Can’t fault this one. Fixes a huge gap in the team. Need one more CB though 

Kilkenny played Premier League, Championship and League One while Lowry played in the Championship and League One (mainly Championship).

This bloke has played nearly entirely in League Two and Ajose last played in League Two as well. Both of these guys are nowhere near good enough (on paper) and if Roar sign both, I can see them finishing below CCM.

Yeah but nah. 

The one one thing we have learned over the years is you can’t make predictions on visa players like that. 

Aldred in particular looks a good option but we don’t know until he plays. 

Bury fans seem thrilled to see him go. If fans of a League Two side think he's shit, then he ain't gonna be good enough for the HAL.

Agreed, so we have 3 more import signings left right? 
So another CB, Midfielder and striker?

How many times do we have to say it, :laugh: Its like a broken record on here.

4 unless they’ve signed O’Donnavan? 

But yeah I’d be looking at CB, DM, Midfielder (right or left sided, possibly both) and a striking partner for Wenzel-Halls 

lol .... because fans posting on the internet are so rational and impartial 

(have you learned nothing from this site??) 

👏

seeing as we have not yet officially signed anyone we need 2 CBs, 2 wingers (left and right), a striker and; cover FB, cover Midfield utility. Lots of signings to come.

Well that's true but I still think this is an appalling signing.

Yeah, and that’s cool. You might be right, you might not. This guys just done two seasons in the Scottish Premier League so, maybe? 

(If this is true) then it’s an insight into Fowlers thinking - it looks like he’s going to stick close to home with players and coaches he knows. 

I saw a tweet linking us with both Aldred and Sean Mcconville from Accrington.  Looks to be a goal scoring number 11, scored 15 goals this season.

Courier Mail running a story this morning that Aldred and O’Donovan have signed. Story is behind a paywall though. 

I managed to see the story on my phone, the article said the other club offered more money more O'Donovan, I'm guessing WSW but he chose Brisbane, aren't we lucky :laugh:
Even though I'm not the most supportive of this signing, I hope he proves me wrong and gets the golden boot if true, will try to be positive. 

The best thing about O’Donovan’s signing is Wenzil-Halls. They should make a perfect combination. 

I can agree on that, I probably need to go back and watch more of O'Donovan, if I remember correctly he can hold up the ball pretty well.
Could be a great combination.

After last season I’ll be happy with anyone who has a bit of ticker, and hates losing.

If we are going to end up with 100 minute  players ,who run and scrap for every ball,then its going to be a good season,regardless of the result.
After the pathetic years of poor fitness and apathy under JA,give me some mongrel!
I believe in Fowler.Lol

I agree with you, the Roar defence is recent years has been a bit of a catastrophe. Don't forget that before signing for NQ Fury, Smith was in English non-league and the now defunct QSL. So the rationale would be that he was a super poor player on paper, who was signed and then made the most of his opportunity: go figure.

The hope would be with these lower league signings is that Fowler/Grant have identified the ones who have the tools required, but have made poor club choices in regards to playing time, and their role within the team. Aldred has spent the last 2 seasons playing in the SPL for a mid-table side, so he's not going to be a world-beater by any means. But what the Roar have lacked at the back [from a neutrals view] is a mongrel who can bark instructions and tell players where to be, and who himself knows where to be too. If he can be that player for them, he'd probably worth a lot more than the initial salary that he'll get, which I imagine won't be too much tbh.

If you look at the recent imports in the league that came from better leagues [ie. Spanish Segunda - Lopez and Baena, Danish Superliga - Mikkelsen, Ligue 2 - Berenguer, Bundesliga - Niedermeier, Greek Superleague - Llorente, Eredivisie - van der Linden] then you'd see a host of players that are in quite good leagues, but one could argue that every single one of them failed in the A-League. Coming from a good league doesn't guarantee you a good player, it just lowers the odds of you signing a bad one.

That’s a good comment.

Roars visa signings have been very hit n miss for a long while. It seems to me that there hasn’t been a strategy or plan for getting these players in and that Roar have often been “sold too” by agents and relying on YouTube out-takes to assess individual players. That I think has resulted in Roar using proxies to try and assess how good they actually are eg what division do they come from, country, have they represented their country and latterly, signing older players with experience and a track record. 

Something though has been missing as we’ve had a run of poor visa players. Generally our best visa players have come when someone from the club has seen them and been involved in their signing not just meeting them for the first time when they step off a plane in late August or September at Brisbane airport. 

Hopefully Fowler has a formula he’s working too, that might become apparent when more signings are known but based on the rumours/names linked so far it might look something like: 

- Born, raised and most likely still playing in the UK/Ireland football system. Basically English speaking as a first language 

- Solid youth career where they showed genuine potential probably at a good Academy and/or with a handful of junior age rep games for their country. 

- A proven playing career with regular games of 30+ matches each season; but a career where they clearly didnt realise their potential and played plenty of games but drifted from club to club and division to division doing it. 

- Age 25-30, old enough to have gained playing experience, fitness and football “nouse” and with a realisation their career didn’t follow the path they hoped 

- Age 25-30, young enough to take an opportunity overseas with a chance to prove themselves in another country’s top division. 

I think transfers for a lot of clubs worldwide are going down the toilet, due to an over-reliance on technology rather than a scouts eye. Scouting is 99.9% dead due to websites that do all that type of work for the clubs [get the games, edit them, etc. - all for a nice tidy subscription fee]. What the people that do the editing for those sites don't see/show is the players body language when he doesn't have the ball, his attitude when things aren't going right for him, etc. They only show the players highlights - none of his "lowlights"!

I think there would be easily be enough talented players, even at League 1 and League 2 level to come here and play in Australia and do well. Adam Le Fondre spent 10 seasons in League 1 and League 2 before getting the chance to play 5 seasons in the Championship and 1 season in the EPL. I think you could probably find a better striker than O'Donovan to sign in all honesty, but given that he's been in Aus since 2015: he'll be a case for naturalization soon, and thus not take up a visa spot.

Agreed. 

Although i I actually think signing O’Donnovan is smart business. All visa players are a risk and Fowler knows he needs goals next season, Big Roy is proven in Australia, good for 11-15 goals a season, and a good partner for Wenzel-Halls 

One of the difficulties in a salary capped league is allocation of money.
so if Fowler can get some solid visa players at a lower cost and keep some extra money up his sleeve for a few star  players in key positions,he will do well.

Maybe a cheaper solid  defender is part of that strategy.Fowler has always been good with money.
...In Fowler we Trust.....:)

At least there's some activity.  Hopefully the announcements start soon.

Exiled in Australia since 2017, Eric Bauthéac, whose contract with Brisbane Roar has just ended, would not be against a return to a French or European club. "In great shape", the attacker says he is "open to everything".

"After two seasons at Brisbane Roar (Australian D1), how are you doing today?

I'm at the end of my contract. I have not wanted to extend to Australia at this time, although I have received offers. I've known for two months that I won't stay in Brisbane. But other bigger Australian clubs are on my list because I'm coming out of a big season (7 goals). I'm free, it could be a great opportunity for them.

You want to give yourself time to think.

Exactly. I wanted an experience abroad to discover another culture. I lived my adventure to the full for a year and a half, I enjoyed it there. At the country level, it was incredible. On a human level, it was an exceptional experience. After that, at the football level, I didn't take the pleasure I could have had elsewhere. So today I say to myself, "Why not come back to Europe, France or elsewhere?" I am in contact with some interesting clubs. I'm only 31 years old, I feel in great shape, maybe better than when I played in Ligue 1. I'm on the market.

From a sporting point of view, what do you remember about this trip to the A-League?

It's a football that looks like the one played in England, different from the one we see in France, more physical. Teams want to score goals instead of not taking them. That's nice. It's nice. The problem is that our four defenders were injured at the beginning of the season. So we had to work on it until the end. It was a disaster (Brisbane finished 9th and penultimate). We took 3, 4 or even 5 goals per game. Even if we scored, we always took one more. It was very frustrating for me, because I wasn't used to picking up suitcases every weekend.

"I miss the European rhythm and the atmosphere in the stadiums."

To choose, which Championship will you prefer from now on?

I want to say that I am open to anything. I have even received proposals from India. I was on the other side of the world, a little out of the radar, I can only get closer. I am ready to try why not a new challenge abroad or to come back to France.

Have any French clubs approached you yet?

The Championship is not over and the mercato has not started. I have to be patient. I have a few keys on the right, on the left. But for now, it's just interest. It's a little early.

Before the end of your career, where would you like to play?

The Premier League is necessarily something that makes me excited, the Liga the same. These are games that fit me as well. If there is a great challenge, with a great team and a good coach, that would be fine with me. In my life, I have played everything, the maintenance, Europe...

It almost seems as if you want to start a second career...

After leaving for the ends of the earth, people forgot about me here. When you go abroad, you are no longer calculated. I want to get back to the European rhythm, the intensity of the training, I miss it a little bit, the atmosphere in the stadiums too. I like to play when there's pressure. There was none there, really.

Not exactly being kind to Australian football and Roar in particular. 

Interesting he says we started Ted the season with 4 injured defenders, Aloisi was adamant he didn’t need to strengthen in that area this time last year. Utter garbage from him in that regard. 

The Nix have released 6 players, I hope the Roar aren't looking at them.

Would you be more inclined to believe Aloisi or Bauthéac?

Obviously early days, but it will be interesting doing a comparison of how Fowler's squad compares to the likes of Glory who set the standard this season, given their squad is largely set for next season already. 
Don't like being negative, but looking at who I assume might be starting next season:

• O'Toole vs Davidson
• Hingert vs Franjic
• Striking options of DWH and O'Donovan vs Keogh and Fornaroli
• Mauk vs Castro

castro will be 37 next year and will be on a downward slide. although he was fantastic this season there were points where his age really showed, i believe it may be a bit of a cliff for him next season, particularly as he has not been known for his off season restraint. Keogh at 34 is the same, there were points where his age was showing this season. Roy is the same age which is a little worrying, i cant say i saw much of Newcastle this season so cant tell if his age was a factor at any point. 

Otoole and Hingert arnt really fair comparisons as perth play 3/5 at the back so Franjic and davidsons roles are quite different to Hingert, otoole. i believe Franjic and Davidson would not look so hot if they didnt have the defensive cover that they do.