Robbie Fowler learning on the job as Roar seek a much-needed win
The Brisbane Roar are battling near the bottom of the A-League table, but coach Robbie Fowler says their problems can be fixed.
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Robbie Fowler admits he’s still learning about the A-League coaching game as he attempts to dig Brisbane Roar out of their current hole.
The Roar are out for redemption on Friday night when they host Western United at Suncorp Stadium.
Thrashed 5-1 last Saturday by Sydney FC, the Roar, and their coach Fowler, are at an early crossroads heading into the ninth match of their campaign.
Eight points from eight matches is not the start Fowler wanted, particularly after concerns were raised about his coaching inexperience when he was given the job to repair the mess after Roar’s disastrous 2018-19 campaign.
But the Liverpool legend remains confident in his own coaching ability and that after last weekend’s “eye-opener”, the problems can be fixed.
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“I don’t feel any pressure whatsoever,” Fowler said.
“Any team on any given day can beat anyone in this A-League.
“All this year we’ve been relatively good, regardless of what people have said about us and our performances.
“Of course, I was massively disappointed (with the 5-1 loss). I was probably hurting more than anyone after the game but you can’t be hurting too long.
“You’ve got to go out there and try to rectify what happened.”
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While backing his coaching ability, Fowler conceded the nuances of the A-League salary cap had him puzzled.
“It’s been a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I don’t know how teams do it,” he said in reference to the cap.
“You look at Sydney last week when we played them. There are players on the mega, mega deals.
“I know there’s a way round salary caps. I’m still learning.”
A-League scheduling has also baffled Fowler, who said newcomers Western United had been “looked after” in the early stages of Victorian club’s maiden campaign.
“They’ve left Melbourne twice in nine weeks, whereas we’ve had a tough challenge in terms of where we’ve been, the games we’ve played, so it’s probably been a little bit easier (for them),” he said.
“But saying that, they’ve put in good performances.”
Those performances include a 3-1 home win over Melbourne Victory last Sunday.
Former Roar star Besart Berisha scored twice for the winners, and will chase his 100th A-League victory when he returns to Suncorp Stadium tonight.
“We have to understand, Brisbane will be really difficult to play,” Berisha told SEN radio.
“They lost on the weekend and they want to bounce back. We have to prepare for a very difficult game.”
Berisha is the A-League’s leading all-time scorer with 120 goals in 194 appearances.
“Having been in the A-League so long, I feel personally, we’re doing really great,” he said of United.
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