"I was on my own all day, my family is in Melbourne, so I wasn't planning on doing anything so when seven and a half thousand people came to say happy birthday it was a good way to end it," Postecoglou, 45 today, said after the 1-0 win that lifted Roar into joint top spot - ahead of the other matches to be played this round.

"The boys did the right thing by their coach and delivered the presents and I'm pretty pleased."

Reflecting on his team's performance, Postecoglou took pride in the way they conducted themselves under pressure.

"We had to fight in the end a little bit," he said. "To the players' credit, it's not just about playing good football, you need to show resilience as well and they're a good side and they made it hard for us.

"They were very physical, pretty direct in the way they play and put us under some pressure I thought we handled it pretty well.

"From that point of view, I was pleased for the players but I still felt that if we were patient enough that the goal would come and it did.

Postecoglou added: "While I was always confident that we'd do well this year, I think a good start just gives you a foundation to move on.

"I think we can play better and I think we will play better."

With their shut-out of Wellington, Brisbane remain the only side in the A-League yet to concede a goal and while their attacking flair is understandably drawing attention, the Roar's unblemished defensive record is what pleases Postecoglou most.

"We don't expect to just dominate teams for 90 minutes every game," he said.

"It's just as important for me what we do when we need to defend and work hard and I thought that was the most pleasing thing tonight."

In the 2009/2010 A-League season Brisbane turned in six clean sheets.

Three games into this season and they're halfway to matching that total, and while it has taken a collective effort, understandably much of the praise is falling on accomplished gloveman Michael Theoklitos.

A former A-League goalkeeper of the year with Melbourne Victory, Theoklitos has been a rock for the Roar in the opening rounds and after earning Man of the Match honours against the Phoenix, the Brisbane number one received some much deserved praise from Postecoglou.

"He's been good, Michael," the Roar boss added. "From my point of view he's meeting expectations.

"I knew he was a good goalkeeper, and more than that he's a real good presence on and off the field.

"Keepers get judged by clean sheets, and three clean sheets is a pretty good effort. He was fantastic tonight."

For his part, the likeable Theoklitos is happy to share the credit and at the post-match press conference he did his utmost to spread the positive attention.

"The boys in front of me have been tremendous, but not just the boys in front of me, the boys in attack. They start the hard work and close the opposition down," Theoklitos said.