Brisbane Roar has announced further collaboration with Football Queensland, the state’s governing body.
This partnership will focus on developing next generation talent for both the men’s and women’s game. The club is hoping that this deal will create clearer paths for Queensland players to reach both the Isuzu UTE A-League and the Liberty A-League.
The deal also sees both parties committing to developing football infrastructure – such as club rooms, pitches, and other development focused facilities. This is directly attributed to the Matildas and their success at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup.
During the tournament, 40% of the Matildas squad was Queensland developed talent. With some of the squad’s biggest names like Cortnee Vine and Mackenzie Arnold heralding from the sunny state.
The collaboration will also hope to build talent off the pitch with the partners citing the need for the development of officials and coaches.
The state has already proved its aptitude in this sphere with Matilda’s Assistant Coach Melissa Andreatta being a Queenslander, a former FQ Academy QAS, and the former Brisbane Roar Head Coach.
Speaking on the new collaboration and the partners shared goals for football in Queensland, Brisbane Roar CEO Kaz Patafta had this to say via media release:
“In strengthening our alliance with Football Queensland, Brisbane Roar reaffirms its dedication to the growth of football across Queensland. We are committed to nurturing local talent and deepening the connection with our dedicated fan base,” he said.
“This renewed partnership symbolises a unified vision and a shared passion for growing the world game in Queensland.”
Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci reiterated this message and spoke of Roar’s importance to football in the state.
“The Brisbane Roar is an important part of the football landscape in Queensland and this collaboration, with a fresh leadership approach, paves the way for new opportunities and innovative ways of working to reach our strategic vision of Football in Queensland United,” he added via press release.
This collaboration is an exciting new dawn for football in Queensland. As one of the nation’s strongest footballing states, it is great news to see that both clubs and governing bodies are committed to helping each other grow.
The announcement is also another huge reward for football off the back of the Matildas’ run at the Women’s World Cup and highlights how important the growth of the women’s game in Australia has been to allowing all of football to grow.
