Robbie Fowler wants his Roar recruits to forge their own identity
Robbie Fowler tells The Courier-Mail’s Marco Monteverde that he’s been happy to take the pressure off his new-look Brisbane Roar squad — until now
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Robbie Fowler has been happy to take the pressure off his new-look Brisbane Roar squad — until now.
With the A-League season starting this week, the time has come for Brisbane players to take responsibility for the fortunes of a club desperate to rebound from a disastrous 2018-19 campaign.
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“There comes a time when I need the players to step up, and have people start talking about them, as opposed to saying it’s ‘Robbie Fowler’s Brisbane Roar’,” the Liverpool legend said.
It’s hardly surprising that Fowler has dominated Roar headlines since being appointed Brisbane coach in April.
The announcement came at a time the three-time A-League champions were at their lowest ebb.
Despite his inexperience as a head coach, Fowler was a global football identity thanks largely to his exploits as Liverpool player.
Dubbed “God” by adoring Reds fans, Fowler’s “divine” intervention came at a perfect time for the Roar, who stumbled from one disaster to another last season.
From the start of pre-season training in July, the Roar narrative has centred on Fowler, rather than the host of new players be brought into the squad following a mass clean-out.
Even in the build-up to Brisbane’s FFA Cup round of 32 clash against Sydney FC in August, the focus was on the game being Fowler’s first competitive outing as Roar coach and how the Sky Blues had been his opponents when he made his A-League playing debut 10 years earlier with North Queensland Fury.
“You’d pick up the papers at the start of the season when we were playing against Sydney in the FFA Cup, and it was Robbie Fowler this, Robbie Fowler that … I never ever would want to disrespect my players, because me as a person, as a coach, I’ve never been a selfish person,” Fowler said.
There's just 6ï¸âƒ£ days to go until Macaulay Gillesphey's first @ALeague season gets underway!#RoarAsOne pic.twitter.com/4ZpWLR0vMe
— Brisbane Roar (@brisbaneroar) October 7, 2019
“It’s never about me, it should be never about managers, it should be about players on the pitch. They’re the ones who should be getting all the column inches.
“I know I’ve had a good career in terms of playing, but it’s not about that now. It’s about picking a team that will go out there and perform to the best of their ability
“We’ll win a lot of games this season, and we’ll win together as a team. I’m not going to win on my own.
“Likewise, if and when we do lose a game, I’m not going to lose on my own. We’re a team. That’s what my career’s always been about.”
Despite his preference to remain in the background, Fowler knows with the spotlight being on him, it has allowed his revamped squad that includes more than a dozen fresh faces — including recently appointed captain Tom Aldred — to quietly go about the business of preparing for the season.
“If people are talking about me, whether it’s my coaching experience, or whether I’m doing a good job, it’s maybe taking the pressure off the players,” he said.
“We all want to get the best out of players, and if it means talking about me and helping the team, then that’s OK.
“But sometimes it also might not be what we’re thinking, because players react to pressure differently. Some players might thrive under it.”
He earned the nickname God for his exploits on the pitch.
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) September 28, 2019
How will Robbie Fowler fare in the dugout with @brisbaneroar? #ALeague #ALeagueBegins 11.10.19 pic.twitter.com/0coXL3ZfcA
Those players will be evident on Sunday when the Roar kick off their A-League season away against a powerful Perth Glory outfit.
Under Tony Popovic, the Glory won the Premier’s Plate last season before losing the grand final in a penalty shootout to Sydney FC.
“They’re an unbelievably good side, with an unbelievably good manager, with unbelievably good players,” Fowler said.
“They’ve probably got the best budget in the league in terms of players they got in, so we know it’s going to be difficult, but we want to play the right way.”
“We had the tough job of bringing in so many new players. Effectively we’re a new team ourselves, but we probably won’t get the leeway the other teams or new teams would get.
“But it doesn’t concern us. We know what we’re doing. We’re doing everything right.”
That includes burying the memories of last season, when the Roar missed the finals for the first time since 2010, finished second last on the ladder and conceded an embarrassing total of 71 goals in 27 A-League games.
“We haven’t mentioned last season because it’s a fresh start for everyone,” Fowler said.
“It’s not me being disrespectful to players. I just had an idea how we can start again and bring in players who are a little but younger, so maybe we can become a little bit fitter and grow.
“It was also about changing the mentality of the players who are still here now from last season, when there was a habit of people getting used to losing.
“I can’t speak highly enough of everyone. I’ve been absolutely chuffed with the way things have gone.
“We have an idea of how we want to play, what we want to do and where we want to go, I couldn’t have asked for any more.”
Originally published as Robbie Fowler wants his Roar recruits to forge their own identity