Brisbane Roar hope Roy O’Donovan will soon be an Australian citizen
Brisbane coach Robbie Fowler is desperate to sign at least one playmaker and a key piece of paperwork involving Irish striker Roy O’Donovan will help the Roar’s cause.
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Brisbane Roar are sweating on Irish striker Roy O’Donovan’s Australian citizenship being approved in time for next month’s transfer window.
Roar coach Robbie Fowler is desperate to bring in at least one playmaker to spark Brisbane’s pedestrian attack.
The Roar’s permitted five-player visa quota is currently full with O’Donovan and fellow Irishman Jay O’Shea, English pair Tom Aldred and Macaulay Gillesphey, and Welsh attacker Aaron Amadi-Holloway.
But 34-year-old forward O’Donovan, who has played in the A-League since 2015, is close to becoming an Australian citizen.
It’s understood the former Mariners and Jets marksman’s citizenship may become official on Australia Day.
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But with the window opening on January 3, the Roar are hoping to fast-track the process.
“At the moment we’re done for overseas players, but we’re still waiting to find out about that (O’Donovan’s Australian citizenship),” said Fowler, who is currently restricting his search to Australian players due to the Roar’s visa spots being occupied.
“We’re working on stuff, but it’s not easy finding players, especially Aussie players.
An Aussie player who’s fit is what we want at the moment.
“We’ve made a few offers for Queensland players who have told us they want to come home and when you offer them contracts, they turn them down.
“We probably get used a little bit as bait for players trying to get something else.”
The Roar offered the club’s former player of the year Corey Brown – now with Melbourne Victory – the chance to return to the club in the off season but he said no.
It’s also believed Sydney FC’s former Roar prodigy Michael Zullo wanted to come home to Queensland and was recently offered a contract by Brisbane, only for him to re-sign with the Sky Blues this week.
Former Roar championship-winning midfielder Luke Brattan is yet to re-sign with his current club Sydney FC and could be an option for Brisbane next season.
In the meantime, Fowler must find a way to get the best out of his current squad, who have lost five of their nine matches this season and continue to struggle in attack.
“We need to be more clinical. We need to be better in the final third. Whether it’s a long pass or a short pass, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s the right pass,” he said.
Fowler said he and Western United coach Mark Rudan had smoked the peace pipe after Rudan criticised the Liverpool legend for not waiting to shake his hand after United’s 2-0 at Suncorp Stadium last Friday.
“We’ve spoken to each other a few times since. It’s fine, it’s not a problem,” Fowler said.
“It’s finished. We just draw a line in the sand and move on.”
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