Brisbane Roar football director Ken Stead leaves club

BRISBANE Roar’s “Guardian” has gone, and more staff have followed him out the door as the club’s owners swung the axe to cut costs at the A-League’s fallen giants.

Football director Ken Stead yesterday parted ways with the club just six months after sacking championship-winning coach Mike Mulvey.

Dubbed the “Guardian of the Roar’s football philosophy” by Roar managing director Sean Dobson, Stead was entrusted with controlling every aspect of Brisbane’s football operation.

But Stead has now “stood down”, with Roar owners – the Bakrie Group – believed to be desperate to ease their financial burden by streamlining operations.

It is understood up to three front office staff were shown the door on Wednesday, with further culling imminent.

Interim coach Frans Thijssen remains in limbo, with the club yet to confirm who will guide the team next season.

Expected coaching appointment Ramon Tribulietx is in Brisbane this week and is due to meet with Roar chairman Chris Fong, who returned to Queensland on Wednesday.

Players were called to Ballymore on Wednesday for a meeting, in which a tearful Stead told them he was leaving after Brisbane’s June 3 friendly against Spanish club Villarreal.

 “This has been one of my happiest times in football,” Stead said. “I have nothing but love for the club, the people who work here and the fantastic supporters who come to all of our games.”

Following their season-ending 2-1 AFC Champions League loss to Urawa on Tuesday night, the Roar squad have been given a week off before returning to prepare for Villarreal’s visit.

Who will coach the team for that match remains uncertain.

Thijssen also addressed the players on Wednesday, but Fong has already stated the Dutchman will not be at the club next season, either as coach or technical director.

Tribulietx’s potential deal will earn him more than $200,000 per season, but now it is Fong, and not Stead, who will rubber-stamp the Spaniard’s appointment.

While Tribulietx remains the odds-on favourite for the job, former Dinamo Zagreb coach Krunoslav Jurcic has also been recommended to the Roar.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, the former all-conquering Roar mentor who brought Stead with him to Brisbane in 2009, said it was essential the three-time A-League champions made the correct choice in picking their coach for next season.

“No matter who the coach is, they’ve got to get it right,” Postecoglou said. “I spent two and a half years at Brisbane, and gave blood sweat and tears to make sure that club was successful.

“I want the club to be successful. I still have an attachment to the club.”