They are the Roar’s Generation Next but suddenly their time is now.
Brisbane Roar winger Brandon Borrello (Bachelor of Business) along with team mates; James Donachie, Corey Brown, Fraser Chalmers, Devante Clut and Shannon Brady are undoubtedly the bright future of the club.
Amazingly, when the Roar stood up just 10 years ago as a foundation member of the then new Hyundai A-League, these six hopefuls were still chomping on quartered oranges at half-time of the weeklySaturdaymorning junior soccer melee at their local clubs.
Tomorrowthey will be showcased in the most pivotal game yet in Group G of the Asian Football Confederation’s prestigious intercontinental club competition.
The Roar has never travelled with so many youngsters in its squad, let alone for a game against a club rated as a football powerhouse in South Korea.
Adding further importance to the clash, Suwon and the Roar are locked on four points each, behind runaway group leaders Beijing Guoan (nine points), in the battle to finish in the top two after the Group Stage round-robin and advance to the knock-out Round of 16.
Roar Head Coach Frans Thijssen has describedtomorrownight’s match, in Suwon’s 43,000-capacity “Big Bird” Stadium, as his side’s toughest so far in the competition after an injury-time 1-0 loss to Beijing Guoan, a 1-0 away win to Japan’s Urawa and the come-from-behind 3-3 draw with Suwon, after the Roar led 2-0, at Robina Stadium three weeks ago.
And Thijssen says he will have no hesitation turning to the youngsters in either his as-yet-undisclosed starting XI or off the benchtomorrownight.
“All these young players have proven in matches or in training that they can do the job necessary for us,” Thijssen said.
“It is very pleasing we have so many young players coming through, it creates pressure for positions in our starting side.”
Kick-off fortomorrow’smatch is8.30pmBrisbane time. The game will be telecastlive on Fox Sports 4 (Channel 505).