2007–08 Queensland Roar FC season

The 2007–08 Queensland Roar season was the club's third season participating in the A-League where they would finish in fourth place in the regular season.

Queensland Roar FC
2007–08 season
ChairmanJohn Ribot
ManagerFrank Farina
A-League4th
Pre-Season Cup3rd
Top goalscorerLeague: Reinaldo – 6 Goals
All: Reinaldo – 9 Goals
Highest home attendance36,221 v Sydney FC
Lowest home attendance8,815 v Central Coast Mariners
Average home league attendance18,556

2007–08 season edit

Failure to qualify for the 2006–2007 finals series resulted in the release from contract of defenders Chad Gibson (the club's first captain and A-league pin-up boy) and Swiss import Remo Buess. Both left on good terms with the club during January 2007 stating that the team had to be altered to make it more competitive in the future.

In further evidence of "spring cleaning" in preparation for Season 3, Chinese signing Yuning Zhang was released from an inauspicious contract with the Roar. Billed as the Chinese David Beckham, Zhang underwhelmed Roar supporters and will return to China in search of a club within the local scene there.

Danny Tiatto has signed a two-year contract with Queensland Roar, becoming Frank Farina's first 07/08 signing . Tiatto, who has played in England for the past 11 years for Leicester City and Manchester City, agreed to terms with Queensland after Melbourne declined to sign him.

Farina has highlighted his favoritism toward young Queensland and indeed Australian players with the signings for the 2007–08 season of highly rated Queenslanders and Youth International Strikers Robbie Kruse and Tahj Minniecon, as well as attacking Midfielder Mitch Nichols. Also, the contracts of highly rated 20-year-olds Chris Grossman and Ben Griffin have been renewed, while Farina has given two-year contracts to Queenslanders Under-17 International Striker Tahj Minniecon and Under-20 and AIS Scholarship holder Robbie. These signings have all made the Roar a team of bright, young talent, predominantly Queenslanders which is Farina's focus.

Queensland Roar's German import Marcus Wedau has been released from the remaining year of his contract by the A-League club on compassionate grounds. Wedau, 31, will return to Germany to be with his pregnant partner who is expecting their first child in October.

On 25 July 2007, Craig Moore was unveiled as the new marquee player for the Roar, returning to his native home state of Queensland, Australia, to play in the 2007/2008 Hyundai A-League Season and the 2008–2009 season[1][2]

Squad edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   AUS Liam Reddy
2 MF   AUS Andrew Packer
4 DF   AUS Craig Moore (marquee and captain)
5 DF   AUS Josh McCloughan
6 DF   AUS Stuart McLaren
7 MF   AUS Michael Zullo (youth)
8 MF   AUS Massimo Murdocca
9 FW   SCO Simon Lynch
10 FW   AUS Ante Milicic
11 FW   BRA Reinaldo
12 FW   AUS Tahj Minniecon (youth)
No. Pos. Nation Player
13 FW   AUS Zoran Petrevski
14 DF   AUS Ben Griffin
15 MF   AUS Matt McKay
16 MF   KOR Hyuk-Su Seo
17 MF   AUS Mitch Nichols (youth)
18 MF   AUS Danny Tiatto
19 DF   AUS Sasa Ognenovski
21 MF   AUS Chris Grossman (youth)
22 FW   AUS Robbie Kruse (youth)
23 MF   BRA Marcinho
30 GK   AUS Griffin McMaster (injury cover)

Trialists edit

Position Name Current club
FW Victor Fenehia Mitchelton FC
DF Blake Charity AIS
DF Joel Peach AIS
FW Gareth Musson Mitchelton FC

Transfers edit

In edit

Name Position Moving from
Danny Tiatto Midfield Leicester City  
Tahj Minniecon Forward AIS
Robbie Kruse Forward AIS
Chris Grossman Midfield AIS / Rochedale Rovers
Mitch Nichols Midfield Palm Beach
Matthew Ham Goalkeeper Brisbane Wolves
Griffin McMaster Goalkeeper Mount Gravatt Hawks
Michael Zullo Midfield Brisbane City Soccer Club
Marcinho   Forward São Paulo FC  
Craig Moore Defender Newcastle United FC  
Zoran Petrevski Forward Preston Lions

Out edit

Name Position Moving to
Chad Gibson Defender Released: contract not renewed
Remo Buess   Defender Released: contract not renewed
Yuning Zhang   Forward Released: contract not renewed
Dario Vidosic Midfield 1. FC Nürnberg  
Spase Dilevski Midfield FC Universitatea Craiova  
Marcus Wedau   Midfield Released: compassionate grounds
Tom Willis Goalkeeper Released: contract not renewed
Ante Milicic Forward Free Transfer: Shahzan Muda FC (December 2007)

Foreign player

Marquee

Pre-season edit

Date Home team Score Away team Stadium Scorers
30 May 2007 Palm Beach Sharks 0–5 Queensland Roar Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre, Gold Coast, Queensland McCloughan   7', Marcinho   30', Minniecon   44', Murdocca   60', Peach   66'
5 June 2007 Queensland Roar 3–0 Brisbane City Luxury Paint Stadium Richlands, Brisbane, Queensland Reinaldo   4', Milicic   50', Murdocca   65'
12 June 2007 Queensland Roar 13–0 Souths Utd, Brisbane Luxury Paint Stadium Richlands, Brisbane, Queensland Reinaldo   , Milicic    , Murdocca  , Nichols , McKay , Fenehia  , Wedau , Kruse  
19 June 2007 Queensland Roar 5–1 Mt Gravatt Hawks Luxury Paint Stadium Richlands, Brisbane, Queensland Milicic   26', McKay   45+1', 55', Volker (Hawks)  , Musson  89', Zullo  90+1'
27 June 2007 Queensland Roar 5–0 Brisbane Strikers Luxury Paint Stadium Richlands, Brisbane, Queensland Milicic   18', Kruse   43', Marcinho   55', 78', Reinaldo   62'
1 July 2007 Queensland Roar 4–1 Supersport United FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland Reinaldo   12', 37', Lynch   52', Minniecon   70', Mashego (Supersport)   39'
7 July 2007 Capricorn Cougars 0–6 Queensland Roar Jardine Park, Rockhampton, Queensland Reinaldo   10', 85', Lynch   13', Milicic   44', Marcinho   61', Kruse   73'
17 August 2007 Queensland Roar 1–1 Solomon Islands Luxury Paint Stadium Richlands, Brisbane, Queensland Menapi (Solomons)   19', Milicic   48'

Pre-season Cup group stage edit

Round Date Home team Score Away team Crowd Stadium Scorers
1 14 July 2007 Queensland Roar 0–0 Sydney FC 4,892 Maroochydore Soccer Club
2 21 July 2007 Central Coast Mariners 1–1 Queensland Roar 3,531 Wade Park Boogaard (CCM)   6', Lynch   60'
3 27 July 2007 Wellington Phoenix 1–2 Queensland Roar 4,081 Queen Elizabeth II Park Lynch   41', Ognenovski   50', Old (Phoenix)   47'

Pre-season Cup semi-final edit

Adelaide United3–2Queensland Roar
Djite   1'
Petta   45'
Cássio   64'
(Report) Lynch   16'
Milicic   73'
Attendance: 5,221
Referee: Angelo Nardi

Pre-season Cup third place playoff edit

Central Coast Mariners1–3Queensland Roar
Simon   9' (Report) Milicic   30'
Nichols   33'
Marcinho   48'
Seo   76'
Reinaldo   86'
Attendance: 3,500 (estimate)
Referee: James Lewis

Hyundai A-League fixtures edit

Home and Away edit

25 August 2007 1 Queensland Roar   2 : 2   Adelaide United Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC+10 McKay   45'
Moore   63'   68'
Ognenovski   76'
Report
Summary
Burns   8'
Djité   47'
Attendance: 16,828
Referee:   Ben Williams
2 September 2007 2 Newcastle Jets   1 : 1   Queensland Roar EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
17:00 UTC+10 J. Griffiths   89' Report
Summary
Reinaldo   70'
McLaren   42'   85'
Attendance: 13,144
Referee:   Simon Przydacz
16 September 2007 4 Perth Glory   1 : 2   Queensland Roar Members Equity Stadium, Perth
17:00 UTC+8 Harnwell   14' Report
Summary
McCloughan   21'
McKay   84'
Attendance: 7,203
Referee:   Ben Williams
22 September 2007 5 Queensland Roar   0 : 1   Sydney FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC+10 Report
Summary
Patrick   69' Attendance: 16,582
Referee:   Mark Shield
5 October 2007 7 Queensland Roar   2 : 1   Wellington Phoenix Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
20:00 UTC+10 Zullo   4'
Kruse   45+1'
Report
Summary[permanent dead link]
Smeltz   90+5' Attendance: 12,458
Referee:   Craig Zetter
27 October 2007 10 Queensland Roar   3 : 3   Perth Glory Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
19:00 UTC+10 Marcinho   45+3'
Lynch   69' (pen.), 86'
Report
Summary
Moore   18' (o.g.)
Harnwell   43'
Coyne   90+3'
Attendance: 16,715
Referee:   Ben Williams
11 November 2007 12 Queensland Roar   3 : 0   Wellington Phoenix Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
17:00 UTC+10 Reinaldo   67' (pen.), 79'
Marcinho   83'
Report
Summary
Elrich   34' Attendance: 13,808
Referee:   Matthew Breeze
25 November 2007 14 Sydney FC   0 : 0   Queensland Roar Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
19:00 UTC+11 Report
Summary
Packer   43'   83' Attendance: 16,569
Referee:   Matthew Breeze
30 December 2007 18 Perth Glory   1 : 4   Queensland Roar Members Equity Stadium, Perth
19:00 UTC+9 Rizzo   57' Report
Summary
Kruse   34'
Reinaldo   42'
Minniecon   59'
McCloughan   74'
Attendance: 9,614
Referee:   Peter Green
13 January 2008 20 Queensland Roar   0 : 0   Sydney FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
18:00 UTC+10 Report
Summary
Attendance: 31,933
Referee:   Mark Shield

Finals edit

25 January 2008 Minor SF Leg 1 Sydney FC   0 : 0   Queensland Roar Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
20:00 UTC+11 Report
Summary
Attendance: 23,450
Referee:   Mark Shield
8 February 2008 Minor SF Leg 2 Queensland Roar   2 : 0
(2 : 0 agg.)
  Sydney FC Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
20:07 UTC+10
(Delayed Kickoff)
Reinaldo   13'
S. Ognenovski   84' (pen.)
Report
Summary[permanent dead link]
Middleby   20' Attendance: 36,221
Referee:   Mark Shield
17 February 2008 Preliminary Final Newcastle Jets   3 : 2 (a.e.t.)   Queensland Roar EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
18:00 UTC+11 Thompson   40'
J.Griffiths   104' (pen.)
Elrich   111'
Report
Summary[permanent dead link]
Reinaldo   90+2' (pen.), 118' (pen.)
Moore   77'   112'
Attendance: 16,021
Referee:   Peter Green

Ladder position edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Central Coast Mariners 21 10 4 7 30 25 +5 34 Qualification for 2009 AFC Champions League group stage and Finals series[a]
2 Newcastle Jets (C) 21 9 7 5 25 21 +4 34
3 Sydney FC 21 8 8 5 28 24 +4 32 Qualification for 2008 Pan-Pacific Championship and Finals series
4 Queensland Roar 21 8 7 6 25 21 +4 31 Qualification for Finals series
5 Melbourne Victory 21 6 9 6 29 29 0 27
6 Adelaide United 21 6 8 7 31 29 +2 26
7 Perth Glory 21 4 8 9 27 34 −7 20
8 Wellington Phoenix[b] 21 5 5 11 25 37 −12 20
Source: ultimatealeague.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. ^ First place qualifies for the 2009 AFC Champions League group stage.
    Winning the 2008 A-League Grand Final earns qualification for the 2009 AFC Champions League group stage, unless the Grand Final winners are also first place, in which case the Grand Final runner up qualifies.
  2. ^ Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for the AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.

References edit

27°27′53″S 153°0′34″E / 27.46472°S 153.00944°E / -27.46472; 153.00944 (Suncorp Stadium)