Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has expressed his desire to become a top manager to OTB's Joe Molloy.
Fowler, 46, had been picking up time in the dugout down-under – managing Australian A-League club Brisbane Roar. The Liverpudlian managed the side for the 2019-20 season. Within that time Brisbane Roars finished 4th – with Fowler picking up the 'Manager of the Month' award twice in a row.
Brisbane Roars had finished 2nd last the season before – before Fowler managed to turn their luck around.
Speaking to OTB on the Cadbury Remote Roadshow, Fowler outlined why management is the right fit for him.
"I'm out there to show people that I have the credentials to be a top coach. I've managed in three countries so people think I may be inexperienced. But I've managed in Thailand, Australia and India" Fowler says.
Due to the pandemic, Fowler's time in Brisbane came to end. But, as Fowler puts it, he didn't want to 'sit on his behind' and admire what he'd done – he sought a new challenge in India.
Under SC East Bengal, Fowler took the newly-promoted side to 9th position in the table.
“In Australia, they called it ‘Fowler ball'...”
What is Fowler ball? 🤔 Find out how Robbie’s been finding management ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/uekFBTqB8m@CadburyIreland #CadburyFC pic.twitter.com/fsM7vUJaRa— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 5, 2021
Establishing an identity
Australian pundits are quoted as saying they were surprised by Fowler's enthusiasm to approach the tactical side of the game, given his style of play as a forward.
The former Liverpool and Leeds striker was a shrewd yet relentless goal poacher – combining moments of excellence with gleeful cheekiness. Perhaps Australia's observations of Fowler is slightly condescending, but Fowler knows his football – regardless of his style as a footballer.
“I think you understand [Joe] that you’re not going to win games by being all gun-ho and attacking all the time. You have to have a structure. You have to have a way of playing," Fowler says.
“We [Brisbane] had an identity. I quite liked that. I think that your ethos or mentality as a player or manager, you gotta show people that you have that identity to see different parts of the game,"
“We had a lot of possession but we won games as well. It was all about possession in the right half of the pitch. You look at football now and there’s a big emphasis on stats. But the above all and end-all is that you’ve got put goals in the back of the net and win games that way. But if you’re passing the ball around the back all the time, football becomes false. It’s a false narrative.” says Fowler.
2AT88BX Sydeny, Australia. 31st January 2020; Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; A League Football, Sydney FC versus Brisbane Roar; Robbie Fowler coach of Brisbane Roar and coach Steve Corica of Sydney greet each other before kick off Credit: Action Plus Sports Images/Alamy Live NewsA job closer to home?
While Fowler seems happy to accept jobs wherever he goes, one must wonder if jobs in the UK are tempting him.
It's certainly not uncommon for UK managers to reach out and go abroad – albeit a road less travelled. But it has brought success for sure, Roy Hodgson and Brighton's Graham Potter come to mind.
For Fowler, perhaps he does not quite fit within that bracket just yet. But throwing your hat in the ring never hurts.
Cadbury Ireland #CadburyFC
