Roar coach Ange Postecoglou has hit out at claims his decision to substitute his goalkeeper in the final 10 minutes of their derby clash with Gold Coast United was a show of disrespect.
Having secured their first ever win against United with their third of four unanswered goals, Postecoglou threw on second-string keeper Andrew Redmayne for his first minutes of the Hyundai A-League season.
Both of the Roar shot-stoppers received healthy applause from the 20,381 in attendance at Suncorp Stadium – Theoklitos for a brilliant regular season, in which he kept a record 12 clean sheets, and Redmayne for his patience warming the bench, having originally signed as the number one keeper.
GCU stand-in captain Michael Thwaite that Thwaite, who admitted frustration with his own below-par performance, used the post-match press conference to tell media that he felt slighted by Postecoglou’s 80th minute personnel change and he would be eagerly waiting for a chance to rematch the Premiers in the finals series.
“I’m pretty disappointed with Ange Postecoglou. I think he took the mickey out of us by substituting the goalkeeper at the end of the game,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen in a derby, so I’m a little bit disappointed in him.”
“It’s kind of been a bit of mud in the face, so I hope we see them again in the finals.”
When asked to respond to the claims, Postecoglou wasted no time in categorically setting his former national under 17s pupil straight.
“I coached Thwaitey when he was 17 or 18 and he was a much more respectful man when I coached him. He’s been talking a lot lately and it just doesn’t suit him,” he said.
“We pride ourselves on being a team and everyone contributing, and Andrew Redmayne has worked his socks off all year, waiting for an opportunity.”
“To deny that kid the opportunity to contribute to our season, when everyone else has (would be unfair). It’s got nothing to do with the Gold Coast, in fact, they’re irrelevant to what we’re doing.”
“I think Michael is better off maybe just concentrating on his game and his own team, because I’ve heard him say a few things over the last few weeks that I don’t think are really Michael Thwaite.”
“Michael Theoklitos has been outstanding, I think the outstanding goalkeeper of the year, but if you come down to training any day, Andrew Redmayne is working his backside off.”
“We as a club, what we’re about, we don’t ignore that. It’s not about sending messages to other clubs. It’s about what we do and what we’re about.”
Thwaite’s seemingly left-field comments even had outspoken coach Miron Bleiberg distancing himself, as he contradicted his captain by pre-empting the reasons his opposite number would give.
“I don’t share completely with Michael the view about Ange. It could be that you have the poor keeper train for 365 days a year and that was his last chance to get a few minutes. If that’s the reason, I understand from a coaching point of view.”
“We don’t always have to agree, but if there were other intentions, then Michael said what he had to say. But I looked at it as someone that you wanted to reward your goalkeeper that worked hard all year and didn’t have an opportunity.”
“Ange is the king now and we have to salute.”
