Brisbane Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich backs himself in as coach, confirms star teenager Thomas Waddingham’s impending departure
An adamant Ruben Zadkovich insists he will continue to lead a struggling Brisbane outfit with the Roar coach also confirming the departure of a star striker following Saturday’s loss to Melbourne City.
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Brisbane Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich has overseen the worst start to a season by any team in A-League Men history, but is adamant removing him from his job would not address the significant issues that are plaguing the beleaguered club.
Winless Brisbane have earned just two points from their first 12 games and their fifth loss in a row to Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday evening extended their winless streak to a club worst 15 matches, dating back to last season.
“I try not to make it about myself, I try and make it about the club and the context of the club,” Zadkovich said.
“It’s been a steady decline for Brisbane Roar over a longer period. There’s been a lot of reasons why we end up in this position and there’s a lot of context around it.
“We don’t have the luxury, let’s say, of a Melbourne City to go deep into our academy through the years and bring through products that understand your formations over six and seven years and go through athletic profiling and position profiling to find the right players. We have to be very resourceful.
“There’s also been budget cuts and those financial cuts play a big part on every team, but they play a big part on us probably more so than some of the others who have the luxury to be able to just find that money from somewhere else and continue on.
“I think it’s important that we have clarity on the context and I think it’s important that, in these tough times, it’s my job to lead and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Zadkovich said the most important thing that Brisbane need to do is rebuild their academy and start producing their own players.
“That can help you financially ... you don’t have to go outside your state to go and get them,” he said.
In a move that has the potential to significantly improve the Roar’s finances, Zadkovich confirmed the sale of talented 19-year-old striker Thomas Waddingham. He is strongly rumoured to be joining English club Portsmouth.
“There’s been a lot of interest around Tommy, and rightfully so,” Zadkovich said.
“I’m not going to talk about the inner workings of that deal, but let’s just say it’s a positive for Tommy and his career and it’s a positive for our club financially.
“That doesn’t happen by chance - that happens by backing one of our own young scholars through a difficult period of this rebuild.
“Another positive that we’ve actually got a sale and it progresses the club forward and progresses his career.
“If it’s good business for us and we can use that to try and strengthen our men’s team (in the transfer window).”
Despite the black clouds hanging over the club, Zadkovich insisted they were united.
“The team and the staff and the players and the people inside our four walls are very resolute with where we’re going long term,” he said.
“And while we’re disappointed – yes it is a results based industry, and yes we want to win and yes we’re pushing to try and get results – we also have to take the positives that come with this pain and suffering that we’re in.”
Rising Roar star set to depart as Jets score late winner
Marco Monteverde
Teenage sensation Thomas Waddingham might have played his final home game for Brisbane as the Roar slumped to yet another loss on Tuesday night.
The Roar’s shocking A-League season continued at Suncorp Stadium where they were beaten 1-0 by fellow battlers Newcastle.
Brisbane remains the only A-League team without a win this season having picked up just two points from a possible 33.
However, Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich’s job somehow doesn’t seem under threat as he continues to be backed by the club’s chief executive officer Kaz Patafta.
“Something’s got to change,” former championship-winning Roar midfielder Erik Paartalu told Paramount Plus.
Zadkovich blamed “financial constraints” for the club’s poor season.
“We have to stay very focused and very resilient in these tough times,” Zadkovich said.
“We have to focus on the longer term vision for this club, which is to build out of this.”
The Roar’s task is set to become even harder with 19-year-old Waddingham, regarded as one of Australia’s best young strikers, poised to leave the club when the transfer window opens next week.
English Championship club QPR has submitted a bid for Waddingham, while Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday are also interested in the youngster.
His final appearance for the Roar could be on Saturday against Melbourne City at AAMI Park.
Waddingham was a notable absentee from Brisbane’s starting team on Tuesday night, but entered the contest in the final half-an-hour as the Roar searched for a goal.
While the Jets were the better team in the first-half, the hosts lifted after the break and created a handful of chances in an exciting 15-minute burst.
Substitute Sam Klein was heavily involved, twice forcing saves out of Newcastle goalkeeper Ryan Scott.
The 20-year-old midfielder should have then scored with a header from point-blank range in the 61st minute after being found at the far post by a beautifully placed free-kick from Keegan Jelacic.
However, Klein somehow failed to hit the target
The Roar were left to rue that missed chance 13 minutes later when substitute Lachlan Rose put the Jets head.
Fed by a superb first-time ball across the face of Brisbane’s penalty area by Thomas Aquilina, Rose timed his run to the far post to perfection to score his first A-League goal since April 2023 during his stint with Macarthur.
It was enough to secure the Jets just their third win of the season.
Newcastle coach Rob Stanton was delighted with not only his side’s win but also the Jets keeping a clean sheet.
“I’m really proud of the players. We had to dig deep,” Stanton said.
Technology needed
Earlier, the lack of goal-line technology in the A-League may have cost Newcastle a goal in the 27th minute.
A left-footed strike from Jets midfielder Callum Timmins was too good for Roar goalkeeper Macklin Freke before hitting the underside of the crossbar.
While the ball bounced away to safety, replays suggest it might have crossed the goal-line after dropping down from the woodwork.
However, with no goal-line technology, and the absence of a camera on the goal-line, there wasn’t enough concrete evidence for a goal to be awarded.
The Jets continued to attack and should have scored in the 31st minute when former Brisbane midfielder Eli Adams fed teammate Aquilina.
But with only keeper Freke to beat, Aquilina’s shot was weak and directed too close to the grateful Brisbane custodian.
Newcastle had another chance seven minutes later, but the crossbar again came to the Roar’s rescue as it took the full brunt of a stinging half-volley from Adams.
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