A-League 2020: Brisbane Roar coach Robbie Fowler remains stood down as training resumes
Robbie Fowler’s future as Brisbane Roar coach has been further clouded, saying he remains stood down - despite training resuming.
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Robbie Fowler’s future as Brisbane Roar coach has been further clouded after the Liverpool legend was linked with a move to Birmingham City.
Fowler remains stood down from his Roar role despite most of the Brisbane squad having returned to training last Friday ahead of the A-League season’s resumption on July 16.
Fowler and his right-hand man, Brisbane technical director Tony Grant, flew home to England in late March after the A-League season was suspended due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite the season’s imminent restart and the pair needing to go into quarantine for two weeks if and when they return to Brisbane, Fowler and Grant remain in the UK.
Fowler told British football show Soccer AM he was “waiting for info back off my club”.
“The players are back in training but I am still stood down,” he said.
“I’ve put some info to the club to get me over and at the minute it looks like they are not going to get me a flight so it looks like it might really be up to me to try and make that move.
“Obviously with me being a foreigner as such, it just seems I am not a priority if that makes sense.”
“With me being the manager stuck in the UK I am still stood down so it’s a little bit of a nightmare but we’ll have to wait and see how this one turns out.”
Roar CEO David Pourre last week told The Courier-Mail that Fowler and Grant would return to Brisbane as “quickly as possible”.
However, British reports have touted Fowler as a contender for the coaching job at English Championship club Birmingham City, whose current coach Pep Clotet is stepping down at the end of the season.
Assistant Brisbane coach Darren Davies, who was the Roar’s interim head coach last season in tough circumstances following the departure of John Aloisi, will again run training today (MONDAY).
Roar attacking weapon Brad Inman, who has been linked with a move to the Indian Super League, is yet to return to Brisbane training.
The fourth-placed Roar are scheduled to resume their 2019-2020 campaign on July 19 against Adelaide United.
Matilda lands glorious gig with European heavyweight
By Marco Monteverde
Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter is poised to join European women’s football heavyweights Olympique Lyon.
The French club, six-time European Champions League winners, announced they had reached an agreement with Carpenter’s American club Portland Thorns to sign the 20-year-old.
It’s a massive move for Carpenter, who will be joining a squad loaded with some of the biggest names in women’s football including Norwegian star Ada Hegerberg.
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Carpenter becomes the third Australian to join a French club after Melbourne City teammate Emma Checker announced her switch to FC Fleury 91 earlier this week.
Teenager Mary Fowler moved to Montpellier earlier this year.
As well as their European titles, Lyon have dominated France’s Division 1 Feminine, claiming the championship 14 times.
After debuting in the W-League for Western Sydney Wanderers as a 15-year-old in 2015, Carpenter debuted for Australia a year later as a 16-year-old. She made history in 2018 when she debuted in the NWSL for Portland at 18 years and 11 days, making her the youngest player in the North American league’s history.
She would also become the youngest scorer in NWSL history.
A member of Australia’s 2019 Women’s World Cup squad, Carpenter has made 42 appearances for the Matildas.
Her move to Lyon will be confirmed following the opening of the transfer season next month and pending a medical.
Originally published as A-League 2020: Brisbane Roar coach Robbie Fowler remains stood down as training resumes