Blackjack\’s Blog

     Adelaide United

UNITED is still in a rebuilding phase after the grand final immolation in March that precipitated a big clean out of playing and coaching staff.

     Melbourne Victory

DESPITE a relative large turnover of players in the off-season including the departure of best player Fred, Victory is being widely tipped to defend its title.

     Perth Glory

NEW cashed-up owners and plenty of off-season transfer activity mean that the only way is up for Perth Glory after finishing second-last in 2006-2007.

     Sydney FC

THE inaugural champion will be relying on some samba magic from Brazilian signings Juninho Paulista and Patrick da Silva.

     Central Coast Mariners

TYPICAL low-key pre-season but new investors and shrewd signings augur well for the Gosford-based club after a disappointing 2006-2007.

     Newcastle Jets

THE presence of dual European Golden Boot winner Mario Jardel will ensure the Jets are in the headlines one way or the other.

     Queensland Roar

BOASTING high profile signings Craig Moore and Danny Tiato, coach Frank Farina is aiming for a top four spot in his first full season in charge.

     Wellington Phoenix

NEW kid on the block who showed promising form in the pre-season, Wellington Phoenix is the romantic’s favourite.

By Jesse Fink
FOXSPORTS.com.au

ADELAIDE UNITED

ONE of the strongest squads in the A-League, but still in a rebuilding phase after the grand final immolation in March that precipitated a big cleanout of playing and coaching staff: Ross Aloisi, Carl Veart, John Kosmina, Greg Owens (who was on his way already), Matthew Kemp, Kristian Rees, Adam van Dommele, Aaron Goulding, Shengqing Qu and Fernando Rech.

New coach Aurelio Vidmar had a tough baptism in the Asian Champions League, crashing out in the group stage, but pleasingly, teenage sensation Bruce Djite is showing an encouraging telepathy with his Olyroos teammate Nathan Burns that promises a bumper crop of goals this season.

Is Djite the new Mark Viduka? For the sake of the sorry Socceroos, we can only hope.

Two key signings in midfield hint at the improved muscle of this Reds team: Kristian Sarkies from Melbourne Victory and Jonas Salley from the defunct New Zealand Knights.

Sarkies is a gifted deadball specialist and will be the creative fulcrum of the attack alongside rising star Jason Spagnuolo.

The towering Salley performed admirably for Sydney while on loan during last season’s finals and will be expected to fill the “hard man” void left by Aloisi.

How Adelaide’s grumpy old men – Paul Agostino, Angelo Costanzo, Bobby Petta, Michael Valkanis – manage their fitness during the season will be crucial to its final ladder position.

Last season injuries cruelled the team’s momentum.

Facts

Nickname: Reds                                                                                    Founded: 2003
Home ground:Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Colours: Red shirt, shorts and socks; black, yellow details
Domestic honours: Grand finalist 2006-2007; minor premier 2005-2006; pre-season cup champion 2006-2007
2007-2008 pre-season cup: Champion
Last season: 2nd premiership; grand finalist; pre-season cup champion
2005-2006: Minor premier; preliminary finalist
Coach: Aurelio Vidmar

Squad
Goalkeepers: Daniel Beltrame, Robert Bajic, Scott Higgins               Defenders: Jose Oliveira, Michael Valkanis, Isyan Erdogan, Richie Alagich, Robert Cornthwaite, Cássio
Midfielders: Lucas Pantelis, Bobby Petta, Diego Walsh, , Matthew Mullen, Jonas Salley, Travis Dodd, Kristian Sarkies, Jason Spagnuolo, Shaun Ontong, Angelo Costanzo
Strikers: Dez Giraldi, Nathan Burns, Bruce Djite, Paul Agostino
Star man: Bruce Djite

Premiership prediction: 2nd   

Blackjack Prediction: 1st 

MELBOURNE VICTORY

MELBOURNE Victory was streets ahead of anyone else last season, only matched late in the piece by the resurgent Newcastle Jets under stand-in coach Gary van Egmond.

That Nicky Carle didn’t face off with Kevin Muscat in the grand final will remain a sore point with many A-League fans. Instead, we got a re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Kaz Patafta, Carlos Hernández, Joseph Keenan, Matthew Kemp and Leandro Love come into the squad, with Adrian Leijer, Alessandro and a host of others going out the exit door.

The transfer of playmaker Fred to DC United in Major League Soccer has been the biggest hit to the premier’s ambition of a title defence, so the “samba factor” will rest squarely on the efforts of Costa Rica international Hernandez and Brazilian Love.

For all its might, however, Melbourne had a poor pre-season cup, with losses to Perth Glory, Jets and Wellington Phoenix.

Only a fool, however, would discount Victory’s favouritism for finishing the season on top.

Victory will be pumped for a big Asian Champions League debut after the season ends, and its huge fanbase is going to be a massive factor (and fillip) in its ambitions.

Facts

Nickname: Victory
Founded: 2004
Home ground:Telstra Dome, Melbourne
Colours: Blue shirt, white V; blue shorts and socks
Domestic honours: Champion 2006-2007; minor premier 2006-2007
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 8th
Last season: Champion; minor premier; 5th pre-season cup
2005-2006: 7th premiership; pre-season cup semi-finalist
Coach: Ernie Merrick

Squad
Goalkeepers: Michael Theoklitos, Eugene Galekovic, Mitchell Langerak
Defenders: Joseph Keenan, Daniel Piorkowski, Rodrigo Vargas, Ljubo Milicevic, Matthew Kemp, Steve Pantelidis
Midfielders: Evan Berger, Leigh Broxham, Kevin Muscat, Grant Brebner, Adrian Caceres, Carlos Hernandez, Kaz Patafta, Daniel Vasilevski
Strikers: Archie Thompson, Danny Allsopp, Leandro Love
Star man: Ljubo Milicevic

Premiership prediction: 1st

Blackjack’s prediction: 3rd

PERTH GLORY

NEW cashed-up owners and a busy off-season on the paddock and in the transfer market could translate into a much-improved performance from Glory this season after a poor 2006-2007.

Improved is the key word. We don’t think it is a final four contender yet.

Glory has arguably the best roster of goalkeepers in the country, with rising star Tando Velaphi and the underrated Tommi Tomich the standouts.

And the squad has been buttressed with the addition of Nick Rizzo, Mate Dragicevic, Nikita Rukavytsya, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Hayden Foxe.

It’s a whole different Glory, though, without the crafty Bobby Despotovski up front (he’s gone to the state league) and he will be missed.

Meanwhile, a dark cloud hangs over Stan Lazaridis, currently embroiled in a doping investigation, but he is no longer the player he used to be and his contribution was peripheral last season.

Tall ex–Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split striker Mate Dragicevic is the linchpin to Glory’s hopes of a finals push this season and there is a buzz building around the Ukraine-born, Australian-raised Rukavytsya.

How long before he gets a Socceroos call-up, given the national team’s shrinking talent pool of strikers and his Ukrainian heritage?

Football Federation Australia will want to avoid losing another gun junior to Europe.

Facts

Nickname:Glory
Founded: 1996
Home ground: Members Equity Stadium, Perth
Colours: Purple shirt, orange and white details; purple shorts and socks
Domestic honours: NSL champion 2002-2003, 2003-2004; NSL grand finalist 1999-2000, 2001-2002
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 2nd
Last season: 7th premiership; 6th pre-season cup
2005-2006: 5th premiership; pre-season cup finalist
Coach: Ron Smith

Squad
Goalkeepers: Jason Petkovic, Aleks Vrteski, Tommi Tomich, Tando Velaphi Defenders: Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Dino Djulbic, David Tarka, Jamie Coyne, Hayden Foxe
Midfielders: Naum Sekulovski, Simon Colosimo, David Micevski, James Downey, Nick Rizzo, Stan Lazaridis, Anthony Danze, Billy Celeski, Leo Bertos
Strikers: Mate Dragicevic, Nikita Rukavytsya, Jamie Harnwell
Star man: Nikita Rukavytsya

Premiership prediction: 6th

Blackjack’s prediction: 7th

SYDNEY FC

DRAMA FC looked a dead cert to come out firing in its 2007/2008 A-League campaign after a season it would rather forget under Terry Butcher, but the AWOL meanderings of Mark Milligan and the transfer of David Carney to Sheffield United in the English Championship have thrown its title ambitions into chaos.

The late recruitment of Brazilian legend Juninho Paulista has steadied the club somewhat, but don’t be fooled – this is going to be a tough season for the harbour city club.

Sydney is looking much better at the back, with former Socceroo Tony Popovic a massive gain after the departure of Alvin Ceccoli to Japan and Nikolai Topor-Stanley to Perth.

But Carney’s absence leaves a big hole in attack – the club is scouring the globe for a replacement, with an announcement expected soon.

It is probably expecting too much of Sydney for it to win the title this year but it will be expecting nothing less.

We, however, think they’re dreaming. Poor pre-season build-up, off-field distractions and curious apathy among the Sydney public can only mean more drama for a club that churns out more plot twists than an episode of Without a Trace.

Facts

Nickname: None
Founded: 2004
Home ground:Sydney Football Stadium
Colours: Pale blue shirt, dark blue sleeve; dark blue shorts and socks
Domestic honours: Champion 2005-2006
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 7th
Last season: Semi-finalist; 4th premiership; 3rd pre-season cup
2005-2006: Champion; 2nd premiership; semi-finalist pre-season cup
Coach: Branko Culina

Squad
Goalkeepers: Clint Bolton, Ivan Necevski
Defenders: Nikolas Tsattalios, Iain Fyfe, Mark Rudan, Jacob Timpano, Tony Popovic, Robbie Middleby
Midfielders: Adam Biddle, Terry McFlynn, Mark Milligan, Ufuk Talay, Ruben Zadkovich, Michael Enfield, Adam Casey, Steve Corica, Juninho Paulista
Strikers: Alex Brosque, David Zdrilic, Brendon Santalab, Ben Vidaic, Patrick Da Silva
Star man: Juninho Paulista

Premiership prediction: 5th

Blackjack’s prediction: 4th 

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS

ONE of the form teams of the pre-season, the Mariners are showing other clubs how things should be done on and off the park.

New money (from former Sydney FC part-owner Peter Turnbull), strong grassroots support and some shrewd signings (Greg Owens, Sasho Petrovski) suggest this could be a big year for the Gosford-based outfit after a disappointing season when it never got its mojo working and missed out on the finals.

Returning prodigal son Dean Heffernan is a key addition to the defence, while much will be expected from newly fit pair John Hutchinson and Nik Mrdja, and a recharged Adam Kwasnik, whose radar was on the blink for much of last season.

Goals came to the Mariners in 2006-2007 as easily as blood from stone so much responsibility will be riding on the broad shoulders of Sasho Petrovski upfront.

The heartbeat of the Mariners, though, is Danny Vukovic, the Olyroos goalkeeper who was unlucky to miss out on a trip to the Asian Cup in July. He will be looking to stake his claim as natural heir to ageing Socceroos custodian Mark Schwarzer and promises to be as porous as the North Korean border.

Facts

Nickname: Mariners
Founded: 2004
Home ground:Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
Colours: Yellow shirt, blue sleeve; blue shorts; yellow socks
Domestic honours: Grand finalist 2005-2006; pre-season cup champion 2005-2006, finalist 2005-2006
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 4th
Last season: 6th premiership
2005-2006: 3rd premiership; grand finalist
Coach: Lawrie McKinna

Squad
Goalkeepers: Danny Vukovic, Matthew Trott, Andrew Redmayne
Defenders: Dean Heffernan, Paul O’Grady, Tony Vidmar, Alex Wilkinson, Nigel Boogaard, Andrew Clark
Midfielders: Ian McAndrew, John Hutchinson, Bradley Porter, Andre Gumprecht, Adam Kwasnik, Mile Jedinak, Matthew Osman, Tom Pondeljak, Greg Owens, Damien Brown
Strikers: Matt Simon, Nik Mrdja, Sasho Petrovski
Star man: Danny Vukovic

Premiership prediction: 3rd

Blackjack’s Prediction: 2nd

NEWCASTLE JETS

NEWCASTLE Jets are our blogger Half-Time Orange’s favourite team, but the loss of Paul Okon, Milton Rodriguez, Tim Brown, Vaughan Coveny and - lest HTO ever recover - Nicky Carle means this is a very different side to the one that thrilled national audiences in the second half of last season after a miserable start under Nick Theodorakopolous.

Not so strong all round then as in 2006-2007, and there must be question marks over Jade North’s captaincy role given his contretemps with Iain Fyfe last season – but we are prepared to give as talented a coach as Van Egmond the benefit of the doubt.

All Jets fans will have their fingers crossed young Argentinean striker Jorge Drovandi is the new Rodriguez and much more will be expected of Mark Bridge and Joel Griffiths this season.

The late addition of two-time European Golden Boot winner Mario Jardel is an exciting development, but doubts remain over his long-term fitness.
Can they make the four?

It’s a tough ask for the Novocastrians, but they may just do it. It’s a toss-up between them and Sydney FC for fourth spot, and we’re leaning with the Hunter mob.

Facts

Nickname: Jets
Founded: 2004
Home ground:EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
Colours: Gold shirt, blue and white details; blue shorts and socks
2007-2008: pre-season cup: 6th
Last season: 3rd premiership; preliminary finalist; 4th pre-season cup
2005-2006: 4th premiership; semi-finalist; 4th Group A pre-season cup
Coach: Gary van Egmond

Squad
Goalkeepers: Ben Kennedy, Ante Covic
Defenders: Andrew Durante, Steve Eagleton, Adam Griffiths, Matt Thompson, Craig Deans, Jade North
Midfielders: Adam D’Apuzzo, Stuart Musialik, Troy Hearfield, Jobe Wheelhouse, Noel Spencer, Denni, Tarek Elrich
Strikers: Joel Griffiths, Mark Bridge, Jorge Drovandi, Scott Tunbridge, Mario Jardel
Star man: Jorge Drovandi

Premiership prediction: 4th

Blackjack’s prediction: 5th

QUEENSLAND ROAR

AFTER replacing Miron Bleiberg, dumped Australia coach Frank Farina couldn’t quite get Roar to the finals last season despite a concerted late push.

Unfortunately he faces a similarly tough ask this time around in a much more evenly balanced competition.

Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto, who flourished under Farina as Socceroos, were high-profile off-season signings and there are some quality players in the Roar ranks.

Simon Lynch is rediscovering his touch, Matt McKay will restake his claim to a national-team position, having debuted under Arnold in 2006, and playmaker Marcinho could prove to be the Brazilian inspiration Reinaldo has hitherto flattered to be.

But the ages of Moore and Tiatto are a concern and if one or two injuries bite there could be some tough times for Roar.

The goalkeeping issue is still unsettled and defensively Roar has been indifferent this pre-season.

Someone has to finish last and, sorry Brisbanians, we’re handing the wooden spoon to Roar.

Facts

Nickname: Roar
Founded: 2005
Home ground:Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Colours: Orange shirt, blue detail; blue shorts and socks
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 3rd
Last season: 5th premiership; 7th pre-season cup
2005-2006: 6th premiership; 3rd Group B pre-season cup
Coach: Frank Farina

Squad
Goalkeepers: Liam Reddy, Griffin McMaster, Matt Ham
Defenders: Andrew Packer, Josh McCloughan, Stuart McLaren, Sasa Ognenovski, Craig Moore, Ben Griffin
Midfielders: Matt McKay, Danny Tiatto, Chris Grossman, Hyuk-Su Seo, Massimo Murdocca, Mitch Nichols, Michael Zullo, Marcinho
Strikers: Tahj Minniecon, Simon Lynch, Ante Milicic, Robbie Kruse, Reinaldo
Star man: Simon Lynch

Premiership prediction: 8th

Blackjack’s prediction: 8th

WELLINGTON PHOENIX

NEW kid on the block who showed promising form in the pre-season, Wellington Phoenix is the romantic’s favourite.

Problem is, romance is dead in football. The defunct New Zealand Knights had a barnstorming finish last season under stand-in coach Ricki Herbert and he will be looking to continue that momentum with a home win over champion Melbourne Victory in its opening match on August 24.

It did it this pre-season and will be looking to hammer the point again. Good luck to the Kiwis.

On paper Phoenix has recruited well. Four Brazilians (an A-League record), Newcastle Jets Tim Brown, Steven Old and Vaughan Coveny, Melbourne’s Michael Ferrante and Vince Lia and young New Zealand striker Costa Barbarouses.

All looks good, and it will have good patches of form this season and threaten for a final-four finish right till the death. But this won’t be its year.

A learning year for the new team and one that will hold it in good stead for Version 4, when you can expect it to really give the comp a shake.

Facts

Nickname: Phoenix
Founded: 2007
Home ground: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Colours: Black shirt, yellow and white detail; black shorts and socks
2007-2008 pre-season cup: 6th
Last season: N/A
2005-2006: N/A
Coach: Ricki Herbert

Squad
Goalkeepers: Glen Moss, Mark Paston, Jacob Spoonley
Defenders: Karl Dodd, Daniel Lins Cortes, Tony Lochhead, Steven O’Dor, Steven Old, Cleberson Souza Santos Gois
Midfielders: Ross Aloisi, Tim Brown, Jeremy Christie, Michael Ferrante, Richard Johnson, Vince Lia, Felipe De Souza Campos
Strikers: Costa Barbarouses, Royce Brownlie, Vaughan Coveny, George Dos Santos Paladini, Greg Draper, Shane Smeltz,
Star man: Daniel Lins Cortes

Premiership prediction: 7th

Blackjack’s prediction: 6th