Auckland City coach Ramon Tribulietx says he’s focused on Sunday’s OFC Champions League final and not speculation linking him with Brisbane Roar FC’s coaching position for next season.
Speaking in Fiji ahead of the final against Team Wellington – with the winner qualifying for the next FIFA Club World Cup – the 42-year-old Spaniard batted away talk of his link with the current reigning Hyundai A-League club champions.
“I’ve got a job to do here at Auckland City FC and that is my only focus right now. This is the most important thing to concentrate on at the moment.
“Our club has a big opportunity to try and achieve something special and my focus is only on doing that,” he said.
Current Brisbane Roar interim coach Frans Thijssen is not tipped to remain in the role.
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According to reports, Roar football director Ken Stead visited New Zealand last month to interview Tribulietx for the job next season. He’s said to be one of a number of candidates worldwide on Roar’s radar.
From Barcelona, Tribulietx joined Auckland City FC as assistant coach at the commencement of the 2008/09 campaign. Previously he has held similar positions at Spanish Segunda Division B sides UE Sant Andreu, UE Figueres and UE Castelldefels.
In 2009/10 he was an assistant as Auckland City surprised many by claiming fifth place at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009.
Appointed as Auckland City FC as joint head coach alongside Aaron MacFarland in 2011, Tribulietx took over the role on his own the following season.
Since then the club has enjoyed a sustained period of both domestic and international success.
This includes the latest Club World Cup in Morocco last December where Auckland stunned the world finishing third. They defeated CONCACAF champions Mexico’s Cruz Azul on penalties to become the first Oceania side to win a medal at the FIFA Club World Cup.
“The world now knows how good he is and I think we’ll have trouble holding on to him. If he stays till the end of the season I’ll be delighted,” Auckland City chairman Ivan Vuksich told stuff.co.nz in December.
