It has been far too long a wait since we watched Besart Berisha end the 2011/12 A-League season in stunning and controversial fashion at Suncorp on the 22nd of April.

It is that time of year where football tragics young and old head back to the terraces, but what are we in for?

Here is a team-by-team look at what to expect this season:

Adelaide United

Rebounded from the disaster under Rini Coolen for a short while under the second coming of John Kosmina, but petered out to end in the lowly ninth place. Looking to do a whole lot better this season with incoming Argentines Marcelo Carrusca, Jeronimo Neumann as well Fabio Ferreira, Dylan Bowles and Jake Barker-Daish.

It is hard to get a read on how this in-flux Kosmina side will perform. What I think is clear is that Kosmina will need to change a few things up tactically in what is a constantly developing league; will route one football do? There were some promising signs shown in the first ACL quarter-final leg against Bunyodkor.

They will have a bit of competitive game time as they face Bunyodkor over two legs before any A-League side plays a competitive fixture.

Their main source of strength is clearly up front with Vidosic, van Dijk and Djite. All three matched up together last season and all are good on the ball. What I think will also serve them well is a keen younger brigade stepping up; see the promotion of Evan Kostopoulos and Teeboy Kamara from the National Youth League squad.

Verdict: They will find the going tougher if they don’t adapt to a changing, stronger league. Ninth.

Brisbane Roar

So how do you top what has come before? Just do it all again, of course. The reigning champs will have a different look with the succession of Rado Vidosic to the top job after the departure of championship-winning coach Ange Postecoglou.

Meanwhile, they lose Kofi Danning, Mohamed Adnan, Matt Mundy, Issey Nakajima-Farran and Andrew Redmayne; in come youth prospect James Donachie, starlet Ben Halloran, Do Dong-Hyun and Nikolas Fitzgerald.

The only problem I could see for Brisbane is stasis. If you stay the same in this developing league, you’re only going to go backwards. But this looks unlikely with the proverbial breath of fresh air in Vidosic.

This will present its own challenge for Brisbane; how Rado copes with the step up will be an intriguing prospect and how the players respond to that will tell where the Roar will finish up.

There may be issues with defence if injury/form woes strike, but Donachie can provide that cover if problems arise. However, I can’t see too many holes in this squad and I expect them to top the ladder this season.

Verdict: First.

Central Coast Mariners

The community club, the strugglers, punching above their weight… you’ve heard that all before and nothing has changed.

In come Mile Sterjovski, Brent Griffiths, Nick Montgomery and Zac Anderson but the Mariners have lost their heart-and-soul skipper Alex Wilkinson and Mustafa Amini to top off losing Matt Simon and Rostyn Griffiths last season in a serious dent to their title hopes.

It will prove a major boon to have hung onto Graham Arnold to help bring the Mariners their first championship.

They’re well run off the field and are well drilled with a set system on it; which should see them stay in the top half of the table and a chance to take out a maiden championship.

However, though, they are the club that has been lauded for doing well with not much resources; the need to sell important players in the middle of seasons has hurt them, it cannot be denied.

But that is the reality while the club struggles for resources and they have done well with what they have had. I’m backing Arnie to continue that.

Prediction: Third.

Melbourne Heart

This looms as a defining year for the fledgling Melbourne club. They welcome foundation player and Socceroos icon John Aloisi to the top job as they farewell John van’t Schip and popular assistant Ante Milicic.

On field the squad has had quite the makeover. In come Richard Garcia, Patrick Gerhardt, Josip Tadic, Dylan Macallister, Golgol Mebrahtu, Steven Gray, David Vrankovic and Ben Garrucio as Rutger Worm, Curtis Good, Brendan Hamill, Alex Terra, Maycon among others fareweled the club.

What has been impressive from the Heart is their ability to engage with the broader community outside Melbourne and the section of the Melbourne football public that never took to or left their Victory neighbours.

They’ve done plenty of hard work off-field and have a philosophy on it. So this is where the pressure on Aloisi will come, to further that brand and bring success (in the form of that treasured toilet-bowl) within the coming years. This is a big ask for a rookie coach as success will be vital to growing their fan base.

Verdict: Ninth.

Melbourne Victory

Melbourne’s glamour and best supported club endured the season past in turmoil, and Australia’s own “special one” Ange Postecoglou has the challenge of restoring the club to where it feels it belongs.

Mass changes have been made to the list with veterans Carlos Hernandez, Tom Pondlejak, Grant Brebner and Matt Kemp departing, along with Harry Kewell, Jean-Carlo Solorzano and Ante Covic. In come Marcos Flores, Jonathan Bru, Guilherme Finkler, Adama Traore, Sam Gallagher, Theo Markelis and Spase Dilevski.

There will be a weight of expectation on Ange and his charges; this is part of the club and always will be. I just don’t know how fair that is.

As a Victory fan I have no expectations for this season coming. I look at this year as a steadying one after last year’s disaster. Time will be needed to get the Victory back to the top.

What is positive is that the squad has more depth and looks more flexible than perhaps ever. With Ange comes a culture of success; a system and a philosophy to carry the club forward.

Verdict: Fifth.

Newcastle Jets

The tyros from the Hunter endured an off-season where there was no guarantee a club would still be there. Thankfully, issues between Frank Lowy and Nathan Tinkler have been cooled and we can talk football now.

The Jets have secured the services of English journeyman Emile Heskey in a coup for the league and have recruited/elevated some bright young talent in Mitch Cooper, Craig Goodwin, Josh Mitchell, Connor Chapman, Dominik Ritter, Sam Gallaway, Mitch Oxborrow and Adam Targett to the club in a clear direction as to where they’re looking.

An exciting team to watch when playing their fast and attacking game that has been developing under Gary van Egmond from last season. A young side will take the field, having lost players like Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Kasey Wehrman and Tarek Elrich, and this presents the challenge of success in the short-term.

One fascinating sub-plot will be on Heskey and how he goes this season and possibly beyond. I’m not sure how he’ll fit in a fast and young Jets side, but he can add a different dimension up front and van Egmond has him here for a reason.

Some inexperience will count against them, but very much on the right track in developing with an attacking brand of football.

Verdict: Seventh.

Perth Glory

Payback on the mind of the runners-up and they should be thereabouts again this season; Fergie’s men are a great chance for a maiden A-League championship crown. Tony Sage has spared no expense in the quest for the crown with the club recruiting Michael Thwaite, Adrian Zahra, Chris Harold, Scott Jamieson, Nick Ward and promoting Ndumba Makeche and Brandon O’Neill to the squad.

I haven’t enjoyed watching the Glory play in the past and thought they were on track to be the same last season, but they were entertaining, played in front of big and loud crowds, and they got results.

Fergie tweaked his side around and got the best out of his squad and that will continue this season. Two players in Liam Miller and Shane Smeltz should also have a big season ahead. Another lesson is it also helps to have someone like Sage at the club that is passionate and willing to invest in the club.

Verdict: Challenging Brisbane for top spot but will just finish second.

Sydney FC

The ‘Bling’ is back and hopefully the fans will be too. Big changes for Sydney FC as Vitja Lavicka left the top job and assistant Ian Crook will step up to take charge of the Sky Blues. And, oh yes, they signed a guy named Del Piero.

In all seriousness, I’ve loved the headlines he has generated and I cannot wait to see how ‘Capitano’ goes. Joining Del Piero is Krunoslav Lovrek, Yairo Yau, Trent McClenahan, Adam Griffiths, Fabio, Ali Abbas, Paul Reid, Vedran Janjetovic and Hagi Gligor, Blake Powell and Dan Petkovski.

Crook is an experienced coach with a record of youth development heads. The squad seems to have more depth to it, with off-season signings galore. Off-field ‘football person’ Tony Pignata leads the club and has made great early moves ensuring free public transport to games with a membership.

All this comes with an expectation of instant results on the park and Crook will bear the brunt of it. I’ll tip them to play finals and Crook to do a solid job bringing in a system.

Verdict: Sixth.

Wellington Phoenix

Joins the Central Coast Mariners as one of the most stable clubs, having played finals in the past three seasons. The Phoenix have made do with a distinct home advantage and a manager that gets the best out of his squad and players.

Off-season owner troubles with Terry Serepisos, but that has been resolved with a business consortium now in charge. Favourite sons Tim Brown and Chris Greenacre have retired, as Kiwi keeper Glen Moss, defender Michael Boxall, Solomon Islands striker Benjamin Totori, Belgian striker Steyn Huysegems and ex-Jet Jeremy Brockie join the club.

Defensively disciplined and hard to break down, the ‘Nix have beefed up in attack with those attacking signings made. A reliance on Paul Ifill’s creativity has served them well, but he alone can’t break the Phoenix through the glass ceiling for that maiden championship, so attacking signings are important.

Recruiting defender Boxall also adds to a tough-as-nails defensive line. What can possibly bring them unstuck are injuries and under preforming signings.

Verdict: To continue their success with a big chance to be a contender in fourth.

Western Sydney Wanderers

The team that should have been in the A-League from day one was born earlier this year after the scrapping of Gold Coast United. Comes with the promise of Sydney derbies and a reconnection to football’s heartland.

Headed by young coach Tony Popovic and an inaugural squad with a blend of experience and youth, the Wanderers have an exciting look about them. However, the real test will be through the turnstiles at Parramatta Stadium and off the pitch.

Led by experienced inaugural captain Michael Beauchamp and Nikolai Topor-Stanley, a mix of Western Sydney youth, overseas signings in Dino Kresinger and Mateo Pollak, and have been linked to Michael Ballack and secured the services of Japanese playmaker Shinji Ono.

They’ll have an intriguing mix but have no experience as a team at this level and that will tell.

The more pressing matter is off-field and how important success in that area is. Engaging with the community and football loving public there should be the priority, as well as a system and brand of football that is synonymous with Western Sydney.

Verdict: Tenth.