Now that Brisbane Roar has won the Hyundai A-League double, coach Mike Mulvey is now eying continental success in the 2015 AFC Asian Champions League.
Now that Brisbane Roar has won the Hyundai A-League double, coach Mike Mulvey is now eying continental success in the 2015 AFC Asian Champions League.
A relaxed Mulvey charmed the media in Brisbane today after Sunday night-s epic 2-1 Hyundai A-League Grand Final win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
He posed with the Courier Mail newspaper that trumpeted the club-s success – but Mulvey isn-t resting on his laurels.
“Thomas [Broich] said to me last night, ‘Gaffer I think I-ve won everything now that there is to win in Australia-. In his own modest way.
“And I said, ‘Tommy, have you won an Asian Champions League medal?-
“And he replied, ‘Oh, good point-.
“So there you go, there-s the next challenge.”
Mulvey added that the goal is to be the number one club in Australia and Asia.
And Mulvey issued a clarion call to Brisbane and Queensland fans for next season.
“We made great strides this year. Bringing the average up to around 15,000 per game. Next season I-d like to see us average 20-25,000.
“Because if that-s not a night-s entertainment, I don-t know what is.”
The enormity of Roar-s achievement is only just sinking in for Mulvey, who retained a relaxed at today-s press call.
Though it was emotional 16 hours earlier.
“I managed to hold it together on the field for the majority of time after the game – till my daughter came onto the pitch,” he said.
“And that was a special moment with her.”
Mulvey added that star striker Besart Berisha was leaving with the love of all at the club and dismissed suggestions of a frosty reception when the Roar hero returns in the blue of Melbourne Victory.
Mulvey also dismissed comments from Wanderers keeper Ante Covic that referee Peter Green – being a Queenslander – should not have refereed a game featuring a Queensland club.
“I think that-s an inappropriate comment because I think the referee handled himself very well,” said Mulvey.
But after a game which was viewed by around 700,000 on TV and live – plus a global audience estimated at 250 million in around 57 countries plus streaming globally – Mulvey was proud of the league.
“We-ve come of age, haven-t we,” he said of the A-League.
“And we-ve got so much to look forward to. The World Cup, Asian Cup so with all those things, I think we did the game proud and the A-League proud last night.”
There will be a tickertape parade in Brisbane on Tuesday to give Roar fans a chance to celebrate winning a third championship.
Brisbane Roar have released their memberships for the 2014/15 Hyundai A-League season. Click here for information and to sign up today.
