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Forget defending champions Brisbane, the glitz of Sydney FC, and the Kewell-inspired Victory – the seventh installment of the A-League is set to see a new champion hoist the ‘toilet seat’.
Much has been made of the signings of Harry Kewell (Melbourne Victory) and Brett Emerton (Sydney FC), and rightfully so. But when the whips are cracking after 27 rounds of football, both will be found wanting.
Save for the debacle that was North Queensland Fury, Sydney FC were the most dour, uninspiring team in the competition last season.
Apart from Emerton, they’ve signed ageing propositions like Jamie Coyne and Michael Beauchamp, while releasing promising youngsters Matthew Jurman and Kofi Danning.
With the likes of Terry McFlynn leading the A-League’s glamour park around this season, there is little to suggest that Vítězslav Lavička’s team are going to dramatically transform this season.
Admittedly, the Victory have been more proactive in their ‘other’ signings, picking up Marcos Rojas from Wellington and the on-loan Jean Carlos Solorzano from Brisbane via Costa Rica.
Those two additions, plus Kewell, to a front line already boasting Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp will certainly provide defences with plenty of headaches as one of the most potent attacks in the league.
But the failure to shore up a leaky defence, who will be missing controversial hardman Kevin Muscat, or sign a recognised holding midfielder to balance the team, will prove costly.
After the most dominating performance in an A-League season in its history, the Brisbane Roar are hard to fault, yet the very nature of the competition means that the odds are stacked against them being able to repeat their success.
Defending a title with a target on their back was always going to be difficult and the loss of captain Matt McKay and their two top-scorers in Solorzano and Kosta Barbarouses, does nothing to help their cause.
Ange Postecogolou has been able to bring in Matthew Jurman and Kofi Danning from Sydney FC, plus several little-known signings from abroad, but whether they can fill the considerable gaps that have been left, casts a massive doubt over their title chances.
So if the winners of five of the six A-League titles cannot win it, who can?
Adelaide United have been sounded out by many pundits in the lead-up to the season kick-off, and it is easy to understand why, with coach Rini Coolen making several astute signings over the off-season.
Two of Australia’s brightest, young prospects, Dario Vidošić and Spaše Dilevski, have been brought in along with Bruce Djite, Jon McKain, Milan Susak and Zenon Caravella, as well as burgeoning talents Paul Izzo, Anthony Golec and Jacob Melling.
Coolen’s side were the runaway leaders of the A-League in the first half of last season, before falling apart at the seams, and by strengthening his squad all over the pitch, should avoid a similiar fate in season seven.
The signing of Harry Kewell has engulfed the Melbourne football community over the past two months and further dwarfed the Victory’s city rivals Melbourne Heart, yet it should be the Heart who usurp their big brother on the pitch this season.
After an indifferent inaugural season, John van’t Schip has overhauled his squad, with experienced campaigners John Aloisi, Gerald Sibon, Michael Beauchamp and Josip Skoko all no longer at AAMI Park.
David Williams, Mate Dugandžić and Fred provide the Dutchman with no shortage of creative talent, Maycon could prove to be the talisman to replace Sibon and Argentinian holding midfielder Jonathon Germano will provide steel in the middle of the park.
The signings emphasise speed, mobility and flexibility and are indicative that van’t Schip is ready to impart the style of revolutionary Dutch tactician Rinus Michels on his Melbourne outfit.
After the agony of last season’s capitulation, deep into extra time of the Grand Final, Graham Arnold’s Central Coast Mariners have also been able to fly under the radar.
Judging by the stability of Arnold’s squad, there is nothing to suggest that they will regress from last season’s second-place finish.
While the enigmatic Patricio Perez has been released, the Mariners have been able to retain the Borussia Dortmund-bound Mustafa Amini, who should ably replace Perez in the trequartista role.
Proven A-League performers have been acquired in Adriano Pellegrino, Stuart Musialik and Troy Hearfield, while highly-rated young Socceroo Bernie Ibini has been promoted from the youth team and should feature more prominently this season.
Unfortunately, the Mariners have been beset by financial problems over the off-season and if they are unable to resolve these issues, it may detract from their on-field performance.
But should they find a white knight, there is no reason to suggest they cannot go all the way this season.
So while the focus will rightfully be on the ‘Hollywood’ teams of the competition on a tantalising opening night tomorrow, prepare for the lesser lights of the competition to gain the ascendancy over the coming weeks and months.
Come late April, we will be witnessing Adelaide, Central Coast or Melbourne Heart being crowned A-League champions for the first time.
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