Preseason training pics:

https://www.brisbaneroar.com.au/news/gallery-pre-season-day-1

Squad looks happy.

It must be difficult to train knowing next season starts in four months!
How on earth do you train to get to peak fitness in October without burning out during the season?

Completely agree, and obviously having four stellar imports (such as Sydney FC) is much better than having five duds (like Wellington). However if Brisbane had used their 5th visa spot, and perhaps that player was an amazing find who scored goals for fun, perhaps we could have finished higher on the ladder and had a better run in the finals. Similarly, had Jets used all of their visa spots, perhaps they could have overtaken Sydney FC? 

Overall it comes down to the quality of the import (which is always a risk), and like you said, how well they gel with the other players. 

FFA cup round of 32 is just over 6 weeks away. A-league clubs have to get it together now to be ready without risking injury and to be competitive. Results dependent, some clubs could face 4 extra competitive games before the season even starts.

Ideally with the international breaks now observed we would push the start of the season back to late August again and have the FFA cup final on a standalone weekend to give it the respect it deserves. But really, competitive games are not far away at all.

I am actually very excited we have pretty much a full and fit squad ready to do a full preseason starting right now.

It must be hard I agree. But they do have 8 or 9 friendly games lined up plus hopefully more than one FFA Cup game between July and October.

I believe the players also get a week off at some point as well.

Fabio Ferreira released by SFC. Always liked the bloke.

I realise they have friendlies and FFA Cup,I just wonder what level of fitness they aim for at what time.Peak fitness two months out or one month out?Cruising with .75% fitness for two months?
It would be interesting to know the strategy.

Yeah solid squad player

Craig Moore tweeting that this time last season Roar tried to sign Taggart, Mikkelsen and Mauk but “failed” ... so we ended up with Maccarone, Khalfallah and Oxborrow instead???

Interesting if true, its good they were after them but at the same time they could have done better than the three they got. 

Sounds like Moore is changing the narrative a bit. FBK was known before the season even ended.
I hope Eric has a huge year this year - had the season to get used to the physical nature of the league this season gone

Wasn't Taggart was already contracted to Perth, meaning they would have had to agree to release him (which wouldn't happen)? Same story with Mikkelson, as he was contracted as well, although apparently wasn't getting a whole lot of time so wouldn't surprise me if they would have been okay with releasing him. 

Didn't see anything about Mauk in the tweet, but if it was between us and City at that point, surely the choice would have been obvious for him. 

Yeah, I don’t know what to think about last seasons recruitment.

The first signing was FBK which was a disappointment and greeted as such by fans and then Oxborrow which was even more disappointing. And it never really went up from there, not until Bautheac arrived but even that was botched as he didn’t arrive until after R2.

Anyway, that’s in the past and in typical Roar fashion we have a whole new set of people driving the bus and any lessons learned from last years recruitment effort probably left with the people concerned.

Let's just leave it with Alex Song and Stef Nigro 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

👍

That sounds like utter bullshit to be honest.

HA HA ... people on twitter referencing a rumour Alex Song is being chased by Roar, even asking “The Walker”.

Source of the rumour ... 442 forum 😂

:laugh:

Loved this video, shows off the new facilities really well too:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156305083893536&id=78390538535

Itching for more info on these last two squad players. I feel like if we don't hear anything this week we won't until after the Socceroos are punted from the WC and then we are entering JA excuse land of "disrupted preseason"

@ BrissyRoo

I don’t think there’s any need to panic, the squads almost done at 21/23.

There’ll be little money left in the cap so one player will be a cheap squad filler and may even be a youth promotion.

The visa/marquee is the interesting one obviously and that may take until July when all the European squad movements start to settle down.

Main thing I’d they’ve got all the key positions covered, the icing on the cake is that DM

To be honest I’d take Matthew Spiranovic on the marquee deal and Stefan Nigro as the final squad place.

Not sure we need another CB unless JA is thinking 3ATB again with Spira-Papa-LDV. Would be great if he knew how to coach it.

Young
Spira-Papa-LDV
Jack-TK-Caletti-OToole
Eric-Tagz-Tobi

I'd watch it.

The perfect signing would be a DM not CB but Avraam/Spiranovic would’ve one hell of a partnership .... just leaves LDV as a spare part

Young
Spira-Papa-LDV
Jack-TK-Caletti-OToole
Eric-Tagz-Tobi


Mauk ??

Maybe for Caletti but 3-4-3 doesn't usually have a #10. Mostly just highlights why we don't need Spira.
And even considering playing a Spira-TK midfield combo would be suicide. They would be the most pedestrian tandem in league history almost.

@ BrissyRoo

The thought of JA starting the season with a three at the back experiment does my head in 🤪 so no, I was thinking he’d slot in at CB alongside Avraam in a 4-2-3-1 formation pushing LDV to the bench.

That still leaves us light at the two DM positions admitedlg which would need to be covered by TK, Mackay, Caletti, Nigro (if signed) and Pepper ... that doesn’t fill me with confidence mind you

There is of course the question, could Mauk play DM?

Waz,
Mauk looks like the type of player that would fit in anywhere in the midfield , pretty sure Adelaide played him as a 6 a couple of years ago .
Are we signing Spira or just a rumour ?