Here’s what they said…

Negotiations broke down some time ago; what changed?
Craig: I’ve been in Australia now for a week and let’s just say a lot has happened in that week with negotiating with the club. Obviously Frank to me, is a massive part to coming back to Queensland but also the way that Queensland continued to chase things up and never let the deal die.

I’m obviously very happy to be back and playing, my mum and dad are extremely happy because home games are going to be a lot closer for them now, instead of traveling to the UK. So I’m just really looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.

Is it a new challenge for you? At 31 you’ve still got quite a way in front of you.
Craig: You trying to say I’m an old man? (laughs). I believe that that I’ll be fitter and stronger than what I’ve ever been in my career to be honest with you. Some might argue that my best years as a defender are still to come.

Does that mean you may go overseas again in a few years?
Craig: Not at all mate; that’s me back, you’re stuck with me now.

Did Frank just basically nag and pester you to come back?
Craig: (laughs). No they were just continuing to try and sort a deal out and for me that was very important, to feel that Queensland Roar and Frank Farina were desperate to get me back here. I was obviously desperate to get back to Australia because I’ve got two younger kids now and I believe that now is a good time to come back to Australia and bring my children up here.

To play football as well is a massive bonus for me and obviously I’m a Queensland boy, so to be playing in front of what I think can be the biggest and best crowds in the A-League.

So Frank had a lot to do with it?
Craig: I mean it helps that I’ve had a working relationship with Frank before with the national team so I know exactly what I’m getting myself into and it’s all good.

Frank, Craig brings a wealth of experience obviously?
Farina: Yeah look, I don’t think any of the A-League clubs can say that they’ve signed a player directly from the English Premiership, still at the peak of their playing career at 31. When you look at the other Socceroos that have come back, you’re looking 34, 35 and 36, so I think it says a lot for the attraction of the club.

Obviously Craig felt he was ready, for a number of reasons, that he would like to get home, and I’m just glad that the last week has panned out the way it has. We kept going and Craig’s pretty happy and we’re certainly happy; it’s a trifector for me in terms of signing what I believe are three quality players to enhance what we already have here at the club, which is a good nucleus of a squad.

So to get someone of Craig’s experience; I don’t need to tell you people in here where he’s been and what he’s done, but he’s played at every level of football that you can imagine. Captained his country, still very eligible to play for his country but I hope he’s not going to be called upon too much this year (laughs).

But it’s a great coup for us and I have to personally thank the club from Lawrence Oudendyk to John Ribot and through to all the directors, that we stuck with it and hopefully we’ll reap the rewards in the next few years.

Craig what does it mean for your international career?
Craig: I don’t think it changes what could possibly happen with the national team, but for me at this particular moment in time, the most important thing is to start off with the Queensland Roar and do well there.

I want to be a positive influence within the dressing room and on the team, but also for the A-League; I think it’s important that we continue to promote the game after successes of the World Cup and that we can continue moving forward.

And if the likes of the myself coming back and a few other boys coming back over the years, is very good for the league and will continue to drive it forward.

Even though talks had broken down, and then back on – the club kept denying it – why wasn’t there much talk about it?
Farina: Well we just didn’t think it was going to happen. I just kept in contact with Craig on an ad hoc basis and when he was back this week, chased a bit harder and things panned out.

But we went down a path once before and sometimes too much gets out and too much is made of things which really aren’t exactly finished or over the line and this time round it wasn’t there until seven or eight days ago. I heard a whisper that he was coming back again, obviously for personal reasons in terms of things he’s got going here, so we started chasing again and finally got our man.

Craig – shorter season, how much of an attraction is that?
Craig: Medically, I think Australia, the medical people are the best in the world and for me that’s a big factor. I think I’ll be able to maintain good strength and steer clear of injuries; 21 games it’s a very short season so it’s important that you hit the ground running and it’s not as if you have six months to settle into a season. That’s very important and I believe that I’ll be in a position where I can really have a good season and just take it from there.

Craig – where did you expect to be playing before this deal?
Craig: To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about football, I was just enjoying a break that I haven’t had for 14 years and spending time with family. I was really just enjoying a break that I felt I needed and that’s the reason that I didn’t make myself available for the Asian Cup, I just felt that I needed a break away from football.

So you won’t play for the national team again?
Craig: No, no, that’s not it. I’ll always leave that door open and I still believe that if I’m at my best, I’m good enough to play in the national team, but whether that happens is a different thing.

Plenty of defenders now in the squad; what role do you see Craig playing?
Farina: Craig’s an out and out defender and it’s given us depth within our squad. We have got some good defenders already with us and I’ve always maintained that if we’re going to try and achieve what we all want and I think what the club deserves here, you have to have depth and competition.

So Craig’s role will be no different to what he’s played for the national team; he’s played in a three, played in a four, so he won’t have any problem adapting to whatever we decide to do. But like I said, we’re made some really good signings this year; that doesn’t mean a guarantee of winning anything, but I’ll certainly say it will give us a good base if we can maintain and keep everyone on the park.

As Craig said, the medical staff, not only in Australia but here in Brisbane, are exceptionally and Craig’s the final piece in the jigsaw for us at the moment. We’ll most probably leave two spots open in the roster, but we’re running with 21 at the moment and I think the squad that we’ve got is super-competitive and it’s healthy for the team.

All the players should be looking at it and thinking, ‘I want to be in this eleven’ and if they are and they’re winning ,then it’s good for everyone. With Craig, I would go so far as to say that he would be one of the first ones, unfortunately for us, on the team sheet for Australia when they resume, so along with the likes of Danny Tiatto, we’ve got Josh McCloughan and Sasa Ognenovski who all have leadership qualities. It’s good to have that in your team; leadership and respect is very important to have in a group.

Suncorp Stadium?
Craig: It’s a beautiful stadium, I had a look around before and it’s a fantastic football stadium. It reminds me very much of what you would play on in the UK; a proper football stadium.

Your fitness?
Craig: Obviously I’ve had a break and I don’t find getting fit to be difficult, so I imagine within two weeks I’ll have a good base and build from there. But like I said I’m going to be guided by Frank and the medical team because there will be times, as soon as I see that ball, I’ll be desperate to get out there and get involved which at this point in time is probably not the right thing. But I’ll be well looked after.