Strikers may fall foul of Queensland Roar's wage cap
By Marco Monteverde
June 05, 2008 12:00am
SALARY cap constraints could prevent Queensland Roar launching a three-pronged foreign attack force on its A-League rivals next season.
Brazilian pair Bruno Mezenga and Marcio Carioca have joined Dutch target man Sergio van Dijk in Brisbane, and hopes are high the trio has the potential to score a bagful of goals for the Roar.
However even though the club has three available visa player spots, there is no certainty all will be able don a Queensland jersey in the coming season as the Roar floating close to its $1.9 million salary cap.
Only 19-year-old Mezenga, who has joined on loan from Brazilian giant Flamengo, is guaranteed a spot.
Carioca and van Dijk will be trying to impress Roar coach Frank Farina in the next few weeks, knowing only one will get the nod if there is no room for all three forwards.
Van Dijk, the 25-year-old former FC Emmen striker, has the jump on Carioca, having arrived a week earlier. He has already found the net three times in two trial games.
Carioca, formerly of Portuguese outfit Pacos de Ferreira, and Mezenga, a former Brazilian under-17 international, only landed in Brisbane on Sunday.
"They're still waking up at two in the morning because of jet lag," said Farina, who admitted he had been highly impressed with van Dijk.
"His training, his attitude - he's been very good. He's got the game, there's no doubt," Farina said.
"But it just depends on what we've got to spend. It all comes down to the money."
The stocky van Dijk, who along with Mezenga will get game time tonight when the Roar hosts Brisbane Strikers at Richlands, has the physical presence that could make him an A-League force.
"I'm in for an adventure," the Dutchman said.
"In Holland it's physical, but not as physical as here. Every day when I train I try to get better.
"Here the defence always puts pressure on you and you never have time to relax. In Holland you've got a bit more space."
Carioca, 25, is lacking match fitness but feels he has the strength to cope with Australian defences.
"I've played a lot in the north of Brazil, and it's definitely more physical there than the rest of Brazil," Carioca said.
"A striker survives with goals and hopefully I'll sign here and score goals. In Portugal I didn't score as many goals as I normally do, so this is a personal challenge for me."
The slender Mezenga, 19, hopes to use the A-League as a launching pad for a lengthy European club career.
"This is a very good chance for me to improve my strength by playing a game that's more physical and that has more power and more speed," Mezenga said.
"By hopefully eventually going to a good club in Europe, my chance to play for Brazil at senior level will be higher."
By Marco Monteverde
June 05, 2008 12:00am
SALARY cap constraints could prevent Queensland Roar launching a three-pronged foreign attack force on its A-League rivals next season.
Brazilian pair Bruno Mezenga and Marcio Carioca have joined Dutch target man Sergio van Dijk in Brisbane, and hopes are high the trio has the potential to score a bagful of goals for the Roar.
However even though the club has three available visa player spots, there is no certainty all will be able don a Queensland jersey in the coming season as the Roar floating close to its $1.9 million salary cap.
Only 19-year-old Mezenga, who has joined on loan from Brazilian giant Flamengo, is guaranteed a spot.
Carioca and van Dijk will be trying to impress Roar coach Frank Farina in the next few weeks, knowing only one will get the nod if there is no room for all three forwards.
Van Dijk, the 25-year-old former FC Emmen striker, has the jump on Carioca, having arrived a week earlier. He has already found the net three times in two trial games.
Carioca, formerly of Portuguese outfit Pacos de Ferreira, and Mezenga, a former Brazilian under-17 international, only landed in Brisbane on Sunday.
"They're still waking up at two in the morning because of jet lag," said Farina, who admitted he had been highly impressed with van Dijk.
"His training, his attitude - he's been very good. He's got the game, there's no doubt," Farina said.
"But it just depends on what we've got to spend. It all comes down to the money."
The stocky van Dijk, who along with Mezenga will get game time tonight when the Roar hosts Brisbane Strikers at Richlands, has the physical presence that could make him an A-League force.
"I'm in for an adventure," the Dutchman said.
"In Holland it's physical, but not as physical as here. Every day when I train I try to get better.
"Here the defence always puts pressure on you and you never have time to relax. In Holland you've got a bit more space."
Carioca, 25, is lacking match fitness but feels he has the strength to cope with Australian defences.
"I've played a lot in the north of Brazil, and it's definitely more physical there than the rest of Brazil," Carioca said.
"A striker survives with goals and hopefully I'll sign here and score goals. In Portugal I didn't score as many goals as I normally do, so this is a personal challenge for me."
The slender Mezenga, 19, hopes to use the A-League as a launching pad for a lengthy European club career.
"This is a very good chance for me to improve my strength by playing a game that's more physical and that has more power and more speed," Mezenga said.
"By hopefully eventually going to a good club in Europe, my chance to play for Brazil at senior level will be higher."
Hope we're keeping tabs on this. We could pick one up.
Obviously Queensland has done better scouting than we have. They have 2 (by all reports good) strikers wanting to join up and we don't.
Van Dijk supergoal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYFfPcAWvMI
valeo2008-06-07 12:15:29