Roar captain vows to fight back

Roar captain Tom Aldred insists desire exists for the Brisbane jersey among the club’s host of new players still reeling from the 5-1 spanking they copped from Sydney FC.

Kosta Barbarouses of Sydney FC, left, and Roar captain Tom Aldred challenge for the ball at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

Roar captain Tom Aldred insists desire exists for the Brisbane jersey among the club’s host of new players still reeling from the 5-1 spanking they copped from Sydney FC.

An embarrassed Aldred offered no excuses for the weekend debacle at Jubilee Oval, and promised furious Roar fans an improved showing on Friday night when Brisbane host Western United at Suncorp Stadium.

“I know the players on a professional level and I know them on a personal level, and from my dealings with every single player at this football club they care very much,” said Aldred, who was among several players Roar coach Robbie Fowler brought to Brisbane in the off-season from the British lower leagues.

“No one should be in the profession if they’re not hurting after that type of defeat.

“We all really know what we need to do on Friday.”

The former Motherwall defender said Liverpool legend Fowler had every right to rip into his team after the weekend humiliation.

“I’d expect any manager to be stern after that type of defeat. It was a defeat that brings you right back down to earth,” Aldred said.

“It’s one that you have to learn from because after getting beaten like that, you have to learn a lot about not just yourselves but characters within the group. Going forward, we need characters to step up.”

Aldred will address his players before Friday’s match with a simple but clear message.

“The message from me as a captain would be that we have to do the right things in a game and put on performances worthy of winning a football match,” he said. “The performance last Saturday wasn’t worthy of winning any football match. It’s something we all have to learn from, both as a team and individually.”

Aldred would not be surprised if Fowler swung the selection axe, but promised that whoever played on Friday night would be fully committed to the Roar cause and were passionate about the three-time A-League champions.

“The lads that haven’t played (against Sydney) will be thinking they have an opportunity to stake a claim from the start after that type of performance,” he said. “The passion and all those bits and pieces that the fans want to see, it’s up to the players to show that on the pitch, and hopefully we’re having a different conversation soon and we’re not having to question those type of characteristics that attract fans.”

“It’s just a case for us as a team to show it more on a regular basis.”

The Courier-Mail