 21. Sydney FC was the worst performer with just three players.

Adelaide last season also gave valuable game time to Mark Ochieng, 20, gloveman Daniel Margush, 19, current triallist Marc Marino, 21, and former Red George Mells, 20.

The quartet played 24 games collectively.

Adelaide United boss Marco Kur...

I swear the media refuses to say anything nice about the Roar. au had one season of youth players because the board refused to provide funds. Roar has a year to year youth production line. No one rights a gap fest article about it. 

@ lolitsbigmic

Agreed.

Torres gone.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/brisbane/brisbane-roar-not-rushing-massimo-maccarone-in-to-action-confirm-trial-match-with-western-sydney/news-story/a771428322cc49d8eb4f4534fd2b5437

fans newsletter-

Thursday, 03 August 2017.

Brisbane Roar welcome talented young central midfielder Mitchell Oxborrow to the club for the upcoming Hyundai A-League 2017/18 season.

The former Australian U20 International joins Brisbane as a free agent following his departure from Perth Glory.

The 22-year-old brings Hyundai A-League experience to the Roar following stints at Newcastle Jets and the Glory across five seasons and is best known for his composure on the ball as well as his ability to win possession in midfield.

Oxborrow is the Roar’s fourth new signing of the off-season and gives Head Coach John Aloisi another midfield and defensive option.

Roar’s new recruit enjoyed a breakthrough season in Perth Glory’s Hyundai A-League 2015/16 team and is eager to make the most of the next chapter in his career.

“Brisbane is a great club with brilliant fans, and I’m extremely grateful to be given this opportunity,” Oxborrow said.

“My new teammates have made me feel welcome and my focus now is doing my part for the team over the coming months.

“I’m stoked to be here and looking forward to the challenge of helping the club be successful this season.”

Head Coach John Aloisi says he is delighted to have the English-born midfielder in Brisbane and believes Oxborrow’s experience will assist the Roar throughout the upcoming season.

“It is great that a talented young footballer with Hyundai A-League experience like Mitch has joined our club,” Aloisi said.

“We believe he will be a valuable addition to our squad for the upcoming (Westfield) FFA Cup & (Hyundai) A-League campaigns.

“Our squad has a good balance of youth and experience with healthy competition for places.”

Brisbane Roar FC Hyundai A-League 2017/18 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Michael Theo, Jamie Young

Defenders: Daniel Bowles, Corey Brown, Luke DeVere, Jack Hingert, Dane Ingham, Jade North, Connor O’Toole, Avram Papadopoulos

Midfielders: Joe Caletti, Brett Holman, Thomas Kristensen, Matt McKay(c), Mitchell Oxborrow, Jacob Pepper

Attackers: Shannon Brady, Nick D’Agostino, Corey Gameiro, Fahid Ben Khalfallah, Massimo Maccarone

-ENDS-

Shane Stefanutto
BRFC Media Manager
0466 776 064

[Email Signature2.0]

@ Waz
Thanks for the updates. So 2 places in the roster to go. Is Skapetis still vying for one of them? Seems there is a visa spot available. Any trialists at present?
Cheers