With cash to burn and trash to talk, Gold Coast United have sashayed into the A-League with all the understatement of Paris Hilton on a big night out.

As one of two new clubs, Gold Coast are set to liven up season five of Australia’s elite soccer competition just when it was most needed.

Whether they are a much-needed breath of fresh air, or a whole lot of hot air, will be answered soon enough as they join North Queensland Fury in an expanded 10-team competition.

Before a ball has been kicked, Gold Coast’s multi-millionaire owner Clive Palmer has declared his side will go through the season undefeated as his private planes fly players to and from matches.

The mining magnate has also tipped the contents of his Lear Jet’s loos all over Football Federation Australia’s decision to switch his side’s first game from the Gold Coast to arch-rivals Brisbane Roar’s home ground with an extraordinary call for his club’s fans to boycott the match.

Throw in another human headline in ex-Roar coach Miron Bleiberg to lead Gold Coast, and it’s clear the new boys will be anything but dull as they bid for history.

Their assembly of playing talent gives them every chance.

Socceroo star Jason Culina has been lured home in the prime of his career – a player potentially better right now than any to have graced the A-League.

Proven A-League talent led by strikers Shane Smeltz and Tahj Minniecon, along with three Brazilian imports, flesh out an imposing squad.

It may be the first time ever the defending champions are not the team everyone wants to knock off – a fact not lost on Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick.

“I love Miron. We’ve actually flown under the radar a little bit,” Merrick joked.

“It’s a great move to bring in a Gold Coast team. It’s like Miami – it’s a glamour place and glamour outfit. Clive Palmer is a man with money and passion and has put a lot into it.

“But they’ve not just talked the talk, they’ve walked it. They promised to spend money and they’ve gone out and got Jason Culina – a great pickup.

“They’ve signed a whole host of quality players and that’s a big plus for the competition.”

History suggests the odds are against Melbourne’s title defence.

No A-League team has got close to winning back-to-back championships – Sydney FC the only side to even make the finals the year after a grand final triumph.

But unlike their previous defence, the Victory have retained the vast majority of their grand final winning line-up.

They have convinced skipper Kevin Muscat to play on rather than retire, and re-signed exciting Costa Rican import Carlos Hernandez to keep their attacking triangle intact as he feeds, and feeds off the A-League’s most successful strikers Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp.

The wild cards are the competition’s two biggest underperformers – Sydney FC and Perth Glory.

Both clubs have signed well in the off-season, and under new owners, Russian banker David Traktovenko and health care magnate Paul Ramsay, Sydney FC appear to have found the stability they sorely lacked.

Respected Czech coach Vitezslav Lavicka comes with a rich pedigree in European football, and has done his best to turn around a questionable club culture.

Marquee player John Aloisi should rebound from a diabolical 2008-09 season marked by injury and disagreements with outgoing coach John Kosmina.

And it is worth noting Sydney FC’s most successful season came under a European iron fist in German Pierre Littbarski.

Perth have repatriated three current Socceroos – Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne.

Quality defender Coyne looms as a key signing for the Glory, perhaps alongside ex-English Premier League player Andy Todd in central defence.

North Queensland have lured the biggest name to this season’s A-League in ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler, while Newcastle’s Italian Fabio Vignaroli and Perth’s Serbian striker Branko Jelic are among the league’s new intake of internationals.
But when the season kicks off on August 6, all eyes will turn to the Gold Coast, including those of their fiercest championship rivals.

“They’ve got to make some noise in letting people know they’re around and good luck to them,” Melbourne skipper Muscat said.

“Within the confines of the change-room (at Melbourne Victory), there’s an underlying confidence.

“But it’s important you don’t cross the line and become arrogant about it. We’re not about stating we’re going to win the championship.

“We’re going to fight tooth and nail to hang on to the trophies we hold.

“We’ll turn up on August 6, compete for 27 league games and let that be a showcase of what we’re about rather than making quotes in the paper.”

Club by club guide to the 2009-10 A-League season:
ADELAIDE UNITED
Coach: Aurelio Vidmar
Captain: Travis Dodd
Last year’s finish: Second
Marquee player: None

Ins: Iain Fyfe (Sydney FC), Adam Hughes (Drogheda United), Inseob Shin (Kunkuk University), Michael Marrone (Adelaide United), Lloyd Owusu (Cheltenham Town).

Out: Paul Agostino (retired), Daniel Beltrame (retired), Angelo Costanzo (Newcastle Jets), Diego (released), Isyan Erdogan (released), Sasa Ognenovski (Seongnam Ilhwa), Jonas Salley (released), Jason Spagnuolo (North Queensland Fury), Michael Valkanis (retired), Robert Younis (released)

Best line-up: Eugene Galekovic (gk), Scott Jamieson, Iain Fyfe, Robert Cornthwaite, Daniel Mullen, Paul Reid, Cassio, Fabien Barbiero, Travis Dodd, Cristiano, Lloyd Owusu.

Comment: There is little to suggest Adelaide won’t be thereabouts again at finals time after keeping the bulk of their squad together following last year’s impressive campaign. Aurelio Vidmar’s men will be out to carry on the form which has seen them become the A-League most consistent side since inception. A big plus this time is the fact they will be able to focus solely on the A-League after their mighty Asian Champions League run took the wind out of their sails midway through last season.

Predicted finish: Fifth

BRISBANE ROAR
Coach: Frank Farina
Captain: Craig Moore
Last year’s finish: Third
Marquee player: Craig Moore

Ins: Henrique (Formiga, Brazil), Matt Mundy (Brisbane Roar Youth), Adam Sarota (Brisbane Roar Youth)

Out: Chris Grossman (North Queensland Fury), Tahj Minniecon (Gold Coast United), Hyuk-Su Seo (released), Ben Griffin (released).

Best line-up: Liam Reddy (gk), Andrew Packer, Josh McCloughan, Craig Moore, Danny Tiatto, Massimo Murdocca, Matt McKay, Charlie Miller, Michael Zullo, Reinaldo, Sergio van Dijk.

Comment: Twice the Roar have loomed as possible grand finalists in successive seasons and twice they haven’t quite got there. With the club hitting some financial hurdles and now under the control of the FFA, that may have been the sound of a window of opportunity shutting. Still the Roar should be around the mark – they have too much playing talent and a good coach in Farina not to be. Moore, Danny Tiatto and the unsung Matt McKay remain the backbone, while Scotsman Charlie Miller has been one of the competition’s most effective imports. Losing the exciting Tahj Minniecon will hurt. Rebranded as the Brisbane Roar and with two shiny new neighbours on their doorstep, they are a club with a lot to lose if all goes wrong.

Predicted finish: Sixth

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS
Coach: Lawrie McKinna
Captain: Alex Wilkinson
Last year’s finish: Fourth
Marquee player: None

Ins: Chris Doig (Northampton Town), Shane Huke (Dagenham and Redbridge), Adam Kwasnik (Wellington Phoenix), Michael McGlinchey (Celtic).

Outs: Andre Gumprecht (released), Mile Jedinak (Genclerbirligi), Matthew Osman (Gold Coast United), Sasho Petrovski (Newcastle Jets), Paul O’Grady (released), Greg Owens (released), Nick Rizzo (released).

Best line-up: Danny Vukovic (gk), Pedj Bojic, Alex Wilkinson, Chris Doig, Ahmad Elrich, Shane Huke, John Hutchinson, Adrian Caceres, Adam Kwasnik, Dylan Macallister, Matt Simon.

Comment: One of the most consistent sides since the inception of the A-League face arguably their toughest test this season after a failed Asian Champions League campaign and quiet off-season recruitment drive. While their best team is still impressive, depth could prove to be a problem if injuries strike. Confidence is also an issue for the Mariners, who amazingly have not won a competitive match since New Year’s Eve last year.

Predicted finish: Eighth

GOLD COAST UNITED
Coach: Miron Bleiberg
Captain: Jason Culina
Last year’s finish: New club
Marquee player: Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven)

Ins: Andrew Barisic (Melbourne Knights), James Brown (AIS), Zenon Caravella (FC Omniworld), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Steve Fitzsimmons (Beenleigh), Richard Greer (AIS), Adam Griffiths (Newcastle Jets), Scott Higgins (Eastern Suburbs), Jefferson (Atletico Rorairama), Milson (Madureira), Tahj Minniecon (Brisbane Roar), Matt Osman (Central Coast), Steve Pantelidis (Melbourne Victory), Joel Porter (Hartlepool United), Daniel Piorkowski (Newcastle Jets), Kristian Rees (Adelaide City), Robson (Cabofriense), Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix), Michael Thwaite (Melbourne Victory), Adama Traore (Ivory Coast), Bas van den Brink (FC Omniworld), Jess Vanstrattan (Verona).

Best line-up: Jess Vanstrattan (gk), Michael Thwaite, Bas van den Brink, Kristian Rees, Adam Griffiths, Jason Culina, Robson, Matt Osman, Tahj Minniecon, Shane Smeltz, Joel Porter.

Comment: We know what they sound like. What do they play like? Hard to see anything but blue sky and a good finish for the new boys with a squad containing arguably the A-League’s most significant signing in Culina, and players like Adam Griffiths, Michael Thwaite and Shane Smeltz who are A-League proven. But it is always hard for a new team to come together and gel straight away. It will be interesting to see how big-spending owner Clive Palmer copes with any time lag between results and expectations, especially early in the season.

Predicted finish: Third

MELBOURNE VICTORY
Coach: Ernie Merrick
Captain: Kevin Muscat
Last year’s finish: First
Marquee player: Archie Thompson

Ins: Glen Moss (Wellington Phoenix), Surat Sukha (Chonburi FC), Mathew Theodore (Melbourne Victory Youth).

Out: Steve Pantelidis (Gold Coast United), Jose Luis Lopez (Deportivo Saprissa), Sebastian Ryall (Sydney FC), Michael Theoklitos (Norwich City), Michael Thwaite (Gold Coast United).

Best line-up: Glen Moss (gk), Matthew Kemp, Rodrigo Vargas, Kevin Muscat, Evan Berger, Billy Celeski, Leigh Broxham, Tom Pondeljak, Carlos Hernandez, Archie Thompson, Danny Allsopp.

Comment: Stability has been the key to the A-League’s most successful club, and it’s heartening for all concerned there’s more of the same in the way the Victory are going about things this year. They boast the competition’s most exciting attack when Thompson and Carlos Hernandez are on song, Muscat has come off the best season of his A-League career at rising 36, and there look no weak links or departures that can’t be coped with. Ernie Merrick and his coaching staff have preparation down to a fine art and there’s a lot of confidence they can go back to back. History says they can’t. Logic suggests they can. Look top four certainties at the very least.

Predicted finish: Second

NEWCASTLE JETS
Coach: Branko Culina
Captain: Matt Thompson
Last year’s finish: Eighth
Marquee player: Fabio Vignaroli (TBC)

Ins: Angelo Costanzo (Adelaide United), Donny de Groot (De Graafschap), Ljubo Milicevic (Melbourne Victory), Sasho Petrovski (Central Coast Mariners), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Perth Glory), Sean Rooney (Sydney FC), Fabio Vignaroli (Panthrakikos, TBC)

Out: Ante Covic (IF Elfsborg), Adam Griffiths (Gold Coast United), Joel Griffiths (Beijing Guoan – loan), Jesper Hakansson (released), Antun Kovacic (Ulsan Hyundai), Mark Milligan (Shanghai Shenhua), Jade North (Incheon United FC)

Best line-up: Ben Kennedy (gk), Tarek Elrich, Ljubo Milicevic, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Adam D’Apuzzo, Ben Kantarovski, Jobe Wheelhouse, Matt Thompson, Jin Hyun Song, Fabio Vignaroli, Sasho Petrovski.

Comment: The Jets’ preparations for 2009-10 were rattled when Gary van Egmond announced his shock resignation in June. But it’s certainly not all doom and gloom for last year’s wooden spooners. Encouragingly, they have kept together a squad which impressed in the Asian Champions League, with the likes of Fabio Vignaroli, Ljubo Milicevic and Sasho Petrovski proving themselves as valuable recruits. In Branko Culina, they have a coach who will be determined to prove his credentials in the A-League after a short-lived stint with Sydney FC.

Predicted finish: Seventh

NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY
Coach: Ian Ferguson
Captain: TBC
Last year’s finish: new club
Marquee player: Robbie Fowler

Ins: Fred Agius (Adelaide City), Beau Busch (Sydney FC), Jeremy Brockie (Team Wellington), Robbie Fowler (Blackburn Rovers), Rostyn Griffiths (Adelaide United), Chris Grossman (Brisbane Roar ), Paul Kohler (Newcastle Jets), Osama Malik (Adelaide United), Daniel McBreen (York City), Robbie Middleby (Sydney FC), Justin Pasfield (Wollongong Wolves),James Robinson (Perth Glory), Jason Spagnuolo (Adelaide United), Chris Tadrosse (Central Coast Mariners), Ufuk Talay (Avispa Fukuoka), Jacob Timpano (Sydney FC), David Williams (Brondby – loan), Scott Wilson (Dunfermline Athletic), Karl Dodd (Wellington Phoenix)

Best line-up: Justin Pasfield (gk), Robbie Middleby, John Tambouras, Scott Wilson, Chris Tadrosse, Ufuk Talay, Rostyn Griffiths, Jason Spagnuolo, Chris Grossman, David Williams, Robbie Fowler.

Comment: All of the focus will be on former Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler in North Queensland’s debut A-League season, but it is really his teammates that will hold the key to Fury’s hopes. While proven as one of the world’s best finishers, Fowler will require strong service and plenty of support from his comrades, especially if doubts over his fitness prove to be justified. It’s hard to gauge exactly how the Fury squad will come together but Ian Ferguson clearly has his work cut out in his first head coaching role.

Predicted finish: Tenth

PERTH GLORY
Coach: Dave Mitchell
Captain: Jacob Burns
Last year’s finish: Seventh
Marquee player: Mile Sterjovski

Ins: Jacob Burns (FC Unirea Urziceni), Chris Coyne (Colchester United), Branko Jelic (Energie Cottbus), Mile Sterjovski (Derby County), Andy Todd (Derby County), Aleks Vrteski (FK Pobeda)

Outs: Jason Petkovic (retired), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Newcastle Jets), David Tarka (released), Dino Djulbic (Rot Weiss Ahlen), James Robinson (North Queensland Fury), Adrian Trinidad (released), Amaral (released), Josip Magdic (released), Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente)

Best line-up: Tando Velaphi (gk), Jamie Coyne, Chris Coyne, Andy Todd, Scott Neville, Jacob Burns, Scott Bulloch, Adriano Pelligrino, Victor Sokora, Mile Sterjovski, Eugene Dadi.

Comment: With the best recruitment of any side in this year’s A-League, Perth Glory appear ideally placed to finally end their finals drought. The signings of Socceroos trio Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne, as well as former Premier League defender Andy Todd, have given the Glory squad a new sheen from front to back. Perth showed some encouraging signs under Dave Mitchell last season but this could be the year they really make their mark in the A-League.

Predicted finish: Fourth

SYDNEY FC
Coach: Vitezslav Lavicka
Captain: Steve Corica
Last year’s finish: Fifth
Marquee player: John Aloisi

Ins: Karol Kisel (Sparta Prague), Sebastian Ryall (Melbourne Victory), Byun Sung-Hwan (Jeju United), Stephan Keller (De Graafschap)

Outs: Adam Biddle (released), Beau Busch (North Queensland Fury), Mike Enfield (released), Iain Fyfe (Adelaide United), Robbie Middleby (North Queensland Fury), Tony Popovic (retired), Brendon Santalab (Chengdu Blades), Jacob Timpano (North Queensland Fury), Nik Tsattalios (Newcastle Jets)

Best line-up: Clint Bolton (gk), Byun Sung-Hwan, Simon Colosimo, Stephan Keller, Rhyan Grant, Stuart Musialik, Karol Kisel, Steve Corica, Alex Brosque, Brendon Gan, John Aloisi.

Comment: After a poor season in which they missed the finals for the first time, Sydney FC have undergone a revolution and the early signs are good for the inaugural A-League champions. Seasoned Czech coach Vitezslav Lavicka has brought a renewed sense of discipline and a strong work ethic to the side, judging by their solid pre-season form. Last year’s marquee flop John Aloisi is looking much fitter and sharper and an improved season from him will be vital to Sydney’s prospects.

Predicted finish: 1st

WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Coach: Ricki Herbert
Captain: Andrew Durante
Last year’s finish: Sixth
Marquee player: None

Ins: Reece Crowther (Queens Park Rangers), Chris Greenacre (Tranmere Rovers), Paul Ifill (Crystal Palace), Marco Rojas (Hamilton Wanderers), Diego Walsh (Adelaide United)

Out: Jeremy Christie (released), Vaughan Coveny (retired), Karl Dodd (released), Greg Draper (released), Richard Johnson (retired), Glen Moss (Melbourne Victory), Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast United)

Best line-up: Reece Crowther (gk), Tony Lochhead, Andrew Durante, Jon McKain, Manny Muscat, Tim Brown, Leo Bertos, Diego, Daniel, Paul Ifill, Chris Greenacre.

Comment: Despite an improved showing last year, yet another tough season looms for the Phoenix in the expanded A-League. Losing their best player, Shane Smeltz, to Gold Coast is a big blow but they look to have made some smart recruits in England-based strikers Chris Greenacre and Paul Ifill. To have any chance of making the finals, the Phoenix will need a strong start and a sharp focus on getting results away from home.

Predicted finish: Ninth