Brisbane Roar Premiership coach Ange Postecoglou has been overwhelmingly voted by A-League players to manage the 2010/11 PFA A-League Team of the Season, Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) announced today.
Postecoglou, who has quickly restructured Brisbane Roar into arguably the most elegant side the A-League has seen, will lead the team with his Roar skipper and Socceroos midfielder Matt McKay, who has been voted by his peers to captain the side.
The team, which is voted in 4-3-3 formation and includes 7 Brisbane Roar players, is:
GOALKEEPER: Michael Theoklitos (Brisbane Roar)
DEFENDERS: Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar), Matt Smith (Brisbane Roar), Luke Devere (Brisbane Roar) and Cassio (Adelaide United)
MIDFIELDERS: Marcos Flores (Adelaide United), Matt McKay (c)(Brisbane Roar) and Thomas Broich (Brisbane Roar)
FORWARDS: Kosta Barbarouses (Brisbane Roar), Sergio Van Dijk (Adelaide United) and Robbie Kruse (Melbourne Victory)
SUBS: Glenn Moss (Gold Coast United), Josh Rose (Central Coast Mariners), Kasey Wehrman (Newcastle United Jets), Carlos Hernandez (Melbourne Victory) and Jean Carlos Solorzano (Brisbane Roar)
COACH: Ange Postecoglou (Brisbane Roar)
REFEREE: Matthew Breeze
PFA Chief Executive Brendan Schwab congratulated Postecoglou on an outstanding season, in which his coaching won the votes of an incredible 71% of A-League players.
“Brisbane has been the outstanding footballing side in what has, without doubt, been the highest quality A-League season to date.
“Ange has quickly confirmed his outstanding coaching capability, having already led another stylish side – South Melbourne – to two championships in the old National Soccer League,” Schwab added.
Postecoglou is the third coach to be elected as coach of the PFA A-League Team of the Season, after Aurelio Vidmar (Adelaide United, 2008/09) and Vitezslav Lavicka (Sydney FC, 2009/10).
McKay follows Craig Moore (2008/09) and Kevin Muscat (2009/10) in being voted by his peers to captain the players’ team.
