JUST as we thought the rivalry between Gold Coast United and Queensland Roar was simmering along nicely, the South Queensland club has massively fuelled the flames in their announcement of the signature of Tahj Minniecon.

Minniecon, 19, has been a very good contributor for Roar this season. He’s quick, technically able and is always promising to unlock a defence.

His explosive properties are rare in the A-League, and Gold Coast fans are salivating at the prospect of his running off Smeltz and Porter, and possibly being fed by Jason Culina.

Ian Ferguson should note that this Cairns-born player is the sort of forward defenders hate defending; not James Robinson.

The real highlight of the announcement, though, was Clive Palmer managing not one but two jibes at the Brisbane club. The suggestion was that GC United intend to inflict maximum pain on their rivals when an anticipated season opening derby takes place as Skilled Park next season.

Paul Okon was a little more discrete in his suggestions that Minniecon might be more suited to a roaming role across the forward line than the restrictive wing-play enforced upon him by Frank Farina.

As a Gold Coast fan, it’s hard not to enjoy the continual barbs being thrown up the Pacific Motorway. Bleiberg and Palmer certainly have made it clear how they feel about Farina, the Roar squad and the administration alone.

It’s just a shame there doesn’t seem to be any reciprocation from Queensland (or should we start calling them Brisbane?).

A healthy but fierce rivalry can only be beneficial for both clubs. For United, developing a parochial and passionate following within the Gold Coast region will require severing as many ties the local footballing community has with Queensland Roar.

They seem to have decided the best way to do that is to ensure it is impossible to support GC United without hating everything Roar stand for.

Similarly, the chance for a home match against Gold Coast to be a marquee feature of the Queensland footballing calendar is a massive boost to Roar, who need to start finding ways to boost their attendance figures.

Their current ambivalent attitude may accurately reflect the attitude of the club, but it risks encouraging fans to not see Gold Coast any differently to the other 8 clubs in the league.

Now would be a great time for Queensland to announce new contracts for other young guns Mitch Nichols, Tommy Oar and Michael Zullo. Farina should suggest the money saved on not re-signing Minniecon has been distributed among three players of equal talent and worth to the team.

This would be a massive boost for their squad leading into the finals and also offer a rare response to Clive Palmer’s jibes.

Hopefully the controversy surround Minniecon’s defection does not affect either his form or Farina’s opinion of the forward. It would be a loss for Gold Coast, Queensland Roar and indeed the A-League as a whole if such a capable player was restricted to limited appearances off the bench in the final stages of the season.

Tahj has been critical to Roar’s improving on their early indifferent form this season, and is one player capable of really unsettling opposition defences in the finals.

And wouldn’t Gold Coast love to beat not just their fierce rivals, but also the defending champions in round one of season 09/10?!