The rivalry between the newly-named Brisbane Roar and Hyundai A-League newcomer Gold Coast United is as real as it gets, according to two of the main protagonists.
Instalment No.1 of the competition’s newest grudge match will be played out at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, a fact that has already caused a stir with Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer who wanted the fixture scheduled at Skilled Park.
In Sydney for the official launch of the 2009/10 season on Monday, prize Gold Coast recruit Jason Culina and Roar fan favourite Charlie Miller both conceded there is already no love lost between the two clubs.
“I think it’s all genuine,” Culina said of the already heated rivalry between the neighbouring clubs.
“For us as a new club I think it’s important that we get off to a great start and to be playing our cross-town rivals in Brisbane Roar it’s unbelievable,” he said.
“The way the draw has been set out, for everybody it’s an exciting time and for us to get a win would be fantastic,” he said.
“We’ve got a few players with a bit of a history with the old Queensland Roar so we’re looking to get one on them and start that real derby theme going for many years to come.”
Miller, who is no stranger to local derbies having made 83 appearances for Scottish giants Rangers, agreed the Round 1 blockbuster will hold extra meaning.
“Miron Bleiberg and Clive Palmer, they’ve done great to get the club together and we have to congratulate them on that, but once the game starts on Saturday, we want to be the best team,” Miller warned.
“We want to win this game like we want to win the other 26 matches so it’ll be a great rivalry and hopefully in the next 10, 20 years the league gets bigger and the rivalry’s still there.”
Meanwhile, Culina expressed his delight to be back playing on home soil and made no secret of his hunger for instant success this season.
“We’re all confident we’re all ambitious and every game we play we want to win – that’s no different from any other team,” he said.
“We’re a new club, we want to prove something. We can’t listen too much to what people say, we’ve just got to out there and do our own thing and we know what we’re capable of.”
