Brisbane recruits Tom Aldred and Roy O'Donovan are the early frontrunners to replace club legend Matt McKay as Roar A-League captain.
The pair shared the armband during a comfortable 3-0 pre-season win on Saturday over NPL club Redlands United, as more than 2000 fans crammed into the Roar's Logan training base to get their first glimpse at new coach Robbie Fowler.
The Liverpool legend made a winning start with youngsters Mirza Muratovic and Rahmat Akbari scoring in the first half, before Welsh forward Aaron Amadi-Holloway marked his first appearance for the Roar with the only strike of the second term.
English defender Aldred wore the captain's armband in the first half and a new XI was led by Irish striker O'Donovan in the second.
Fowler said the pair were among several players vying to succeed ex-Socceroo McKay as captain after the Roar's record appearance maker's retirement at the end of 2018-19.
"Ultimately, you need someone to go out and captain the team. We had two XIs, 45 minutes but, look, there's more than enough players in this squad and in the dressing room who certainly want to put their hands up," Fowler said.
"It's up to me and my staff to gauge who'll be the best.
"At this particular time, I just felt Tom and Roy have shown great leadership but that's not to say the others aren't. It's a tough choice for me to make."
Other leading candidates for the role are injured defender Jack Hingert, although he is unlikely to start the season as he recovers from an ACL injury, and goalkeeper Jamie Young.
Fowler said a packed crowd of 2122 at the Logan Metro Sports Park for a Saturday pre-season friendly indicated the potential of the club if the Roar could recover from their disastrous 2018-19 season.
"Everyone knows how special this club can be," Fowler said.
"A little training venue that we call this now and you're getting 2000 people to come out here to watch us? I think it was first class. Long may it continue."
The Roar have four more pre-season fixtures before starting their season with a FFA Cup round-of-32 clash with A-League champions Sydney FC on August 7 at Leichhardt Oval.
Australian Associated Press
