A-League Men’s Tackle: Marco Monteverde and Robbie Slater debate big issues

Marco Monteverde and Robbie Slater debate the big A-League Men’s issues in this week’s Tackle.

DISLIKES

ROAR TURNS TO A WHIMPER

Brisbane Roar’s promising start to the season is in danger of counting for nothing after their disastrous 8-1 loss to Melbourne City.

The record defeat was the Roar’s third loss on the trot, with their slide down the A-League ladder continuing.

More significantly, the humiliating thrashing was the Roar’s first game since the departure of head coach Ross Aloisi, who after making a major impact in his short time at the club, quit to become Kevin Muscat’s right-hand man at Chinese club Shanghai Port.

Aloisi’s exit has thrust his former assistant Luc Trani into the spotlight.

Having been appointed as Brisbane’s interim coach until the end of season, Trani made the worst possible start to his tenure.

Losing 8-1 is unacceptable. It’s the heaviest defeat in the history of the Roar, who were once the A-League’s best club.

Excuses – such as City having more money and resources, the shock of Aloisi’s departure and Brisbane’s squad lacking depth – can be made.

However, what we saw last Thursday night was embarrassing, not only for the Roar, but for the entire A-League.

Every time City got the ball, it looked like they were going to score. It was hard to believe the depths the Roar plummeted to after some of their excellent performances earlier in the season.

The pressure – rightly or wrongly – is now well and truly on Trani.

For so long an excellent assistant coach, Trani has waited a long time for a head coaching role.

Brisbane’s players let him down badly against City. Trani deserved better than that from a team that gave so much for Aloisi.

There was a lack of heart, desire, enthusiasm and courage.

Unfortunately for Trani, the timing of the defeat, and more importantly, the shocking performance, could not have been worse.

The Roar had the chance to show they could still prosper without Aloisi, but they blew it, and it’s now Trani copping the brunt of the blame.

This week is huge for Trani if he wants to lose the interim tag and become Aloisi’s permanent replacement.

He must find a way to lift his players and get them to play for him as they did for their former coach.

If he can’t, the Roar can forget about any chance they have of beating an in-form Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

At the very least, the Roar need a performance their fans – who are still coming to terms with the sudden departure of Aloisi – can be proud of.

All is not lost for Brisbane, particularly with the transfer window about to open.

It’s understood Trani and the Roar chief executive officer Kaz Patafta want to sign an experienced centre-forward.

That’s one of two or three additions Brisbane needs to sufficiently bolster to its squad in the next month to ensure the club’s dreams of playing finals football this season remain alive.

Strengthening the squad will also give Trani the chance to prove he’s the right man for the job.

The Roar will conduct a thorough search in the next couple of months for their next permanent coach. Already the likes of Stuart Maclaren, Scott McDonald and Karl Dodd have put their hands up for the gig.

Trani will also be considered for the role, but he can’t afford another heavy defeat after last Thursday’s humiliation.

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WESTERN WOES

Something needs to change at Western United, and fast.

Things seemed on the up after a win over the Roar a couple of weeks ago, but since then, United has fallen back into bad defensive habits.

Eight losses in 10 matches is unacceptable.

United need to strengthen themselves at both ends of the park during the upcoming transfer window.

Off-field woes can’t continue to be used as an excuse for what’s happening on the park.

Coach John Aloisi knows that, and he also realises the consequences if his team keeps losing.

LIKE

BRUNO’S WISE WORDS

It was heartwarming to see Socceroo Bruno Fornaroli spend a few minutes with Adelaide United prodigy Nestory Irankunda after the Victory’s 2-0 weekend win over the Reds at AAMI Park.

Fornaroli could easily have got caught up in the emotion of the win, particularly after scoring a late goal to seal his unbeaten side three valuable points.

However, he made it a priority to give teenage sensation Irankunda, who has had a tough time in recent weeks, a shoulder to lean on.

Often unfairly targeted by rival fans, Irankunda can sometimes let his emotions get the better of him.

However, wearing your heart on your sleeve isn’t a crime.

You could never doubt his desire to help Adelaide United but Irankunda is perhaps putting too much pressure on himself to deliver, particularly after being signed by German giants Bayern Munich.

Whether he’s ready to go to Germany at the end of the season is doubtful. Another couple of years in the A-League would have been ideal for him.

However, wherever his career takes him, Irankunda would be wise to listen to what Fornaroli told him.

At 36, Fornaroli has had a lengthy career that has taken him around the world, and included a stint in Italy’s top-flight.

Any advice he had for Irankunda would have been important and valuable.

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TEAM OF THE ROUND:

(4-1-3-2) Paul Izzo (Melbourne Victory); Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Phillip Cancar (Newcastle Jets), Damien Da Silva (Melbourne Victory), Aziz Behich (Melbourne City); Luke Brattan (Sydney FC); Zinedine Machach (Melbourne Victory), Tolgay Arslan (Melbourne City), Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory); Trent Buhagiar (Newcastle Jets), Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City).

Player of the round: Tolgay Arslan (Melbourne City)