Brisbane Roar under fire for sacking Corey Brown with 25-word statement

Brisbane Roar is at war with Australia’s peak footballers union over the 25-word sacking of a player, which it claims was caused by “serious misconduct”.

Corey Brown in action for the Roar last season. Picture: Getty Images

Brisbane Roar has hit back at Professional Footballers Australia in an escalating war of words between the three-time ALM champions and players union over the increasingly controversial termination of Corey Brown’s contract.

Late Thursday night the Roar released a 25-word statement announcing it had terminated Brown’s contract, which prompted a volatile response from PFA accusing the club of acting unprofessionally.

The Roar hit back on Friday evening, breaking its silence on why Brown’s contract had been terminated, alleging “serious misconduct”.

“Corey Brown was terminated for Serious Misconduct, and the full particulars of that conduct were expressly provided to the player’s representatives, including the PFA,” read the statement on Friday.

The club then went after PFA and co-chief got decisive Beau Busch, who was quoted in the statement on Thursday night.

“The PFA subsequently posted on its website a statement quoting Co-Chief Executive Beau Busch, which contained intemperate and incorrect information about how Brisbane Roar FC operates and its concern for Corey’s wellbeing,” the club said.

“Those statements are rejected entirely by the Club.

“What is not appreciated by the PFA is that the Club has a far broader duty of care to every player in the playing squad. Not just Corey.

We call upon Beau to now disclose his involvement in this investigation and subsequent termination process and to publicly state the PFA position on the issues that gave the Club no option but to terminate his contract for Serious Misconduct.”

Corey Brown (right) in action for Brisbane Roar.

The Roar had previously not indicated why it moved to tear up the 28-year-old defender’s contract, who won the club’s players’ player award in 2016-17, however suggested it would make public the reasons why if pushed by the PFA

“The reasons for Corey’s termination have been unequivocally communicated to the PFA. However, the PFA and the Club have opposed positions regarding the consequences that flow from the factual basis for the termination,” the club said.

“If the PFA wishes to agitate those issues in the public domain, the Club is happy to have these issues ventilated to allow its members and supporters to decide how the Club has dealt with this issue.

“As to the balance of the post, the Club believes that the PFA is better served to examine its own issues than attempting to deflect blame here upon Brisbane Roar FC without any basis.”

Brown, the son of former Socceroos striker Rod Brown, has engaged the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) to have his contract dispute with the Roar heard by the independent committee.

EARLIER REPORT: ROAR’S BIZARRE DISMISSAL OF DEFENDER

Professional Footballers Australia has slammed Brisbane Roar for its “misleading and bizarre” statement announcing the termination of defender Corey Brown’s contract on Thursday evening.

It comes after the Roar released a curt statement announcing Brown’s contract had been terminated by the club.

In the bizarre 25-word release, the club gave no reason as to why the 28-year-older defender’s contract had been torn up.

“Brisbane Roar FC wishes to advise of the termination of the contract of defender Corey Brown. The club wishes him well for his future endeavours,” the Roar statement said.

Brown has 170 A-League Men caps to his name across a career spanning 10 seasons.

He debuted for the Roar in the 2012-13 season, playing 88 games before joining Melbourne Victory for the 2018-19 season.

He returned to the Roar midway through the following campaign, where he has played since.

In response to the Roar’s statement, PFA labelled the three-time A-League Men’s champions a “club (which) continues to operate well below the expected standards of a professional football club”.

Corey Brown (right) is set to legally challenge his dismissal from the Brisbane Roar.

The damming statement from PFA included confirmation that Brown had opened legal proceedings to dispute the termination of his contract.

“As the club is aware, Corey has initiated judicial proceedings to dispute Brisbane Roar’s termination of his contract,” PFA co-chief executive Beau Busch said.

“As a consequence of this legal action, Corey’s contract remains on foot until a final determination is made. This is something the club, deliberately or otherwise, is failing to understand.

“As the club continues to operate well below the expected standards of a professional football club, the PFA’s primary focus remains on protecting Corey’s wellbeing – something the club seems to have little regard for.”

Football Australia on Friday confirmed it had received an application from Brown to have his contract dispute heard by the National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC).

The NDRC has the jurisdiction to determine disputes between players and clubs regarding the status and transfers of players.

Brown was awarded the Gary Wilkins Medal as the club’s players’ player in the 2016-17 season.

He did not feature in the Roar’s penalty shootout win over Avondale FC in the Australia Cup tie on Wednesday night.