New Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek set for first transfer window with Reds
Incoming Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek can look back on a catalogue of Reds recruiting hits and misses as he aims to bolster the club’s playing stocks in his first transfer window.
Adelaide United
Don't miss out on the headlines from Adelaide United. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Reds keep three games with arch-rival Victory
- Midfield duo sign new Adelaide United deals
- New Reds’ coach has ‘total football’ plan
- Djite’s vow: Reds will spend more than ever
Lessons from the past can guide Gertjan Verbeek’s vision for Adelaide United’s future as he bids to strike gold in his first transfer window with the Reds.
The Dutchman would become the club’s eighth full-time coach when he arrived in SA later this month to replace the departed Marco Kurz on a two-year deal.
He would need to hit the ground running as United aimed to replace the six players it had lost — including inspirational captain Isaias — for next summer and fill its three vacant visa spots.
But Verbeek might do worse than revisit the recruiting hits and misses that marked the maiden off-seasons of his predecessors and, in some cases, shaped their time in the hot seat.
Aurelio Vidmar led Adelaide to the 2008 Asian Champions League final, as well as the domestic title-decider four months later.
But the club’s longest-serving mentor limped to a sixth-place finish in an eight-team competition to become the only Reds boss to miss the playoffs in his debut campaign.
It followed the high-profile winter arrivals of Socceroos striker Paul Agostino and Ivory Coast midfielder Jonas Salley, who promised much but largely failed to deliver.
Fellow recruits Kristian Sarkies, Isyan Erdogen, Milan Susak and Shaun Ontong combined for just 64 United games, helping the club record six wins in a frustrating term.
Brazilian Cassio was the one shining light among the new signings, as he launched his brilliant 158-game, seven-year Adelaide career.
Rini Coolen fared much better in his first campaign, guiding United to a third-place finish in 2011/12 after bringing in loyal servants Nigel Boogaard, Cameron Watson and Iain Ramsey.
But the minimal impact of Englishman Joe Keenan and midfielder Brad Norton, as well as the solid contribution but early exit of Uruguayan Franciso Usucar, was a sign of things to come.
Coolen, United’s first foreign coach, was sacked midway through his second season in charge on the way to his team narrowly avoiding the wooden spoon.
Inaugural manager John Kosmina replaced the Dutchman when he returned for his second stint.
His first off-season back at the club landed Reds great Marcelo Carrusca (114 games, 25 goals), along with offensive weapons Fabio Ferreira (13 strikes) and Jeronimo Neumann (16).
But the likes of new boys Daniel Bowles and Jake Barker-Daish floundered, and Kosmina was out of a job by the following February.
Newly-appointed director of football Bruce Djite last week stated Adelaide hoped to sign a striker, No. 10, holding midfielder, left back and centre back before the October 11 kick-off.
“It’s a salary-capped league,” the Reds all-time leading goal scorer said.
“So you can’t just go and splash cash on seven or eight brand new players to entice them to come to your club.
“But obviously, the foreign players have to make the difference.”
No United coach had better delivered in this department than Spaniard Josep Gombau.
His first two signings, club legend Isaias (158 games) and dazzling winger Sergio Cirio (99 matches, 20 goals), took the Reds to new heights.
Fellow recruit and 101-game full back Tarek Elrich also became a firm fan-favourite, as the trio lifted the inaugural FFA Cup in 2014.
The arrivals laid the foundation for Adelaide’s maiden championship and premiership double under Gombau’s compatriot, Guillermo Amor, two years later.
Kurz’s initial acts included the capture of eye-catching imports Johan Absalonsen and Daniel Adlung, who shone despite leaving after just one campaign.
The German’s acquisition of ex-Australian youth internationals Paul Izzo and George Blackwood was among his legacies, as the club prepared for a new era under Verbeek.
SHAPING A SQUAD
ADELAIDE UNITED COACHES FIRST OFF-SEASON
Aurelio Vidmar — 2007/08
6th in A-League, topped Asian Champions League group
Recruits:
Cassio (158 Adelaide United games / 11 goals)
Kristian Sarkies (33/2)
Jonas Salley (31/0)
Paul Agostino (20/4)
Isyan Erdogen (13/0)
Shaun Ontong (9/0)
Milan Susak (9/0)
Matthew Mullen (3/0)
* Eugene Galekovic (238/0) signed in October
Rini Coolen — 2010/11
3rd in A-League
Recruits:
Cameron Watson (102/1)
Nigel Boogaard (98/2)
Iain Ramsey (78/11)
Francisco Usucar (29/0)
Joe Keenan (14/1)
Brad Norton (2/0)
* Andy Slorry (11/0) signed in December
John Kosmina — 2012/13
4th in A-League
Recruits:
Marcelo Carrusca (114/25)
Fabio Ferreira (51/13)
Jeronimo Neumann (51/16)
Daniel Bowles (21/1)
Jake Barker-Daish (19/2)
Teeboy Kamara (1/0)
* Tomi Juric (7/2) signed in February
Josep Gombau — 2013/14
6th in A-League
Recruits:
Isaias (158/10)
Tarek Elrich (101/3)
Sergio Cirio (99/20)
Michael Zullo — loan (24/0)
Steven Lustica (15/1)
Brent McGrath — short-term (2/0)
* Ryan Griffiths (4/1) signed in January and Michael Marrone (121/3) re-signed in February
Guillermo Amor — 2015/16
A-League premiership and championship
Recruits:
George Mells (31/0)
Iacopo La Rocca (30/0)
Mate Dugandzic (18/1)
Eli Babalj (5/0)
* Stefan Mauk (13/3) signed in January 2016
Marco Kurz — 2017/18
5th in A-League, FFA Cup runner-up
Paul Izzo (53/0)
George Blackwood (43/9)
Vince Lia (32/3)
Daniel Adlung (26/0)
Ersan Gulum loan (22/0)
Johan Absalonsen (12/6)
Karim Matmour (8/0)
Roar booted off home ground by concert
An A-League club wants to move one of their home games to a much smaller venue after being forced to play it midweek due to the scheduling of a concert.
Socceroo hoping to revive career in Adelaide
Surplus to requirements at Melbourne Victory, a one-time Socceroo is hoping to kickstart his career with Adelaide United.