A-League Season 2013/14 preview

Season 2013/14, the 9^th A-League season, is set to kick off in a week’s time, so it’s time to look ahead and see just what the season has in store for us.

Kiwi sports fans will be looking towards the Wellington Phoenix to see how the side will stack up after some disappointing times is recent seasons.  The biggest change for the men in yellow and black has been the change in coach with former Melbourne Victory mentor Ernie Merrick in the driving seat for the new season.

The biggest challenge Merrick will face in the opening few rounds is his predecessor Ricki Herbert plundering his kiwi players for All Whites duty, but after that Merrick has his work cut out to take the struggling side and make it into the winning squad it could so easily be.

There has been a raft of squad changes as well with Merrick not afraid to drop the axe on underperforming players or those who don’t fit his style of play. Those released from the squad include Tony Lochhead, Alex Smith Dani Sanchez, Jimmy Downey and Lucas Pantelis.  Custodian Mark Paston has retired while Isaka Cernak has gone to Perth Glory and Solomon Islands international Benjamin Totori has moved to the Oakleigh Cannons in the Victorian Premier league.

New members of the squad include some former and current a-league players a few other international competitions and a couple from domestic leagues.  The headline signing is livewire midfielder Carlos Hernandez who returns to the A-League from Prayag United in India to link up with his former Victory mentor.  Defender Luke Adams joins the club from English League 1 side Derby, while forward Kenny Cunningham joins the team from Club the Strongest in Bolivia.  The current a-league players joining the Phoenix are goal keeper Lewis Italiano from Perth Glory and defender Reece Caira from Western Sydney Wanderers.  Alex Rufer makes the move to the big time from Wairarapa United and Josh Brindall-South moves from the warmth of the QLD NPL at Moreton Bay United to the cold and wind of the NZ capital.

Wellington will be strong through the middle of the park with Hernandez linking with established players like Bertos, Huysegems, Brockie, Ifill, Lia, Sigmund, Muscat, Durante and Fenton and with Moss in goal this could be a very strong starting line-up, especially with the likes of Boyd on  the bench.

Other Kiwi players around the A-League include the return to the A-League of former Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix livewire and current All White Kosta Barbarouses. Barbarouses will join former Roar mentor Ange Postecoglou at Melbourne Victory.

Looking through the off-season transfer lists for all clubs, Melbourne Heart have signed some big names and should look to massively improve their showing in the competition.  Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC & Brisbane Roar have all been shrewd in their signings with the three coaches building on their form at the end of last season, with Mulvey at the Roar and Farina at Sydney marking themselves on their sides in their first off-season.  The squad I think that has been decimated the most in the off-season window and who still have to work hard to maintain their showing is undoubtedly the Central Coast Mariners who have been victims of their own success with a raft of their young talent heading offshore.  However this will be tempered slightly with the return to the club of Matt Simon.

My pre-season prediction for the end of year ladder is.

1. Melbourne Victory
2. Brisbane Roar
3. Western Sydney Wanderers
4. Wellington Phoenix
5. Sydney FC
6. Melbourne Heart
7. Central Coast Mariners
8. Perth Glory
9. Adelaide United
10. Newcastle Jets

This wasn’t an easy prediction with a lot of the mid field table looking very similar (4-7) I expect the bottom 3 teams to struggle and the top three are also interchangeable in those positions.

January transfer window round up #2

Here is my look at the second week of the 2013 January Transfer window as it affects Australian & New Zealand players and A-League squads, as always this is article was written for and can be found over at sportsfanAttic.co.nz

While the January transfer window is in full flight around the globe it has only fully begun today here in the Hyundai A-League.  So we can expect a flurry of activity over the next couple of weeks, but even so, there has been some movement on the transfer front for A-League Clubs.  I have included a list of transfers as I’m aware to time of writing below for reference. 

Probably one of the biggest names so far in the transfer window is Socceroos defender and new Roar defender Jade North who has signed with the Roar after a stint in Japan.  North brings with him experience but his signing has created some huge ripple throughout the fan groups with some welcoming him but a lot questioning his signing calling him washed up.  The Roar have also signed up their youth league captain Corey Brown to a two year deal in the first team, and picked up youngster Julius Davies from the Victory.

The Mariners “nursery” continues to churn out talent with Tom Rojic heading to Spain for 10 days to link with Scottish side Celtic for their midseason training camp, while Bernie Ibini has headed to Belgium for a 10 day training stint with Club Brugge.  Both players will return to the A-League but for how long is the question, with English Premier League side QPR having already tabled a firm offer for Rojic believed to be £700,000.  The Mariners other up and coming youngster Matt Ryan cancelled his training stint with Rangers due to the unknown nature of their position in the Scottish leagues next season.

The other big news for Kiwi football fans which was mentioned last week, has now been confirmed, All Whites defender and captain Ryan Nelsen has been signed as Manager (Coach) of MLS squad Toronto FC.  This has caused widespread concern from MLS commentators and Toronto fans as the side that has been struggling have not only signed a rookie manager with no managerial experience, they’ve signed one who is contracted as a player with QPR until 3 months into the upcoming MLS season.  Last I had heard Nelsen had yet to get in contact with Ricki Herbert about his future with the All Whites, but I suspect his time in the National squad is over.

A-League transfers announced so far:

Brisbane Roar In: North (Consadole Sapporo), Davies (Victory), Brown (youth squad)
Out: Visconte (WSW), Fitzerald (Mariners at end of season)

Central Coast Mariners In: Fitzgerald (at end of season)
Out:
Training: Rojic (Celtic) – QPR have also put a firm £700K offer on the table, Ibini (Club Brugge)

Melbourne Heart In:
Out: Marrone (Shanghai)

Melbourne Victory In:
Out: Franjic (Released), Davies (Roar)

Perth Glory In:
Out: Memhet (Bangkok Glass)

Sydney FC In: Griffith (Shanghai Shenhua)
Out:

Wellington Phoenix In: Hogg (Portland Timbers)
Out:

Western Sydney Wanderers In: Visconte (Roar)
Out:

January transfer window round up #1

Here is my look at the first 7 days on the 2013 January Transfer window as it effects Australian & New Zealand players and A-League squads, as always this is article was written for and can be found over at sportsfanAttic.co.nz

We are now exactly one week into the new year, with today being January 7^th, which is also 7 days into the fabled January transfer window, so lets take a look how the first week of transfers have affected the A-League and Australian & Kiwi players.

Wellington Phoenix have announced the signing of Kiwi International defender Ian Hogg from Portland Timbers.  Hogg will fill the place vacated by Mirjin Pavlovic who left the club in November.  Hogg will look to challenge Tony Lochhead for the left back role, and will also look to thrive under his national coach, after failing to break into the first team in Portland.

Over in Perth the Glory have released striker Billy Mehmet who moves to Thailand to play for Bangkok Glass, which frees up not only a spot on the squad, but also much needed salary cap space for the purported tilt at securing the services of former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen.  Owen’s current side Stoke have hit out at the reports claiming Owen will stay with them until the end of his one season contract.

Central Coast were set to see inform keeper Matt Ryan link up with Scottish side Glasgow Rangers today on a 10 day trial, but this was delayed due to the shoulder injury he sustained in the match against Western Sydney yesterday.  This isn’t the first time that Ryan has headed overseas for a trial, having spent time in 2012 trialling with Tottenham Hotspurs.  The Mariners also look set to lose Tom Rogic with Reading shaping as favourite to secure his signature from a number of English and other European clubs.

In the English Premier League the only confirmed move so far is New Zealand striker Chris Wood who has transferred to Leicester City from West Bromwich Albion.  He initially went on loan so he could be registered in time for Leicester’s New Years Day match against Huddersfield Town, in which he debuted and scored a brace.

From the EPL rumour mill, there is talk Harry Redknapp is looking to sign Aussie midfielder Tim Cahill as one of six new faces at QPR in a bid to stave off relegation from England’s top flight.  Staying with QPR Redknapp is looking to keep Kiwi defender Ryan Nelsen, who is linked with a move to the US MLS competition, despite DC United (one of the clubs he is linked to) denying the rumours.  The other club he is linked with is Toronto FC.  It is thought that Nelsen will be able to step into a player/manager role with the intention of becoming Manger of one of the sides after his playing career ends.

Check out my sports thoughts

My thoughts are not just confined to my two blogs I also dabble in a little sports writing for a NZ based fan sports website Sports fanAttic

I tend to write mostly about Football, but do also write about cricket and occasionally a few other sports.

Check out my two most recent articles one looking at this weeks round of the Hyundai A-League

Turning now to the on-field stuff as Round 7 kicks off here in wonderful Brisbane, with the Roar hosting Sydney FC.  The Roar are currently sitting in their worst ever position having never previously occupied bottom place on the ladder, on the back of just the 1 win and 1 draw in the first 6 rounds.  

HERE

While the other reflects on the recent international friendlies

In Shanghai Ricki Herbert experimented with a new 4-1-4-1 formation which worked seemingly well for the All Whites, who despite going 1-0 down in the 32nd minute,  came back to equalise through Chris Wood in the 44th minute. 

HERE