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Sport

Phoenix striker an Ifill for Roar

February 8, 2012

Their attacking weapon Besart Berisha may be making headlines but another danger man was on Brisbane Roar's mind ahead of Sunday's A-League clash in Wellington.

Berisha was in the news again after extending his season goal tally to 12 in a stirring 2-0 win over Central Coast at Gosford last Saturday night - then clashing post-match with teammate James Meyer.

His bizarre confrontation with Meyer was not a good look after Berisha had just returned to the side from serving a week ban for another post-match incident against Sydney FC last month.

But Roar defender Ivan Franjic - himself no stranger to a dust-up with a team-mate - backed Berisha.

Franjic admitted his focus was on another talisman Paul Ifill, saying Wellington's English-born Barbados international should be muttered in the same breath as A-League elite Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton.

''This is the best I have seen him play in the A-League,'' Franjic said.

Asked if he should be rated alongside the likes of Kewell and Emerton, he said: ''Yeah - he is one of the top players in our league.

''He is always a danger when he has the ball - one-on-one is when he is most dangerous.''

Ifill tormented Adelaide United last round to set up a 2-1 away win, extending Wellington's winning run to four and retaining second spot - one point ahead of Brisbane.

Despite starting just nine games Ifill has notched five goals and three assists.

But the Roar are not short of attacking options - namely their controversial Albanian import Berisha.

And Franjic - who clashed with teammate Michael Theoklitos at training in November - expected Berisha to make headlines on the field this weekend after dismissing the latest incident.

''It was just passion,'' he said.

''There was nothing to it ... It's pretty much handbags.''