Popovic made 61 appearances and scored nine goals for the Socceroos, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup and played over 400 club matches in an illustrious playing career in Australia, Japan, UK and Qatar.

The executive chairman of the new Sydney club, Lyall Gorman, said Popovic was the natural choice for the role.

“Everyone in the game knows and respects Tony’s leadership qualities as a player in the Socceroos and in 400 games of club football,” Gorman said.

“There’s no doubt Tony will bring those qualities to the new club. He has the coaching skills and the character to be successful in the A-League and his heritage in western Sydney makes him a fine ambassador for the region.

“I’m delighted to have a man of the stature of Tony Popovic as one of the pioneers of the new club in western Sydney.”

Popovic welcomed the challenge of establishing a new club in the heartland of Australian football.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to coach the new club in western Sydney and I’m really excited about the mission ahead of us,” Popovic said.

“I grew up in west Sydney and learned my football there, but it’s the challenge of a start up club in football’s heartland that has brought me home.

“I know the region has a great passion for the game, fantastic junior ranks and thousands of life-long fans. These are ingredients that can help make our club a success.”

Postecoglou wants to free up salary cap space to start the rebuilding at the underperforming club.

The reported $350,000 a season that 30-year-old Hernandez is seeking is seen as too much for a player praised for his brilliance but questioned for his workrate and fitness.

The Victory confirmed Hernandez's departure in a statement on Wednesday.

"From my point of view, I need to change things here," Postecoglou told Radio Sports National.

"I want to play a different style of football and, when you look at Carlos, he's out of contract.

"With the salary cap, I just think we need a little bit more to manoeuvre with. This is my opportunity to change things around."

Renowned for his long-range thunderbolt goals, Hernandez had been linked with a possible move to Adelaide United, though his salary demands would suggest a move overseas is more likely.

But the news is brighter for Socceroo Harry Kewell, who is understood to be close to agreeing to a rejigged deal to stay at the Victory.

After re-organising the club's football department, Postecoglou is keen to nail down his foreign signings first, earmarking a central defender and defensive midfielder as priorities to strengthen the squad.

The size of Kewell's pay packet is also set to determine the level of Victory's spending on new players.

"We found in Brisbane if you get the right foreigners in the mix, you can certainly make a difference," Postecoglou said.

"Our first couple of signings will be foreigners.

"That's where I want to spend the cash first. Then we'll see what we have for Australian players."

The Victory have already released goalkeeper Ante Covic and two-time championship hero Grant Brebner - both of whom were veterans out of contract.

But Postecoglou said their release was not necessarily a comment on the players, more about creating the freedom to bring in the right new talent.

"When you're restricted by salary caps, if you want to make changes, you have to make decisions and release people.

"It's my opportunity to stamp my authority on the club, and my style on the club and that releases some spots where I can bring some people in."

"I've had a conversation with him last night and they have offered him a five-year deal to go," Parish said.

"We're trying to sort out the details."

A five-year deal would be the longest offered to a coach in the A-League.

An announcement is expected this week confirming Popovic's appointment at western Sydney with former Melbourne Heart assistant Ante Milicic also likely to be confirmed as deputy coach at the new club.

Popovic was also courted by Sydney FC, who on Monday promoted their youth league coach Ian Crook to the head coaching role.

The western Sydney franchise are also set to announce a team name with a series of public forums settling on Athletic, Wanderers, Strikers, Wolves and Rangers as the leading contenders with the team colours tipped to be red, black and white.

That gives the A-League twelve possible combinations to choose from - with the voice of the potential fanbase in the Sydney suburbs to be listened to intently before the name and colours are confirmed.

The names were trademark listed last week by the FFA, with voting for the name and colours for the new Sydney club closing last Friday.

The leading name contenders include Athletic, Wanderers, Strikers, Wolves and Rangers - with the latter apparently now ruled out.

Fans were also invited to suggest more names.

The majority of those canvassed asked for the colours red, black and white to be the basis of the team’s colours with three combinations of these also up for vote.

The forums and the online survey have shown a clear preference for the club’s name to include the geographical reference of West or Western.

The 49-year-old has also coached in Asia, England and Australia following a playing career that saw him play 15 seasons in the English Premier League for Tottenham and Norwich City FC, making a combined 457 appearances for the two clubs.

Crook has spent the last two years as the Sydney's youth team coach and A-League assistant coach after returning from England.

But the club still felt the need to provide glowing references from Littbarski, Dwight Yorke and Premier League manager Steve Bruce in a bid to back up their decision.

“His passion for Sydney FC runs deep, he has an impressive coaching and football knowledge and he is familiar with the Club and what we are trying to achieve," said chairman Scott Barlow.

“Ian already has an important place in Sydney FC history as a member of the coaching staff in our Foundation Season and he knows what it takes to help steer Sydney FC to success in the A-League.

“He has since picked up valuable coaching experience in Asia and England, as well as immersing himself in the Sydney football community."

Crook said he was honoured to take the position.

“This club is very special to me after being part of its birth and early success and since returning to Australia I have enjoyed working with the younger players," Crook said.

“Over the last few months the competitive urge has been re-ignited inside me."

The club said the appointment had already been "endorsed by past and present English Premier League managers Steve Bruce and Martin O’Neill as well as former Sydney FC greats Pierre Littbarski and Dwight Yorke".

Dwight Yorke, Sydney FC 2005/06 Marquee Player and Captain during Ian Crook’s time as Assistant Coach.

“He’s a fantastic guy, he knows the football game and has huge experience in the English Premier League and around the world.

“When I was playing for Sydney FC, Crooky was always there to help me when I needed advice. He knows people’s strengths and weaknesses and he always got the best out of me.”

“I have no doubt he will be a huge success and we’ll see a massive improvement in Sydney FC next season. With the players he has, I think they will either win or go very close to winning the A-League.”

Martin O’Neill, current Premier League manager at Sunderland AFC.

“I knew him when I was manager at Norwich City Football Club. He had excellent ability and was a very intelligent player as well as being really passionate about football. I always felt he would go into coaching as it was pretty obvious he had the abilities.

“He has great respect from his peers and is extremely well thought of as a person and as a player, which is down to his character.

“He cares deeply about the game, winning and losing matter to him. I think he will be a success and wish him good luck.”

Pierre Littbarski, Sydney FC’s 2005/06 Championship winning coach and three time World Cup Finalist, winning one.

“I worked with Ian for a year and a half and he always did a fantastic job. He has good knowledge and a great ability at combining younger and older players into a team.

“The players enjoyed his coaching sessions because they were not only fun, they were quality. Everything he did had a meaning and was focused on the game, it was very intelligent football.

“He is good at talking to people. There were a lot of players at Sydney FC during my time who weren’t picked to play and Crooky had that great skill of man-managing them.

“He loves passing football and I think he will be a success, for sure.”

Steve Bruce, former Sunderland and Wigan Premier League manager, and Manchester United EPL winning captain. A former team mate of Ian Crook.

“First and foremost Ian was a really talented footballer, and I mean really, really talented. He was in the mould of Glenn Hoddle and I think people will enjoy the way he wants his team to play.

“He has got huge amounts of football knowledge and coaching experience internationally. He was a wonderful player, knows the game inside out and I’m sure he’ll do very, very well.”

It comes after the club missed out on preferred coaching targets Graham Arnold and Tony Popovic.

Former Sky Blues player and assistant Popovic had been mulling over Sydney's offer this weekend but could now be poised to take the reins at the new western Sydney franchise after meeting with both clubs last week.

Crook, 49, has 13 years of coaching experience in Australia, Japan and Britain as well as experience as a head coach in the old NSL with Newcastle United.

He was the Sky Blues' assistant coach under Pierre Littbarski when Sydney claimed the inaugural A-League title in 2004-05.

Crook left Sydney six months after German Littbarksi and re-linked with him at Japanese club Avispa Fukuoka before moving on for spells as technical director at Newcastle Jets and first team coach with Norwich in England.

Since returning to Australia in 2010, Crook has worked in youth development roles with Sydney Olympic, the NSW Institute of Sport and the Sky Blues.

Sydney's youth team finished sixth under his guidance last season but Crook impressed the club in aiding the development of the likes of Joel Chianese and Mitch Mallia, who broke into the senior squad.

Crook would become Sydney's sixth coach heading into the eighth season of the A-League, following Littbarski, Terry Butcher, Branko Culina, John Kosmina and Lavicka, who has returned Europe after three seasons in charge.

The Sky Blues had sought Popovic after their No.1 coaching target, Central Coast's Arnold, made a late decision to remain with the Mariners.

The 19-year-old has a strong connection to the Brisbane area and was pleased to sign a three-year deal with the champions.

"I have pretty strong ties with Brisbane, I lived for majority of childhood before I moved to the Gold Coast," Halloran said.

"From a football standpoint Brisbane's record stands for itself, they've been champions for the past two seasons and play the best football in the competition."

Roar coach Rado Vidosic couldn't hide his delight that the youngster had pledged his immediate playing future to Brisbane.

"We want to refresh the team a little bit and get some different dimensions to our play," Vidosic said.

"He fits perfectly in our plans and we believe with our way of training he's going to develop even more and be an even more exciting player."

Halloran will link up with his new teammates when the Roar return to training in July.

Aloisi replaces inaugural Melbourne coach John van 't Schip, who stepped down after leading the Heart through their first two seasons in the A-League.

Aloisi is the only Australian to have played in the world's best three domestic competitions - the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A.

Aloisi, who was the Heart's youth team coach in 2011-12, said he had learnt a lot from Dutchman van 't Schip over the last 12 months.

"When I retired here just over a year ago I didn't expect to be the head coach within a year," he said.

"I enjoyed the experience with the youth team and when this came along I thought it was a great opportunity to get into the head coaching role."

Aloisi expects Milicic to remain on the Heart's coaching staff, despite expected interest from the new western Sydney A-League franchise.

"We're good friends off the pitch too," said Aloisi.

"Ante is an integral part of this club."

Aloisi said he believed the Heart had the most exciting young squad in the A-League.

They have already re-signed 15 players for next season and hope to have their squad finalised by the time pre-season training begins in June.

Arnold was the Sky Blues' No.1 candidate to fill their coaching position, made vacant by the return of Vitezslav Lavicka to his native Czech Republic.

But with Arnold hoping to delay a decision on his future until after the Mariners' Asian Champions League campaign, Sydney had set a deadline of 5pm on Monday for a decision.

Arnold had reportedly agreed in principle to take take up Sydney's lucrative offer, despite having a year left to run on his contract with the Gosford club.

And with the Mariners' much-publicised cash flow problems and new Russian investors apparently hesitant at signing on at the club, he looked even more likely to make the move south.

But he has now turned his back on the deal, leaving Sydney to continue their search for a sixth coach in eight seasons.

Arnold put negotiations with Sydney on hold after the Mariners' 5-1 Asian Champions League thumping of China's Tianjin Teda at Bluetongue Stadium last week, a result which kept their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage alive.

Central Coast face Nagoya Grampus in Japan next Tuesday and need to win to progress to the last 16.

The Mariners are also guaranteed a spot in next year's ACL after taking out the A-League Premiers' Plate this season.

Arnold said in a statement released by the Mariners his decision was down to loyalty and respect for the Mariners players and the incentive of more Asian football.

"Two years ago I signed a three year contract with the Mariners, and I have decided to see that three year term out because of the loyalty and respect I have for the players, the chairman, the staff and all the supporters," Arnold said on Monday afternoon.

"We had a fantastic season and it is a big incentive to compete in the AFC champions league again next year.

"Already my main focus is on recruitment for next season but also next week against Nagoya (Grampus) in Japan.

"It's been a tough decision and I am hugely flattered by the interest I received from Sydney FC.

"I am very grateful to (Sydney FC football director) Gary Cole from Sydney who has been extremely professional, understanding and respectful throughout this process."

Arnold enjoyed almost instant success after succeeding Lawrie McKinna as Mariners coach at the start of the 2010/11 A-League season.

They were within seconds of claiming the A-League championship in a heart-breaking grand final loss to Brisbane Roar and backed it up by finishing top of the table over the regular season in 2011/12.

Arnold coached the Socceroos in 2006-2007 and endured a tough stint as Australia were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the 2007 Asian Cup.

He retained an assistant role with the national team under Pim Verbeek before returning to club coaching having coached Sydney United and Northern Spirit in the National Soccer League.

Central Coast chairman Peter Turnbull said of Arnold's decision: "The board, staff and players are all delighted that Graham has decided to continue his outstanding work at the club."

But a weekend meeting between billionaires Tinkler and Lowy has changed that.

The FFA said on Tuesday that HSG had reaffirmed their support for the Jets after discussions between Lowy and Tinkler resolved "various issues".

"It was a good opportunity for Nathan and I to meet face-to-face and resolve the issues that had affected the relationship between FFA and HSG," Lowy said in a statement.

Zahra suffered a serious leg injury following a sickening tackle from Kevin Muscat 15 months ago, but the Glory are confident the 21-year-old speedster won't be affected by any ongoing issues next season.

"We watched quite a lot of him this season as he recovered from a broken leg," Glory coach Ian Ferguson said.

"In one of the games, he actually scored against our Youth team, and all the reports are very positive."

The signings of Harold and Zahra come just days after Perth secured the services of 27-year-old Nick Ward, who was a rising star at the Glory six years ago before leaving the club for other opportunities at home and abroad.

Last week, Perth confirmed they had parted ways with injury-prone former Socceroo Chris Coyne, Todd Howarth, Tommy Amphlett and Josh Mitchell.

Harold, who is studying law-commerce, will arrive in Perth in June after he completes his semester at university.

The Glory enjoyed a breakthrough season this year, making it all the way to the grand final on the back of some fine form from the likes of Jacob Burns, Liam Miller, Shane Smeltz, Steve McGarry and Bas van den Brink.

But Perth were left gutted in the decider after Roar striker Besart Berisha won a controversial stoppage-time penalty to give Brisbane a 2-1 win.

McGarry and defender Scott Neville are still weighing up reduced offers from the Glory, who have embarked on a major cost-cutting mission.

Becoming the fourth Victory coach in just over a year, Postecoglou stated his intention to bring ultimate success back to the A-League's glamour club - which had failed this season despite the significant presence of Kewell.

The continuing service of the ex-Liverpool and Leeds flyer is a massive talking point, after an underwhelming first season.

And Victory managing director Richard Wilson said while there was a desire to re-sign for all parties, there were significant issues to overcome first.

“Harry wants to be here, we want Harry to be here and Ange is very keen for Harry to be here – we are just working through some commercial aspects with his management at the moment," Wilson told Radio SEN.

“We are hoping that will be a really positive conclusion in the next few weeks.

“Until we finalise everything it is difficult. Harry wants to be here, his family want to be here, his management want him to be here, we want him to be here.

“You have just to make sure all the boxes are ticked, and we are going through that final process.

“And that is because everybody wants to be here.

“We are not far away – another couple of weeks. He is off in England but really keen to get back here work with Ange and build some success.

“We are confident."

Kewell is currently in the UK, and so is unlikely to take part in Postecoglou's first game in charge against Olympiakos next month.

Greek-born Postecoglou had been widely tipped to return to home town Melbourne on a permanent basis after spending the past three years juggling his time between Queensland and Victoria, where his family remain.

The post of Melbourne Victory coach has been vacant following the departure of caretaker Jim Magilton.

Northern Irishman Magilton filled the role between January 7 and April 2, after replacing the sacked Mehmet Durakovic.

Durakovic himself lasted just eight months after taking over from inaugural manager Ernie Merrick in June 2011.

Victory, widely regarded as the biggest club in the competition, won two A-League titles under Merrick, and lost the 2010 grand final to Sydney FC.

But despite the high-profile signing of Socceroo star Harry Kewell in August 2011, they struggled badly in the 2011/12 campaign, finishing a disappointing eighth in the standings.

Postecoglou will be charged with restoring the club to its former glory, and in the accomplished style Brisbane have been noted for during the past two campaigns.

The Roar came from to defeat 10-man Perth Glory 2-1 on Sunday, bagging their second consecutive title after also beating Central Coast Mariners in a penalty shootout last year.

A former Australia international defender, Postecoglou won National Soccer League titles as a player and coach with South Melbourne, and spent seven years in charge of Australia's Under-20 side.

Postecoglou began his tenure in charge of Brisbane in October 2009, when he replaced Frank Farina.

Postecoglou's first match in charge will be the friendly against Greek champions Olympiakos at Etihad Stadium on May 19.

Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro said the club's objective was success, and finding the right coach to lead them to that was paramount.

"We believe Ange is the right person to commence the hard work and regeneration needed to take our club to the next phase," Di Pietro said.

"I know our fans and our members are very excited about this news."

Postecoglou said he was excited about the challenge of resurrecting the Victory, who missed the finals and were a basket case for much of the past A-League season.

But he said while the Victory obviously needed to improve on finishing eighth of 10 in the previous season, he would not rush into wholesale changes to the playing squad.

"I'll take the next two or three weeks to go through that," Postecoglou said of any changes to the squad or football department.

"I've got to get my decisions right for this football club. If we want to be successful this year, I've got to be spot on.

"To be spot on, you've got to have all the information at hand, so you're better taking your time and not rushing."

But Postecoglou warned against expecting an exact replica of the exciting, expansive football he was able to create at the Roar.

"There are some basic philosophies that are the core of my beliefs in football, but I didn't want to replicate what I did in Brisbane, otherwise I would have stayed there," Postecoglou said.

"To me, it's about something new. I want to create something new, exciting, something hopefully better.

"You don't want to be doing what's trendy now, you want to pick the next one. You want to be playing the kind of football that's successful next year and beyond.

"That's my challenge as a coach."

Postecoglou said a return to his hometown of Melbourne, where most of his family still live, had been an important driver in his decision to leave the Roar.

"It's a big club, with big expectations and I'm really looking forward to the next chapter in my coaching career here at Melbourne Victory," he said.

"This is a great opportunity and presents a whole new challenge and one that I'm really excited about, especially considering I'm a Melburnian."

Victory's players return to training on Tuesday ahead of the Olympiakos match.

Roar director Chris Fong said he'd been in discussions with Vidosic for the past couple of weeks after Postecoglou indicated he was considering a return to Melbourne.

Details on Vidosic's contract are yet to be finalised however Fong stressed it would not be an interim appointment.

"We see this as an opportunity for the club to go to the next level," Fong said.

Vidosic, who is the father of Socceroos and Adelaide United attacker Dario, said there was no need for any personnel or tactical changes and felt he could build on their success in the Asian Champions League (ACL).

"I've been at the club for seven years, I've been here right from day one and we've been through a lot," he said.

"The last two years have been fantastic (and) it's a really exciting time in front of us."

Vidosic's first match in charge will be on Tuesday when the Roar play an ACL match against FC Tokyo in Japan.

But Broich reckoned it was time the Glory accepted the result and stopped complaining.

"It keeps upsetting me I have to say," he told AAP on Tuesday.

"If you look at the full 90 minutes Perth didn't create one single goal-scoring chance.

"And they are still whinging about what turned out to be a penalty.

"Is that sportsmanship? I really question that."

In contrast, Burns believed Perth had won new fans with their post-match conduct.

"It is a very hard pill to swallow. There was a lot of controversy around the penalty but I am proud about how we went about our business - I think we won over a lot of fans," he told Fox Sports.

Burns said he wasn't surprised A-League referees boss Mark Shield had defended grand final whistleblower Jarred Gillett this week.

"I am sure it is going to divide opinions but I was very close to it and I spoke to a lot of the Brisbane players after the match and the general consensus was that we were robbed, even by their own guys," he said.

"If they don't want to admit it and the referees won't own up then you can't change it - you've got to roll with it."

Burns was not getting any sympathy from Broich.

"We were the better team for 90 minutes. They were a man down (after a red card to Dean Heffernan) and we were pushing - one way or another we would have won that game," Broich said.

"The result reflected the game."

Still Burns pushed for video technology to be introduced to avoid further controversies.

"I think it has to be looked at," he said.

"You don't want to take anything away from the game but I think when it is such an important game and it is a grand final, these mistakes rob you of titles."

Broich and his Roar teammates celebrated like worthy champions when they received a ticker-tape parade in Brisbane's CBD on Tuesday.

Broich and Berisha received some of the loudest cheers from thousands of fans, who packed King George Square for the reception that followed.

"It's a bit different, this year it was more of a challenge," Broich said of their second straight A-League title.

"Last year we took the league by surprise.

"This year we were about confirming we are a strong side.

"And the way we did it makes us very proud."

He will leave the club immediately, with assistant Rado Vidosic an early contender to take over.

The Roar will make an announcement regarding the role of head coach on Wednesday.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the owners, players and football staff of the Brisbane Roar,” Postecoglou said.

“Their commitment and belief has created history for this club.

“I have been very proud to lead such an outstanding group of men, and I wish the club every success in the future.”

Postecoglou led Brisbane to unprecedented back-to-back A-League Championships, a premiership and consecutive qualifications for the AFC Champions League in his two-and-a-half year stint in charge.

Club director Chris Fong paid tribute to Postecoglou’s impact on the Roar.

“The Brisbane Roar would like to thank Ange for his commitment to the club over the last two and a half years, and the considerable role he has played in its success,” Fong said.

“We respect how difficult this decision was for him and we wish him well in his new endeavours.

“Ange’s departure marks the beginning of a new chapter in the story of the Brisbane Roar, and we are committed to ensuring we have the right people in place to continue the club's legacy with further successes.”

More to come

Glory players and staff claimed they had been robbed by the decision, claiming there was no, or minimal, contact from midfielder Liam Miller, but Shield on Monday praised Gillett for making the call "without fear or favour".

Shield also defended the appointment of Gillett for the decider, despite the fact he is from Brisbane and his partner works in the Roar's media department.

Shield said Gillett's officiating had been outstanding all season and praised his performance in the grand final.

"His general decision making was excellent, player management and game control, exemplary, and in my view he showed a great example for aspiring referees," Shield said on Monday.

"... Referees don't mind criticism on individual decisions but linking that debate to previous matches, the state in which the referee resides or matters to do with his personal life are out of order."

Asked whether he would have given the penalty, Shield said:

"My very first instinct was (it was a) penalty at the time ... Like everyone else, I've had a look the replay and there's some inconclusive angles but there's one particular angle that shows, in my view, that there was enough contact to warrant a penalty given."

It is not the first refereeing controversy of the finals series, with Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold angered by several decisions in recent weeks.

Shield acknowledged officials had erred with some offside calls but described the overall standard of refereeing "exceptionally good".
 

Smeltz copped an accidental elbow from Smith in the 15th minute of the Glory's dramatic 2-1 loss which saw his skin split from his nose to his lip and also inside his mouth.

Play was stopped for four minutes as Glory medics attempted to stem the bleeding as he was treated on the field.

It was suspected Smeltz's nose was broken in the collision and Perth coach Ian Ferguson admitted he almost replaced the New Zealand international at halftime as he struggled to breathe.

Smeltz's wife Nikki posted a graphic picture of his face on Twitter with the post "getting ready for plastic surgery!"

With a bandage wrapped around his nose and lip, the All Whites striker unsurprisingly failed to make the impact expected as Perth didn't have a shot on goal all match.

The Glory hit the lead in the 51st minute through an own goal by defender Ivan Franjic after a dangerous build-up by Billy Mehmet and Travis Dodd.

In an embarrassing gaffe, Burns was handed the Joe Marston Medal as the A-League grand final's best player 90 minutes after it was initially given to Roar playmaker Thomas Broich following the Glory's controversial 2-1 loss to defending champions Brisbane.

Broich did set up Besart Berisha's 84th-minute goal that locked up the scores at 1-1 before the Roar scored the stoppage-time match-winner off a dubious foul to ensure they became the first A-League team to win back-to-back titles.

However, eyebrows were raised when Broich and not the workaholic Burns was called to receive the best-on-ground award at the post-match ceremony.

Suspicions were confirmed when red faced A-League boss Lyall Gorman admitted an "administrative error" had led to Broich and not Burns being handed the medal.

Quite simply, ground announcer Simon Hill heard the winner's name incorrectly and handed the medal to Broich during the post-match ceremony.

"It was just a breakdown in communication between the judging panel and the announcer - it was one of those unfortunate incidents," Gorman said.

Instead of receiving the medal in front of the packed grand final crowd, Burns was forced to accept the honour at the post-match press conference in the bowels of Suncorp Stadium.

"Unfortunately there has been an administrative error with the awarding of the Joe Marston Medal," Gorman said.

"We apologise to the Roar, Thomas Broich and Perth Glory but most of all to Jacob Burns.

"At least we tried to rectify it."

Burns and Glory coach Ian Ferguson tried to be diplomatic about the howler but triumphant mentor Ange Postecoglou didn't hold back.

"Seriously you just have to count the votes and come to a conclusion," he said,

"It's disappointing. It's not fair on anyone. You shouldn't get that wrong as far as I am concerned."

Broich appeared to take offence when asked if he was surprised to initially receive the award.

"Seriously? Why are you asking me this question?" the German playmaker said.

While appreciative of the belated honour, former Socceroo Burns had been confident that his evening would have ended on a much more brighter note.

Despite not registering a shot on goal all game, Perth looked set to upset Brisbane when they led in the dying minutes thanks to a 51st minute Ivan Franjic own goal.

"I kept looking at the clock thinking we've got this. I thought we had done enough," Burns said.

"Then there was Berisha's header (to equalise) and the final penalty - well I think that was the hardest thing to take.

"But you have to be humble, you've got to roll with the punches - however, I think we can all hold our heads high."

Indeed the Glory can.

At one stage owner Tony Sage threatened to hand back the Glory licence after Perth freefalled from second to eighth with just one win in 12 games this season.

Ferguson had every reason to feel jittery.

However, on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run the Glory lived up to their name to come within an ace of a maiden A-League title.

"Our fans should be very proud of the way we have conducted ourselves this season," Burns said.

The Roar triumphed 2-1 over spirited underdogs Perth Glory after Brisbane striker Besart Berisha scored two goals in the final 10 minutes of play.

Brisbane, who came from 2-0 down against Central Coast in last season's decider, again scored in the last minute of play at Suncorp Stadium following a dubious penalty awarded by referee Jarred Gillett.

Gillett pointed to the spot after Berisha fell in the penalty area as he scrambled for the ball with three Glory defenders.

"I feel like I've been robbed there with the decision, it cost us the grand final," said Glory skipper Jacob Burns.

"You could see plain as day ... you could see it by Berisha's reaction.

"I'm just gutted."

Perth, who had won 12 of their last 16 matches, had been set to cap a remarkable season turnaround after going ahead in the 51st minute with an own goal from Roar defender Ivan Franjic.

They held their lead until Berisha's spectacular equaliser in the 84th minute, with the Albanian heading home a pin-point cross from Thomas Broich.

Glory defender Dean Heffernan was sent off at the start of injury time after receiving his second yellow card.

Broich was named player of the match to win the Joe Marsden Medal ahead of Burns and Perth goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, who produced a string of clutch saves throughout the grand final.

Against the form book, it was the Glory who looked the more confident and composed outfit in the opening exchanges and choked the Roar's slick passing game.

Brisbane were also hampered by a below-par home pitch which was showing the affects of a heavy schedule of NRL, Super Rugby and soccer matches in the past month.

But the Roar's nerves subsided and they gradually built into the decider to hold most possession before finishing the first half with an unrewarded flurry.

Mitch Nichols had the first shot on goal in the 37th minute from a sharp Shane Stefanutto cross but Vukovic was well positioned.

A-League Golden Boot Besart Berisha showed his disgust with the surface when he botched a gilt-edged chance two minutes later with an errant swing in the box.

Franjic then brought the sell-out 50,334-strong crowd to their feet with a booming low drive which looked set to strike paydirt before Vukovic expertly dived to his right and pushed it just wide.

The Roar continued their momentum after the break with Broich blasting a close-range shot at Vukovic but only a minute later the ball was in the net at the other end.

Billy Mehmet produced a fine run through the middle of the ground before finding Travis Dodd out on the right and the veteran fired in two crosses, the second of which deflected off a shattered Franjic.

The victory made Brisbane mentor Ange Postecoglou the most successful coach in Australian domestic soccer history as he now has four national titles, including two with South Melbourne in the old NSL.