Reds on alert: keep hands off Halloran

Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek has taken aim at his Brisbane Roar counterpart Robbie Fowler.

Adelaide’s Ben Halloran is off contract at the end of the season Picture: Getty Images

Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek has taken aim at his Brisbane Roar counterpart Robbie Fowler for expressing an interest in the services of Reds star Ben Halloran for next season.

Former Roar attacker Halloran, whose Adelaide contract expires in May, returns to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday when Brisbane host the Reds in a crucial A-League contest.

Brisbane are five points adrift of fifth-placed Adelaide and, in the battle for top-six spots, don’t want to fall further behind the South Australians.

Halloran looms as a key factor on Saturday night, with the former Socceroo’s recent form — including a brace in Adelaide’s 3-1 last-start win over Melbourne City — having caught the attention of Fowler, who this week told The Weekend Australian that the Cairns product had been discussed as a potential recruitment target for next season.

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Fowler was on Friday asked again about Halloran, saying the ex-Gold Coast United prodigy was among a host of players the Roar were eyeing off for next season.

“There’s lots of players who are off contract and we look at them all,” the Liverpool legend said.

“Ben’s on the back of a little bit of form himself, and scored a couple of goals last week. I think he’ll want to do well every week regardless of who he’s up against and what managers are looking at him.

“It’s football. He wants to play and score goals every week. It’s our job to try to stop that.”

Fowler’s comments earnt the ire of Adelaide’s Dutch coach.

“I think it’s not polite to talk about players from my team,” Verbeek said. “I don’t talk about players from his team.”

Fowler also discussed the return of Stefan Mauk to Suncorp Stadium in what will be the midfielder’s first appearance for the Reds since parting ways with Brisbane last week. “It’ll be good to see him but we’ve only seen him a few days ago,” Fowler said.

“Things happen in football. Sometimes you’re in the manager’s players or not — it’s the way the football world is.

“He coming here, he’ll probably want to do well but likewise he’ll probably want to do well in every game he plays.

“It’s going to be a tough game for him, but it’s up to our lads to try to combat whatever he throws at us.”