Reds gunning for foreigner; Roar and Melbourne City poach SA guns; Damian Mori links up with Mark Rudan
Reds chase an import; SA talent heads east, Damian Mori links up with Mark Rudan, Elvis almost returns home, brotherly love on the line at Raiders and Comets set for new facility, all in this week’s 90 Minutes soccer column.
A-League
Don't miss out on the headlines from A-League. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Adelaide United chasing a foreigner
Good news for frustrated Adelaide United fans could soon be on the way.
It’s understood the Reds are close to signing a foreign player during this current FIFA transfer window.
With Spanish-born Isaias now an Australian citizen and Senegalese Baba Diawara placed on the long term injured list United now has two spots open for imports this season.
As German Daniel Adlung contemplates a return to the A-League, coach Marco Kurz may have an abundance of options to choose from when it looked like he never had a chance of bolstering his squad mid season.
Taylor Regan’s pending departure to a Malaysian Super League club this month could also mean Kurz might look at shoring up his defence to replace the hard working centre back.
A comeback for former Adelaide defender Ruon Tongyik could be a possibility after he was released by Western Sydney last week.
However Kurz’s main woes are in front of goal where United was impotent in the scoreless draw with Wellington Phoenix on Saturday.
SA young player drain is very real
IT seems that a lack of SA opportunities for younger players wanting to experience a professional environment is starting to become costly as at least five emerging stars took off across the borders.
They last year moved to eastern states clubs Melbourne City, Central Coast and Brisbane Roar.
The quintet are nurtured in full-time A-League club environments.
Roar has landed Jay Barnett, son of former West Adelaide NSL player and ex Adelaide United W-League coach Mike.
The 17-year-old has been compared to Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets because he never loses the ball according to Roar officials.
He is currently training with Roar’s A-League side after former Roar boss John Aloisi plucked Barnett from the Australian Institute of Sport.
A recommendation from former AIS boss Tony Vidmar before the program was cut last year was all it took for Aloisi to be convinced.
Jay’s brother Manley is a defender with the Mariners national youth league team so is ex Birkalla keeper Joe Gauci.
Melbourne City have picked up even younger players from SA.
Rafa dos Santos, son of former Adelaide United striker Cristiano, and Yaya Dukuly are part of City’s academy.
Dukuly made his City NPL debut aged 14 lat year and also represented SA in futsal.
The City school provides an environment which is steadily growing towards being a talent factory similar to some of the best in Europe including Barca’s La Masia and Academia Sporting Lisbon.
And with Adelaide United unlikely to field an under-18s side in SA’s NPL after FFSA chief executive Michael Carter said entry to the 2019 season was granted, the young players exodus to the east could quickly escalate.
“We have been approached by Adelaide United to field an under-18 team to compliment their senior and reserves teams in the NPL and this request has been granted for season 2019 onwards,” Carter said in March before the new Reds owners took the club.
TEAMSHEETS |
— Melbourne City Youth - LIVE (@MelbCityYouth) September 8, 2018
Here's how @MelbCityYouth and @LangwarrinSC will run out for today's contest. Congratulations to 14-year-old Yaya Dukuly, who makes his senior #NPLVIC debut. pic.twitter.com/HmsfiTlTJD
Family ties at Raiders
BROTHERLY love will be put to the test at the Croatian Sports Centre this week.
Promoted National Premier Leagues SA club Raiders will host Victorian top flight new boys Dandenong City at the Gepps Cross venue on Friday (7pm kick-off).
The pre-season clash will be a family affair as the Adelaide side’s coach Nik Kuzman takes on his brother, and mentor of the Melbourne outfit, Zeljko Kuzman.
Both clubs also share the bond of being established by local Croatian communities.
Traditional food and bar facilities will be on offer, as well as music and entertainment.
Five-time SA champion Raiders reclaimed their division one status last season following their shock relegation during the previous campaign.
Elvis almost back in the building
AFRICAN-born winger Elvis Kamsoba almost made a shock return to SA soccer, before Melbourne Victory swooped on the diminutive talent.
Kamsoba signed for the reigning A-League champion last Thursday after an impressive two seasons for Avondale and Melbourne Knights in the NPL Victoria.
But one of the 22-year-old’s former coaches revealed he made a move to bring him back to Adelaide, where he arrived in 2008 having grown up in a Tanzanian refugee camp.
Steve De Giovanniello discovered a teenage Kamsoba in 2013 while coaching second-tier Playford City.
The ex-Wollongong Wolves NSL midfielder said he approached the speedster about joining him at his new club, West Adelaide, this coming campaign.
“I spoke to him over the phone and he said ‘look, I’m trialling at Melbourne Victory, but if things don’t work out, I’ll be happy to chat with you’,” De Giovanniello said.
“But half his luck, he deserves it (the A-League contract).
“He’s a beautiful boy and a great talent.”
Kamsoba was a chance to make his A-League debut in his hometown when the Victory met Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday night.
Rudan and Mori still the best of mates
WELLINGTON Phoenix boss Mark Rudan proved there is no hard feelings when Adelaide City legend Damian Mori turned down an offer to join him as an assistant for the New Zealand based club.
The pair enjoyed a massive chat over coffee on North Terrace last Friday before Rudan guided his side to a 0-0 draw with Adelaide United at Hindmarsh with just 10 men when Spaniard Mandi was expelled.
Now Mori has been linked as a candidate for Brisbane Roar after former boss John Aloisi surprisingly quit the club before the New Year.
Mori’s good friend and former Adelaide City teammate Joe Mullen is also a coach mentioned for the Roar gig.
Mullen last year led Campbelltown City to winning the prestigious Australian NPL final in a 1-0 win over Queensland’s Lions FC at Newton in September.
Comets’ new home reaches for the stars
ADELAIDE Comets are set to move into their new $3.5 million clubrooms in the western parklands later this month.
The NPL SA club was expected to get the keys to its Ellis Park facility in the coming weeks, 18 months after it received State Government funding for the project.
FFA Cup SA holder Comets would benefit from the double-story building, which would house four changerooms, referee amenities, a gym and storage space on its ground floor.
The top level would feature a multipurpose function space, kitchen, office, meeting room and covered terrace overlooking the pitches.
Comets’ junior teams would remain based at venue, while the club’s senior sides would train at the ground but continue to play matches at the nearby SA Athletics Centre.
The new facility would be shared with Western Districts Athletics Club.
A-LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOTS
Round 11: Adelaide United 0 Wellington Phoenix 0 at Coopers Stadium
Votes
Val Migliaccio
3. Ryan Strain
2. Isaias
1. Vinni Lia
Rob Greenwood
3. Ryan Strain
2. Vince Lia
1. Isaias
Amelia Mulcahy
3. Ryan Strain
2. Vince Lia
1. Isaias
Goalscorers
Craig Goodwin 4
Nikola Mileusnic 3
Ken Ilso 2
Ben Halloran 2
Scott Galloway 1
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos 1
OG 1
Leaders
44. Ben Halloran
26. Isaias
25. Craig Goodwin
18. Paul Izzo
16. Vinni Lia
9. Ryan Strain
9. Scott Galloway
9. Michael Marrone
9. Michael Jakobsen
8. Taylor Regan
5. Nikola Mileusnic
5. Ken Ilso
4. Mirko Boland
4. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
W-LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Round nine: Newcastle Jets 2 (Teigan Collister 21m, OG 85) Adelaide United 3 (Fanndís Fridriksdóttir 57m, Isabel Hodgson, 92m Veronica Latsko 94m) at McDonald Jones Stadium
Votes
Val Migliaccio
3. Veronica Latsko
2. Fanndís Fridriksdóttir
1. Amber Brooks
Rob Greenwood
3. Veronica Latsko
2. Fanndís Fridriksdóttir
1. Amber Brooks
Leaders
25. Veronica Latsko
14. Michelle Heyman
10. Fanndís Friðriksdóttir
9. Sarah Willacy
9. Emma Checker
8. Gunnhildur Jonsdottir
4. Amber Brooks
1. Charlotte Grant
Goals
Veronica Latsko 8
Fanndís Fridriksdóttir
Isabel Hodgson 1
Michelle Heyman 1
Emily Condon 1
Georgia Campagnale 1
OG 1
SA PLAYERS ABROAD
Brandon Borrello — Freiburg (Bundesliga): Recovering from an ACL injury
Alex Chidiac — Atletico Madrid (women’s Spanish Primera Division): Not in the match day squad in a 3-0 win over Athletic Club at home
Paris Duffield — Hamrun Spartans (Maltese Premier League): League on a festive break until January 12
Ben Garuccio — Hearts (Scottish Premier League): League on a winter break
Meni Haralampopoulos — Acharnaikos (Greek Gamma Ethniki): Played 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Varda FC
Bradden Inman — Rochdale AFC (English League One): Played 90 minutes in a 4-0 loss to Burtion Albion at home
Awer Mabil — Midtylland (Danish Super League): Mabil featured in the 1-0 loss to Jordan in the Socceroos AFC Asian Cup opening group match in the the UAE.
Andrew Marveggio — Macva Sabac (Serbian Super Liga): The competition is on a break until February.
Ryan McGowan — Bradford City (English League One): Played the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 win Accrington Stanley at home.
Dylan McGowan — Gangwon (K-League): End of loan from Portugal’s Pacos de Ferreira
Ex-Socceroo suspended for two games
A former Socceroo will spend a couple of weeks on the sidelines after being banned by Football Australia’s independent match review panel.
The Tackle: Perth in the pits, Black Knights’ perfect debut
It was a horror start to the A-League season from Perth, while Auckland made an almighty first impression and more is on the agenda as ROBBIE SLATER and MARCO MONTEVERDE go through a big first round.