Adelaide United's Zenon Caravella tackles Melbourne Victory's Harry Kewell. AAP Image/James Elsby
With the much-anticipated seventh season of the A-League launched yesterday, somewhat overshadowed by the sensational sacking of Newcastle Jets manager Branko Culina a short time later, excitement and awareness is reaching fever-pitch ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster triple header.
In the first of a two part series identifying the players to keep an eye on at each club, I look at Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners, Gold Coast United and Melbourne Heart.
Adelaide United, Zenon Caravella
In my preview of the season last week, I wrote about the potential for a new approach by Rini Coolen, one built around possessing the ball and moving it swiftly.
One of the main drivers of this increased ball circulation is likely to be Zenon Caravella, a busy central midfielder now at his third A-League club.
After struggling to make an impression at the now defunct New Zealand Knights, he spent a couple of years in Holland, coming back a far more polished central midfielder for the Gold Coast United, where he starred alongside Jason Culina and Michael Thwaite over the past two season.
So good was his form last season that at one stage I suggested he should be among the players picked by Holger Osieck in his extended preliminary Asian Cup squad.
At Adelaide he will be expected to set the tempo, picking up the ball from the backline, linking through midfield and enabling front men Sergio van Dijk, Dario Vidosic and Andy Slory to flourish.
When United lose the ball, expect Caravella to be buzzing about, pressing to win it back quickly. With Matt McKay now overseas, he might even become the league’s most energetic midfielder.
Brisbane Roar, James Meyer
When he burst into the Brisbane line-up in January, with four goals from four games, James Meyer went from a relative unknown to one of the stories of a wonderful Roar season.
Having signed from Brisbane Premier League club Eastern Suburbs in the off-season as a versatile back-up, Meyer was used by Ange Postecoglou as an attacking midfielder, showing an uncanny ability to drive into the box and find the ball, and the net, all with burst of pace and sound technique.
Injury and some returning Roar players cut his season short, but in the current pre-season Meyer has shown his versatility, spending much of it in the front line, where he has even been used as the central striker.
With Kosta Barbarouses and Jean Carlos Solorzano gone, Meyer should get plenty of opportunities up front, and if he can replicate the goal-scoring form he showed last season, he could emerge as one of the success stories of the season.
Another ready to make the break-through is attacking midfielder Luke Brattan.
Central Coast Mariners, Bernie Ibini-Isei
It was tempting to nominate Adriano Pellegrino, who showed some great glimpses cutting infield form the right side of Perth Glory’s midfield two seasons ago, and is expected the play a pivotal creative role from the point of Graham Arnold’s midfield diamond after looking unhappy at Perth last season.
However, the other man who could provide the Mariners with a cutting edge in the final third is young striker Bernie Ibini-Isei, but burst onto the scene and made an immediate impression late last season, with his late cameo in the grand final almost bringing the championship to Gosford.
What Ibini should provide if given the opportunity by Graham Arnold is a little more subtly in the final third, a compliment to the more physical and direct style of the likes of Matt Simon, Michael Baird and Adam Kwasnik.
Gold Coast United, Josh Brillante
While Dutch front-man Maceo Rigters has the potential to be anything if he fires, Miron Bleiberg will be hoping 18 year old North Queensland product Josh Brillante can make the step up to become a first team regular.
One of the players stepping up from United’s successful youth side alongside the likes of attackers Chris Harold and Ben Halloran, Brillante made his first team debut last season, impressing against the Fury.
Playing as a right back for much of United’s impressive pre-season, Brillante will be expected to make some penetrating runs from deep, ensuring he balances his defensive responsibilities against a natural inclination to get forward.
Having Michael Thwaite nearby should be a great help.
Melbourne Heart, Jonathan Germano
While John van’t Schip has lined-up a bevy of attackers who should ensure the Heart transition swiftly into attack, one of the keys to getting them flowing might be the addition of Argentine holding midfielder Jonathan Germano.
Said to be a tough-tackling ball-winner, Germano will be expected to win the ball and link with the likes of Wayne Srhoj and Fred in midfield, enabling the likes of Maycon, Alex Terra and David Williams to flourish at the pointy end of van’t Schip’s 4-3-3.
In an interview with Simon Hill last week, van’t Schip described Germano as a “winner”, just the type of mentality the Heart require to go with the flair up front.
Stay tuned for part two, where Tony casts an eye over the players to watch at the Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Joe Lolley was outstanding for the Sky Blues, scoring a brace as Sydney FC equaled their biggest ever victory.
Eight trophies is nothing to be sneered at, but can Klopp’s name can be mentioned among the best managers in the Premier League era?
The Matilda scored the first two of her team's goals in the 4-0 win.
With the Liverpool manager leaving the club after this season, his West Ham rival can't wait for him to go - in the nicest…
Arsenal have survived a late scare at Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham to stay narrowly ahead in the compelling race for the Premier League title. A…
At the time this column usually goes live next Monday morning, I’ll be in the stands at Selhurst Park watching Crystal Palace take on…
