Brisbane Roar have taken their first steps in the Robbie Fowler revolution.
After a disastrous Hyundai A-League 2018/19 campaign that saw the club finish ninth and set a league record for goals conceded (71), Fowler has been aggressive in the transfer market, already bringing in 10 new faces.
The majority of those were on the pitch at the club’s City of Logan training base as Fowler took control of training for the first time on Monday.
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“We’ve worked hard in the off-season, brought in a lot of players and you have probably seen the fruits of the rewards when you see everyone on the training pitch,” Fowler told Roar’s official website.
“We had a plan to bring in players who we think can take us to the next level.
“The players who we brought in, there’s probably 90% of the ones we wanted that are here… we’ve worked hard to get them.
“And Brisbane Roar will benefit from having the players we have signed.”
One of those new recruits is Fowler’s very first signing, Irish striker Roy O’Donovan, who joined the three-time Hyundai A-League Champions after his exit from Newcastle Jets in May.
A prolific scorer at both the Jets and Central Coast Mariners since coming Down Under in 2015, the 33-year-old will be tasked with leading the line for the new-look Roar.
“There’s a great buzz and there’s a real good feel around the place,” O’Donovan said.
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“The lads that were here last year, they’re excited with the new faces that are coming through the door and everyone is out on that training pitch this morning trying to impress.
“There’s a lot of competition for places and we want to put smiles on the faces of supporters this year…we want success.”
Roar players will be hard at work for the next couple of weeks before their first pre-season hit-out against NPL outfit Redlands United on Saturday, July 13.
They will also play matches against Brisbane City (July 20) and Gladstone Select XI (July 27) before their FFA Cup 2019 Round of 32 clash against Sydney FC at Leichhardt Oval on Wednesday, August 7 (kick-off 7.30pm).
