10th Hyundai A-League Season

[Luigi197]

The 10th season of the Hyundai A-League is almost upon us! In anticipation, this is a thread for general league discussion, as well as pre-season predictions and a preview of the 2014/15 campaign by yours truly. This season promises to be an exciting one, with a heap of major positive transfer activity and a hype like never before.

Adelaide United
Coach: Josep Gombau
INS:
-   Pablo Sanchez Alberto
-   Craig Goodwin
-   Dylan McGowan
-   Jimmy Jeggo
OUTS:
-   Jeronimo Neumann
-   Jon McKain
-   Michael Zullo

Brisbane Roar
Coach: Mike Mulvey
INS:
-   Mensur Kurtisi
-   Adam Sarota (loan)
-   Daniel Bowles
OUTS:
-   Besart Berisha
-   Ivan Franjic
-   Diogo Ferreira

Central Coast Mariners
Coach: Phil Moss
INS:
-   Matthew Nash
-   Malick Mane (loan)
-   Richard Vernes (loan)
OUTS:
-   Michael McGlinchey
-   Marcos Flores
-   Bernie Ibini
-   Justin Pasfield
-   Marcel Seip
-   Mile Sterjovski

Melbourne City
Coach: John Vant Schip
INS:
-   David Villa (guest for 10 games)
-   Damien Duff
-   Robert Koren
-   Aaron Mooy
-   Erik Paartalu
-   James Brown
OUTS:
-   Orlando Engelaar
-   Harry Kewell
-   Patrick Gerhardt
-   Aziz Behich

Melbourne Victory
Coach: Kevin Muscat
INS:
-   Bersart Berisha
-   Carl Valeri
-   Matthieu Delpierre
-   Daniel Georgievski
-   Fahid Ben Khalfallah
OUTS:
-   James Troisi
-   Tom Rogic
-   Pablo Contreras
-   Adama Traore

Newcastle Jets
Coach: Phil Stubbins
INS:
-   Marcos Flores
-   Jeronimo Neumann
-   Billy Celeski
-   Adrian Madaschi
-   Jonny Steele
-   Edson Montano
OUTS:
-   Emile Heskey
-   Adam Taggart
-   Ruben Zadkovich
-   Josh Brillante
-   Michael Bridges
-   James Brown

Perth Glory
Coach: Kenny Lowe
INS:
-   Andy Keogh
-   Youssouf Hersi
-   Mitch Nichols
-   Richard Garcia
-   Ruben Zadkovich
-   Dino Djulbic
-   Diogo Ferreira
OUTS:
-   William Gallas
-   Shane Smeltz
-   Steven McGarry
-   Travis Dodd
-   Jacob Burns

Sydney FC
Coach: Graham Arnold
INS:
-   Shane Smeltz
-   Alex Brosque
-   Marc Janko
-   Bernie Ibini

OUTS:
-   Alessandro Del Piero
-   Ranko Despotovic
-   Richard Garcia
-   Matt Thompson

Wellington Pheonix
Coach: Ernie Merrick
INS:
-   Michael McGlinchey
-   Nathan Burns
-   Roly Bonevecia
OUTS:
-   Carlos Hernandez
-   Stein Huysegems
-   Leo Bertos

Western Sydney Wanderers
Coach: Tony Popovic
INS:
-   Vitor Saba
-   Romeo Castelen
-   Seyi Adeleke
-   Antony Golex
-   Brendan Hamill
OUTS:
-   Shinji Ono
-   Youssouf Hersi
-   Aaron Mooy
-   Jerome Polenz
-   Adam DApuzzo
-   Michael Beauchamp

Listed above are just some key ins and outs, with a few omitted.
Adelaide United: A lot is going right for this club. Gombau has had a long but successful pre-season continuing to solidify his possession game plan that mesmerized opponents all throughout the last campaign. What some people have not seen is that he is also strengthened his backroom staff with more staff from his days at Barcelona. He has not had to tinker too much with his squad, and rightly so. We do find yet another attacking Spanish player who will undoubtedly add more flair and danger to this side. They will look to get to a better start this year and keep on improving, with the title well in reach.
Brisbane Roar: Reigning champs with some good pre-season form. But Berisha, Berisha, Berisha. How will they go without him? Add full back Ivan Franjic to the list of departures too. They have signed Mensur Kurtisi effectively as his replacement. Expectations will be high for him and the squad this year, and only time will tell to see just how much these two key departures meant for this side.
Central Coast Mariners: Phil Moss with full pre-season under his belt, and after the relative success of last year despite saying goodbye to Arnold, I imagine he will not be changing too much with tactics this season. Transfer activity maybe a tad underwhelming, so questions will be asked about depth, especially in the final third. Top 6 expected.
Melbourne City: What has not been said about this club? New owners, new identity, half a new squad. Expectations are through the roof for this side both from their new mates in the Middle East, and the bookies. David Villas impact (albeit it for 10 games) cannot be understated, while the world class inclusions of Duff and Koren are already working really well in the pre-season. Add Mooy and Paartalu with huge talent; that is one midfield not to be reckoned with. Questions may be asked in the defence, but the potential for this side is scary.
Melbourne Victory: Gunning for the title this year without a doubt. Did well last season, missing out on the final by a whisker. They have added some quality inclusions all across the park, adding huge depth to this side. Berisha up front, supported by Pain, Finkler, Milligan, Valeri; the goals will flow. With Muscat getting improving every day and looking more and more settled, they are my title favourites.
Newcastle Jets: A lot of questions to be asked here. Though some class inclusions, there are doubts as to whether they truly make up for the outs. Faith has been placed, temporarily, in the coach, but fans and culture seem to be slowly dipping. On field, some vast improvements need to be made in order to realise the potential of the many young talents.
Perth Glory: Out with the young, in with old. Yes you read that correctly. Lowe has adopted for experience in all his inclusions, in a bid for short term success. This could be a recipe for disaster, though it might just work if luck goes their way, maybe. Hersi and Keogh will be forces to be reckoned with, while Nicols, Garcia and Zadkovich definitely know their way around the A-League. How this team gels together will be vital in determining their success.
Sydney: Attack, attack. Arnold has come in, identified the area of improvement, and added accordingly. Del Piero has done his time, so in come Smeltz, Ibini, Brosque and Janko. This side performed well at times last year, scaringly well at others, and even better this pre-season. Will be interesting to see who starts each match, but fans will have high expectations.
Wellington Phoenix: Ernie Merrick is an A-League winning coach, with a team so close to the bottom for so much of last season. Though he is a smart coach. He is tipped to move to a defensive tactic, while adding attacking talent to ensure the goals come when they need. Still improvements to be made, but they can pull out some superb performances as seen sporadically last year.
Western Sydney Wanderers: Who needs Ono, Hersi, Mooy, Beauchamp, Polenz and DApuzzo? They are in the Asian Champions League Grand Final, and are showing no signs of slowing down despite these key outs. A lot of credit goes to the manner in which Popovic is coaching. This side is very lucky. Saba is tipped to be their main playmaker, while we will see how the other inclusions fit in to the side.

Luigis tips:
1. Melbourne Victory
2. Adelaide
3. WSW
4. Brisbane
5. Melbourne City
6. Sydney
7. CCM
8. Perth
9. Wellington
10. Newcastle

Golden Boot: Berisha, followed closely by David Williams, Cirio and whoever plays the most games from Sydneys strikers.

Also be sure to check this out if you have got a spare 52 minutes. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/338099779656/A-League-2014-2015-Season-Preview A nice preview by SBS that covers most grounds for all clubs. Or otherwise, if you prefer reading (and do not have 52 minutes), check this out by FourFourTwo, very nice. http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/fourfourtwo-ultimate-league-form-guide?page=0%2C0

Round 1 Fixtures
Fri 10 October 7.30pm: Victory v WSW
Sat 11 October 5.00pm: CCM v Newcastle
Sat 11 October 7.45pm: Sydney v Melbourne City
Sun 12 October 3.00pm: Wellington v Perth
Sun 12 October 5.00pm: Brisbane v Adelaide

[Jackross10]

Gr8 right up Luigi, can't wait for Friday night! Think Newcastle might be a suprise package, J. Neumann and Flores are both class.

[Jukes]

Gotta love everybody writing us off, just like every other season, especially when we were robbed of the title

Keogh is elite, Hersi very good, Nichols+Ferreira+Garcia all good additions. That fat piece of shower who never ran in Smeltz gone is about time, Gallas was horse-shower, then a few old retirees where only McGarry was any good (flower you Jacob Burns you indisciplined dickhead who can't do anything good).

And we're getting Ruka btw :3

Kenny Lowe is the right man to lead us and we'll be back up there again

Vuko (Elite)
Jamo (Elite), Thwaite (Elite), Dulbic (Alright), Risdon (Elite)
Garcia (Pretty good), Hersi (Great), Nichols (Pretty Good), Sidnei (Elite but inconsistent)
Keogh (Elite), Ruka (Elite)

[Luigi197]

Vuko
Jamieson, Thwaite, Dulbic,  Risdon
Garcia, Hersi, Nichols, Sidnei
Keogh, Ruka

Don't get me wrong. That's a good team and could have potential to tear us all a new one. But look at the new players to the line up who, despite a pre-season, will still need time to adjust to a new team, coach, city & climate, tactics etc. Sidnei seems likely to miss round 1 through injury, and you don't have Ruka quite yet ;)

It's about if the side can hit the ground running from round 1, and whether these players connect well and adopt a cohesive game plan. Your side does look better than last year, though i'd still rather have Smeltz than verse him :P

Gr8 right up Luigi, can't wait for Friday night! Think Newcastle might be a suprise package, J. Neumann and Flores are both class.

Cheers man:)  Good inclusions indeed, but will they make up for the players lost? Only time will tell.

[elephants]

This season is gonna be good, have a great feeling about it. #Glory4top4

[nrich102]

This is how I think how the ladder will end up looking;

1. Brisbane
2. Melbourne City
3. Adelaide
4. Melbourne Victory
5. Western Sydney
6. Newcastle
7. Sydney
8. Central Coast
9. Perth
10. Wellington

[Luigi197]

Team lists are in http://www.a-league.com.au/article/hyundai-a-league-ins-and-outs/1roejxgrzgho1sd13do7evsbu

Notable Injury Abseentees
Juric
Spiranovic
Zadkovic
Sidnei
Theo

Notable International Duty Absentees
Milligan
Topor-Stanley
Ibini
Janko
Abbas

[shaker]

Well done Luigi Zadkovich is named in squad then says he's unavailable underneath nearly caught me out  ;)

[Luigi197]

Well done Luigi Zadkovich is named in squad then says he's unavailable underneath nearly caught me out  ;)

haha yeah i thought i read multiple sources anyway that said he was unavailable!

[Jackross10]

Last sleep! Come on you boys in blue

[nrich102]

Last sleep! Come on you boys in blue

I think you are confused... The roar wear orange!

[Jackross10]

Last sleep! Come on you boys in blue

I think you are confused... The roar wear orange!

Haha good NRich

[Jackross10]

4 hours <3

[Capper]

Last sleep! Come on you boys in blue

#SydneyIsSkyBlue

[Luigi197]

Last sleep! Come on you boys in blue

#SydneyIsSkyBlue

#MelbourneIsSkyBlueAndWhite