Brisbane Roar has lost another experienced member of its squad in the wake of former coach Frank Farina’s departure as experienced defender Bob Malcom joins the exodus of players leaving the club.
Malcom had his contract with the Roar mutually terminated on Tuesday afternoon as the Scotsman joins Craig Moore, Liam Reddy and compatriot Charlie Miller in the ranks of players to have left as new coach Ange Postecoglou continues his playing group re-structure.
However, Postecoglou has brought in an experienced campaigner to help the club over the last four games of this season, with Costa Rican recruit Steven Bryce training with the club for the first time on Tuesday
Bryce was certainly saying all the right things afterwards, the former Costa Rican international saying his new club is languishing at the wrong end of the table after seeing his new team-mates train.
“I think the (the Roar) is a team with a great future,” Bryce said.
“There are very good young players … and players with more age who are very good.”
“It’s just the team is not in a position it is supposed to be but the future still belongs to us, there are still four games and anything can happen.”
Playing predominantly as an attacking midfielder, the 32-year-old represented his country at the 2002 World Cup.
“I’m a midfielder, I can go back and up and I touch the (penalty) area also,” he said.
“(But) I just want to practice hard so I can have the opportunity to play and then I-ll play where the coach wants me to play.”
Boasting a career which includes successful stints in Europe, championship medals in Costa Rica and an international record of 80 caps, Bryce will add experience and flair to the Roar-s attacking spine.
Despite the pressure which comes with his pedigree and arrival at a crucial stage in the club’s season, Bryce was confident of overcoming the pressure of expectation.
“I’ve been playing many number of years and the pressure is always at the beginning, in the middle and at the end,” he said.
“I think it is the player who has to know how to assimilate and try to just play and have fun.”
“I just came to be one of the squad and to give to the team.”
