Ange Postecoglou has turned down an olive branch from former club Brisbane Roar after his Melbourne Victory side were embarrassed 5-0 on his return to Suncorp Stadium.
Ange Postecoglou has turned down an olive branch from former club Brisbane Roar after his Melbourne Victory side were embarrassed 5-0 on his return to Suncorp Stadium.
After a week of what he described as “distasteful” and “disrespectful” build-up, the coach who steered the Roar to two straight championships received a sombre homecoming as his new troops were humiliated by the team he turned his back on.
The simmering tensions between Postecoglou and his old club were brought to the fore when in the lead-up, Besart Berisha vowed to send him home a loser and Thomas Broich described Rado Vidosic as “the brains” behind their success.
Broich and Vidosic both moved to mend relations after the game on Saturday night by explaining their remarks were taken out of context – but an aggrieved Postecoglou was having none of it.
“They had their choice about how to approach the week. It’s a free world,” he said.
“Anyone can do whatever they like, that’s fine. From my point of view I don’t have to like it.
“I’ve spoken about the Roar, and I don’t care anymore. They’re a good side, congratulations to them.
“Nothing to do with me. I’ve got nothing to do with this football club anymore.”
Brisbane fans rubbed salt into the wound late in the match with the unfurling of a banner that read ‘Without Us, You Are Nothing’ by the River City Crew.
“To me, it’s just another game. That’s it,” Postecoglou said.
“I’m coach of the Melbourne Victory Football Club and my responsibility lies solely now with trying to get this football club back to where it belongs.”
Vidosic said he was ‘disappointed’ about how the week had panned out.
“The comments have been taken (in a way that) maybe people did not mean or say,” he said.
“You say 10 positive things and then you say one negative, and that negative has been published.
“That’s not me, that’s not my style. I never said anything bad about Ange.
“We were all sad to see him leave this club. That was a decision that he made.
“I’m really sorry that all this week went like this, but maybe we can all learn a little bit from this lesson.”
Roar captain Matt Smith, who described the 5-0 win as one of the most enjoyable of his career, echoed the sentiments.
“That happened six months ago. We’ve moved on, we have to move on,” he said.
“It’s been hyped up mainly because of the media.”
When asked if he would approach Postecoglou to explain the situation, however, Vidosic said: “No. I don’t have to talk to Ange about anything. I don’t think so.”
