A-League: Superstar Season Preview

Okay, so this was supposed to be a lazy pre-season. But there is now some serious chatter and excited-ness about this version of the A-league. There seems to be some serious quality out there across all teams and now the interest of some big names joining the party.

The Phoenix have (unlike last season) actually recruited some players- snaring back Kiwis Moss, Michael Boxall and Brockie, the ASPB Prem omnipresent Benjamin Totori, the pedigree of Belgium Steyn Huysegems fresh(ish) from playing in the top level in Holland and European cup competitions, and most recently a young chap from Panama. Don't mention our midfield or right back and Robert's your mother's brother. Injuries already to Sanchez, Lia, Ifill, Downey and Pantelis requiring two injury replacement signings. Lots of attacking energy, especially if you factor in the young Kiwi strikers Tyler Boyd and Louis Fenton picked up on youth contracts.

Jeremy Brockie goal scoring in the pre-season 

Across the clubs there doesn't seem to be an obvious candidate for cellar dwellars. (Last years table: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_A-League#League_table) Of the bottom four from last year mad mining billionaire Clive Palmer has left town taking his sad vanity project with the Gold Coast him. Top coach Ange Postecoglou has taken over the talented, but divided Victory, including special Kiwi Marco Rojas. Adelaide United have been ripping up the Asian Champions league with new coach John Kosmina returned home. And as Chris pointed out the Newcastle Jets have signed Emile Heskey (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/Gallery/317338,jets-team-shot-and-emile-trains.aspx/1).

Emile Heskey. The biggest star of them all... literally.

Heskey joins Del Piero (beginning to hate the media shorthand of ADP already) and while Michael Ballack was in the press for a while, Shinji Ono has put pen to paper and come on down to West Sydney in order to make Sydney a real Yohei town. Classy Italian champion in the East, classy Japanese star in the West, but in reality most of the city is filled with the descendants of dull British convicts. Still- have sent an application to rename Sydney the glorious: Yo Guidotown!

With the Glory suffering along with merely the greatest A league goalscorer ever (Kiwi Shane Smeltz), that leaves the perennial top two Central Coast and Brisbane and well, Wellington and the Heart who should be no slouches. 
It is going to be a tight league if everyone keeps up their form. 
So fire up, here we go!

There is a concern about our ability to win and play the ball through the midfield and perhaps to defend our flanks, but we should hope to see something new from all this attack. There is even talk of, now with our 6 foot 4 striker, the ball being played on the deck.

Written by Martin Bates

p.s. Still looking for that ticket sponsor for flights and seats for Saturday. Applications must be in to me in Auckland no later than Saturday morning with my e-ticket. Yeh, what I said about going to Welly with everyone who is anyone in the World Cup support team in London was all talk. Hopefully the game will live up to the hype!