Brisbane Roar will be a team to watch in next season’s A-League, with new manager Robbie Fowler giving the squad a massive overhaul.
So far, 14 players have departed the squad and the first of many more have been announced by the Roar in the past week.
Brisbane announced that they signed 28-year-old English defender Tom Aldred, who was recently on-loan at Motherwell in Scotland. Aldred has lined up for clubs such as Blackpool, Accrington Stanley and Bury throughout his career and could be a solid signing.
Another acquisition to the Brisbane Roar squad is 26-year-old Welsh striker Aaron Amadi-Holloway, who has represented Wales at youth-international level. Amadi-Holloway recently played for Shrewsbury Town in EFL League One, and has been a player at Oldham Athletic, Wycombe Wanderers and Fleetwood Town.
Former Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners striker Roy O’Donovan also has made the move up north to Queensland, signing a two-year deal that will boost the Roar’s attack. O’Donovan has scored 39 goals in 79 A-League matches and has had plenty of Australian experience.
23-year-old English defender Macaulay Gillesphey has also been added to bolster the Roar defence, joining from EFL League Two club Carlisle United. Gillesphey was also a Newcastle United player, however, did not make a league appearance for them.
Adelaide-born midfielder Bradden Inman has returned to Australia to join Fowler’s men, coming back to the country to play football since leaving as a teenager to join the Newcastle United academy. Inman recently played for EFL League One side Rochdale and took the field for Crewe Alexandra and Peterborough United as well. Inman represented Scotland’s youth sides and was a member of the Socceroos squad in 2016 against England, and good form could allow him to be officially capped to Australia.
22-year-old midfielder George Mells is another that will link up with the Brisbane Roar, having spent a season in the Netherlands with Fortuna Sittard. Mells recently was at Adelaide United and his time at Chelsea and Southampton’s youth academies shows that he has talent. This move could be one that fires him onto another level.
Former Central Coast Mariners right back Jake McGing is yet another that has returned to Australia, recently spending time at Polish Ekstraklasa club Wisla Plock. His A-League experience will be handy for the Roar and makes him a decent signing.
Finally, 19-year-old midfielder Rahmat Akbari returns to Brisbane Roar after a stint for Melbourne Victory. Migrating with his family to Australia in 2005, Akbari has been a good story in Australian football and the talented midfielder can make an impact on Brisbane’s new manager.
More signings will follow and it will be interesting to see who else Fowler has lined up to join his new club.
