Matt Smith quits Brisbane Roar job for coaching role in Thailand

He had only just returned to the Roar for a key off-field role, but club great Matt Smith has left Brisbane for a coaching job in Thailand.

Matt Smith has left his Brisbane Roar off-field role for a coaching job in Thailand. Picture: AAP / Jono Searle

Matt Smith’s return to the Roar has been short-lived, with Brisbane’s former championship-winning captain having left the club to become coach of Thai club BG Panthum United.

After coaching Brisbane City in the NPL Queensland competition. Smith returned to the Roar last month as general manager of the A-League club’s commercial operations.

“I’m excited to play a key role in trying to continue to build the club and I’m looking forward to working with the staff and different communities involved with Brisbane Roar,” Smith said when the Roar announced his appointment on September 8.

However, Smith made a hasty exit, with BG Panthum United – where he spent four years as a player when the club was known as Bangkok Glass – announcing on Sunday his appointment as head coach following last week’s sacking of Makoto Teguramori.

THE WORK BEGINS RIGHT AWAY! 💪🔥🔝

เริ่มงานทันที ไม่รีรอ! 💪🔥🔝

บรรยากาศเบื้องหลังการทำงานวันแรกของ "แมทธิว สมิธ" ณ ศูนย์ฝึก BGPU TRAINING CENTER#BGPU#บีจีปทุมยูไนเต็ด#BGPathumUnited#BGPUONETEAM#ONETEAM#ที่สุดในหนึ่งเดียว#บอลไทย#ฟุตบอลไทย#ไทยลีก#Thaileaguepic.twitter.com/79P8Le12YW

— BGPU OFFICIAL (@bgpuofficial) October 30, 2022

“Very honoured and privileged to become the new head coach of @bgpuofficial,” Smith tweeted.

Roar chairman Chris Fong said the Brisbane club was “supportive” of Smith’s decision and wished him “all the best”.

“It was a business role (at the Roar) and someone in a business role can always be replaced,” Fong said.

“A coaching opportunity has arisen. He didn’t expect this to happen … but footballers are footballers.

“It’s not as if he’d been with us for a while. He has just started in the commercial role with us, so him leaving is not a big disruption.”

The Roar, which has started the A-League season with three draws and a loss from four matches, hosts Sydney FC at Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday.

Originally published as Matt Smith quits Brisbane Roar job for coaching role in Thailand