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Melbourne Victory players react after missing a shot at goal during the penalty shoot out at the 2010 A-League Grand Final. AAP Image / Martin Philbey.
As we look ahead to tomorrow night and the start of the sixth A-League season at a new venue, with a new team, two new managers and plenty of new players, the hope is that this season builds on the on-field gains made in season five.
After four seasons of fairly average play, the technical level went a couple of notches last season, with better recruitment and quality spread across the league.
It wasn’t perfect by any means, but a vast improvement on what had transpired in the proceeding seasons, and a sign that the league, at least at a technical level, continues to move forward.
The real issue last season is that this message of improvement wasn’t being spread as a general air of glow surrounded the drop in average crowds and other peripheral issues, messages the FFA, focussed on the World Cup bid, didn’t address proactively enough.
As we work our way around the league, in clockwise fashion, I focus on some of the key technical aspects at each club ahead of this latest season;
North Queensland Fury
Franz Straka is a relative unknown in Australia but has a great opportunity to make another mark for Czech football if he can get the absolute best out of what is a relatively thin squad, seemingly built on a shoe-string budget.
With everyone writing them off, Straka really has nothing to lose, and if he can deliver anywhere near the detail and brand of football that Vitezslav Lavicka did last season, the Fury will shock a few.
Given his late arrival, it might take some time to get going, so the extra games will only help.
Brisbane Roar
Ange Postecoglou has swept the broom and built a young squad of his own making. Pace and mobility in transition appear the keys, with the dynamic Henrique and Kosta Barbarouses working in and around Costa Rican striker Jean Carlo Solorzano, feeding off the service of Thomas Broich.
It is not a particularly deep squad, and how organised they are defensively will be the key to their season. Unlike the Fury, they have quality between the sticks in Michael Theoklitos.
Gold Coast United
Not many changes to the playing squad but the biggest change is in the dug-out, where Paul Okon won’t be alongside Miron Bleiberg.
Bleiberg and Clive Palmer have gone about things less abrasively this season, but they have one of the deepest and most settled squads in the league, and quality in all the thirds, so they should be there or thereabouts come the business end of the season.
The key is whether Bleiberg can make the right moves throughout.
Newcastle Jets
Depth in numbers is the biggest strength at Branko Culina’s disposal, and over the course of a longer than usual season, this could prove telling. Culina can cover most positions twice, and Italian central midfielder Marcello Fiorentini looks a neat player based on the 45 minutes I saw of him in a pre-season game at Edensor Park.
With Kasey Wehrman, Jobe Wheelhouse, Ben Kantarovski and Ruben Zadkovich also about, central midfield is a really strong area.
The key will be whether they can find regular goals, with the likes of Jeremy Brockie and Marko Jesic needing to step up consistently and take some of the burden off Michael Bridges and Labinot Haliti.
Central Coast Mariners
Graham Arnold has added a real technical flavour to his midfield by introducing Patricio Perez, Oliver Bozanic and Mustafa Amini to Michael McGlinchey. If they can stay on the pitch, they should bring some real flair and deliver the likes of Daniel McBreen, Matt Simon and Adam Kwasnik chances.
Meanwhile, Patrick Zwaanswijk will help them play out, and Jess Vanstratten’s distribution will help.
Contrary to the myth that the Mariners have always played dull, unattractive football, we might see this latest side get back to some of the free-flowing football that illuminated the inaugural season, when they were clearly the best footballing side.
Sydney FC
Transition, both into defence and offence, was the major reason for Sydney’s success last season, and the biggest reason for this was the form of Alex Brosque. Keeping him on the pitch, and firing, looms as the key again this season, and his combination with Mark Bridge and Nicky Carle will be crucial.
A long term injury to any of this trio will spell disaster for Lavicka, unless he can somehow prize an effective number nine, and they aren’t exactly in abundance, especially at the money Sydney have available.
Simon Colosimo, outstanding last season, could be the biggest miss.
Wellington Phoenix
Paul Ifill was among the top stars of the league last season, and if he can re-produce anywhere near the same stuff this time around, we’re in for another treat.
Ricki Herbert has done a great job in the off-season, bringing in Dylan Macallister to take some of the burden off Chris Greenacre, and he might yet add Bambang Pamungkas, which would be a great get.
Bringing back Jade North should also prove a masterstroke, and his combination with skipper Andrew Durante should make the ‘Nix even more formidable.
Melbourne Heart
The Heart have certainly had a lot of positive press, and John van’t Schip has built an interesting mix of young and old, local and foreign, both within the squad and in his own technical team.
While much has been said about the style he wants to plays, van’t Schip’s success or otherwise could depend on keeping Simon Colosimo and Josip Skoko on the pitch.
While the likes of Michael Beauchamp and Matt Thompson should slot in seamlessly, more interest will be in how effective Gerald Sibon and Alex Terra are in the front third, and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing how young Australian striker Eli Babalj develops. Boy do we need a couple of strikers to emerge.
Melbourne Victory
With Archie Thompson out till November at the earliest, the key is for Ernie Merrick to find a solution in the front third. He has hitherto proved very resourceful. If he doesn’t dip into the transfer market, much will rest on the shoulders of Robbie Kruse, and, in truth, that’s a bit of a lottery.
Talented, but enigmatic, Kruse will be targeted, and must remain disciplined. Merrick will look to build combinations around him, and once again will rely heavily on the Carlos Hernandez.
The squad, particularly at the back, has an aging look to it, and there have been signs of ill-discipline of late that have to been eradicated.
It’s a big year for the likes of Nick Ward, Surat Sukha, Mate Dugandzic, Marvin Angulo and Evan Berger, who all need to lift, and for Grant Brebner, Tom Pondeljak, Kevin Muscat and Rody Vargas, who are all nearing the end.
Adelaide United
If he can keep his first 11 on the pitch, Rini Coolen has a fair bit to work with, but having arrived so late, and with injuries abound, it’s looking like a slow start.
The centrepiece is Sergio van Dijk, and his combinations with Marcos Flores, Mathew Leckie, Travis Dodd and Lucas Pantelis will be crucial.
Where Coolen really starts to worry is if he loses van Dijk for a prolonged period. But right now his focus should be all about getting his men on board, and that might take a while.
Perth Glory
Much of the focus has been on Robbie Fowler, but expectations should be tapered by be the reality that his first half of last season was much better than his back-half.
With Tony Sage ambitious, the pressure is really on David Mitchell to deliver this season, and he will need big improvement from the likes of Branko Jelic and Mile Sterjovski to take some of the scoring burden and attention off Fowler.
Elsewhere, he has put a lot of faith in Steven McGarry.
This is my 100th piece on The Roar since starting in May last year. It has been great fun dissecting all things Australian and international football with you over that time. I thank all of you who have contributed for your ongoing interest, and look forward to sharing many more thoughts throughout the upcoming A-League season and beyond.
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