Premier League soccer season to kick off tonight at Adelaide Shores
METROSTARS captain Adam Van Dommele is intent on turning regular season success into championship glory ahead of tonight’s Premier League soccer kick off.
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METROSTARS captain Adam Van Dommele is intent on turning regular season success into championship glory in 2015.
The Klemzig-club is expected to be among the frontrunners when it kicks off the Premier League soccer season with a grand final rematch against Croydon at Adelaide Shores on tonight.
After romping to last season’s minor premiership — its fifth in six years — MetroStars suffered a shock 2-1 loss to the Kings in the season decider.
The club went on to win the inaugural National Premier League finals series, but Van Dommele said two SA titles was not enough to show for a decade of dominance.
“Last season is something we’ll be proud of further down the track, but at the moment it doesn’t quite sit well,” the former Adelaide United left back said.
“There is that desire and motivation to go one further this season.
“We just want to win every game we play in and then when it comes towards the end of the season, we just want to make sure everyone is fit and firing and in form.”
MetroStars has brought in former Reds winger Liam Wooding and Adelaide-born Christian Esposito from Italian club Novara.
Retiring coach Ivan Karlovic has been replaced by reserves mentor Michael Pirone.
Croydon ended a 37-year wait for a top flight title last year thanks largely to the inspired form of Sergio Melta Medal winner Rocky Visconte.
The Kings have signed experienced centre back Michael Doyle from Raiders and midfielder Steven Pepper from Belgian third division side Dender.
Adelaide City will look to convert its cup form to league action after a disappointing sixth-placed finish last term.
The Black and Whites enjoyed a giant-killing run to the FFA Cup quarterfinals and welcome back former Adelaide United striker Joe Costa after a two-year injury lay-off.
West Adelaide, which led the competition until round 16 last season, will hope the acquisition of midfielder Tony Hatzis from Campbelltown will help it progress in its second year in the top flight.
Ten-time Premier League champion Adelaide Blue Eagles has lost long-serving goalkeeper Gino DeLucia (retirement) and Cameroon striker Calvin Mbarga (Victoria).
But the addition of Slovenian defender Andrej Rastovac from White City should see the Marden club challenge again.
Raiders could be the big improvers after a disappointing 10th-placed finish last season.
The Gepps Cross-club has added English keeper Deale Chamberlin, Salisbury United goal machine Yamin Jamal and former Australian under-17 international Scott Gannon.
Ex-Socceroo Joe Mullen will look for more from his Campbelltown City side after underachieving last season, while surprise finalist Adelaide Comets might struggle to repeat the feat.
Other top-six hopefuls include West Torrens Birkalla — which has added Adelaide United winger Ryan Kitto — and White City — which has signed midfielder Peter Deng from Victoria’s Green Gully.
South Adelaide shocked most observers by avoiding relegation in its first Premier League campaign, while a young Para Hills side will hope the addition of Canadian defender Sherwin Emmanuel will help it steer clear of the drop.
Survival will be the goal for newly-promoted Pirates, last in the Premier League in 2002, and Modbury, which returns after a four-year absence.
“It’s a huge jump,” Jets centre back Kieran McNally said.
“We’ll aim as high as we can go, but the club will be happy to stay in the league.”
Adelaide Blue Eagles
Coach: Gianluca Lagati
Last season: 4th
In: Andrej Rastovac (White City), Hirofumi Kochi (HBO Tokyo, Japan)
Out: Gino De Lucia (retired), Calvin Mbarga (Hume City, Vic), Mitch Nicholson (West Adelaide), Milos Tosic (White City)
Prediction: 5th
Adelaide City
Coach: Damian Mori
Last season: 6th
In: Stefan Barletta (Eastern United), Joseph Costa (injury return), Michael Mullen (Para Hills), Nathan Mauriello (Adelaide Unitd youth), Fumiya Suzuki (Japan), Bradley Corbo
Out: Alex Rideout (West Adelaide), Nick Budin (retired)
Prediction: 3rd
Adelaide Comets
Coach: Jim Karatzas
Last season: 5th
In: Patrick Deruvo (Adelaide City), Thibault Desclaux (Jullian & Orleix, France)
Out: Stav Bakopanos, George Aslanidis (Adelaide Cobras), Nick Visvardis (Adelaide Olympic), Kinsley Francis (retired), Ayoub Hassine, Dejan Markov
Prediction: 9th
Campbelltown City
Coach: Joe Mullen
Last season: 7th
In: Valentino Yuel (Cumberland United), Luke Colalancia (Eastern United)
Out: Jake Halliday (Melbourne), Tony Hatzis (West Adelaide), Michael Paleka (Adelaide Olympic)
Prediction: 7th
Croydon Kings
Coach: Mark Brazzale
Last season: Champion
In: Michael Doyle (Raiders), Steven Pepper (Belgium), Costa Zacharopoulos (South Adelaide), Lewis May (ACL injury)
Out: Allan Welsh (Newcastle Jets), Adam Vizzari (Adelaide Olympic)
Prediction: 2nd
Modbury
Coach: Jason Trimboli
Last season: State League playoff winner
In: Adrian Polisena (MetroStars), Andrew Lindsay (Elizabeth Downs), Steve Maio (Campbelltown), Liam Miller (West Adelaide), Michael Costantini (Eastern United)
Out: Aaron Westervelt, Matt Kelly, Charlie Bowman (Adelaide Hills), Jonathan Negus (Cumberland United)
Prediction: 12th
MetroStars
Coach: Michael Pirone
Last season: Minor premier
In: Liam Wooding (Northcote, Vic), Christian Esposito (Novara, Italy)
Out: Lee Robertson (retired), Andrew Ciarla, Lawrence D’Arrigo (West Torrens Birkalla)
Prediction: 1st
Para Hills
Coach: Simon Catanzaro
Last season: 9th
In: Sherwin Emmanuel (Raiders), Yuto Nagai (HBO Tokyo, Japan), Ben De Bono (Playford), Foti Likouris (Adelaide Cobras), Nick Guglielmucci (Western Toros)
Out: Brett Selga, Liam Mulvaney, Dimitris Parhas, Nathan Tripodi (retired), Michael Mullen (Adelaide City)
Prediction: 11th
Pirates
Coach: Derek Hall
Last season: State League champion
In: Lewis Farquhar, Jake Forrester (Adelaide Hills), Solomon Williams (Raiders), Hikaru Tanaka (Chiba SC, Japan)
Out: nil
Prediction: 14th
Raiders
Coach: Carl Maynard
Last season: 10th
In: Deale Chamberlain, Christos Pounedis (Adelaide Olympic), Ermias Haile, Yasmin Sudic (Western Strikers), Paul Karritevlis (Adelaide Cobras), Yamin Jamal (Salisbury United), Scott Gannon
Out: Brandon Reeves, Sherwin Emmanuel, Daniel Atkins (West Adelaide)
Prediction: 6th
South Adelaide
Coach: Danny Greystone
Last season: 12th
In: Mathew Muscroft, Jordan Jones (England), Jared Daly, Mitchell Daley (Adelaide Hills), Kegan Osborne, Jake Carmichael (Cumberland United)
Out: Josh Quaynor, Stephen Hoyle (England), Harley Gepp (Cumberland United), Daniel Stavrakis
Prediction: 13th
West Adelaide
Coach: Paul Pezos
Last season: 2nd
In: Tony Hatzis (Campbelltown City), Robby Lippett (Cumberland United), Mitch Nicholson (Adelaide Blue Eagles), Alex Rideout (Adelaide City), Alex Jackson, Johnnie Polichrinidis
Out: Jace Cummins (Cumberland United), Tom Guttormsen, Yianni Sarris, Matthew Kemp, Jordan Watson (West Torrens Birkalla)
Prediction: 4th
West Torrens Birkalla
Coach: Steve DeGiovanniello
Last season: 11th
In: Ryan Kitto (Adelaide United), Akira Miyayama (Japan), Thomas Quaglia, Daniel Solari (Eastern United), Andrew Ciarla, Lawrence D’Arrigo (MetroStars), Harris Vuckic (Campbelltown City)
Out: Ryan Veitch (Adelaide City), Justin Bralic (Adelaide Olympic), John Fusco, Toby Nelson (Sturt Lions)
Prediction: 8th
White City
Coach: Sergio Melta
Last season: 8th
In: Peter Deng (Green Gully, Vic), Herman Formbason (Adelaide Olympic), Yudai Yamaguchi, Toshiro Hara (Japan), Chahine Noujam (Western Strikers), Milos Tosic (Adelaide Blue Eagles)
Out: Andre Rastovac (Adelaide Blue Eagles), Robert McDonald (Brahma Lodge)
Prediction: 10th
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