No sooner had Brisbane won the Hyundai A-League Championship than coach Ange Postecoglou was vowing his side would be more than a one-hit wonder.
Brisbane Roar’s remarkable season, in which they lost just once, had such a miraculous ending that most others would be content to revel in the moment and declare the mission a success.
But for big-thinking Postecoglou, completing the Hyundai A-League double in 2010-11 is a mere down-payment on what he hopes the club can achieve.
“You’d hate to think you do something like this and then that’s it. There’s so much more than we can do,” he said.
“You’d like to think we are building some strong foundations for the future. Certainly, our intention was never to be a flash in the pan.”
“We’ve got to back it up. We’ve got the Champions League next year.”
With the majority of their key players locked away in with muti-year deals, including skipper Matt McKay and German start Thomas Broich, it would take a brave punter to bet against Brisbane finding more success in the future.
“I’m not going to put any limits on this team. Everything we do is about constant improvement and being ambitious,” said Postecoglou.
“There’s no limits, and why should there be? We’ve played football this year that people thought Australian teams couldn’t.”
“Other teams will challenge us next year, so it’s up to us now to take it to another level altogether, and I think we’ve got it in us. It’s just hard work and not restricting yourself.”
“There’s nothing wrong with standing out. There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself out there and wanting to be better than everyone else.”
Roar skipper McKay, the man credited by team-mates for a speech that made them believe they could win despite trailing by two goals in extra time, had a similar outlook to his coach.
With his reputation in Australian football on the up and up after breaking into the Socceroos starting side and a brilliant season leading the Roar, Brisbane boy McKay has now has his sights on creating a Hyundai A-League dynasty.
“Ange was at the same Four Codes (Charity) Luncheon as myself at the start of the season, and after the year we had, it was fitting that I said that I wanted to be up there with the likes of the Broncos and the Lions, who have won heaps of premierships and have competed in dynasties,” he said.
