From veteran campaigners and Johnny Warren medallists, to the best young talent coming through, these are our top 25 NPL players to watch this season
South Australia’s National Premier League season kicks off tonight. But before the competition gets into full swing, we’ve ranked who we think are the players to keep an eye on this year. VIEW THE FULL LIST.
Local Soccer SA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Soccer SA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The emergence of Adelaide United’s Toure brothers Al Hassan and Mohamed in the A-League suggests there are a lot of uncut gems emerging from the heart and souls of grass root clubs that hardly get a mention.
South Australia’s National Premier League (NPL), State League 1 and State League 2 clubs have made the game thrive and without them, players like Reds Socceroos James Troisi, Riley McGree and another rising star from Gawler Eagles Lachlan Brook may not have got their chance.
There is also a huge talent pool of experienced players and ones who have arrived from careers abroad to light up the league.
We’ve ranked who we think are the top 25 players to watch in SA’s NPL this season.
Let the debate begin!
DID WE GET IT RIGHT? WHO WAS UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT? TELL US BELOW IN THE COMMENTS.
No. 1: Marcos Flores
Position: Playmaker
Age: 34
Club: Adelaide City
Adelaide United’s only Johnny Warren medallist scored a goal of the season contender last year in everyone’s eyes except the ones that make the award-winning decisions.
He is the NPL’s drawcard.
And Flores has spades of charisma which money can’t buy.
Flores should be the face of selling the NPL in this state to soccer fans who don’t find the local game all that attractive – until they perhaps experience that this is true club football at its best in SA.
The 34-year-old is best suited to the playmaker’s role where his vision is second to none in the NPL.
No. 2: Lachlan Brook
Position: Midfielder
Age: 18
Club: Adelaide United
Brook may have to prove to head Reds A-League boss Gertjan Verbeek he is worthy of being a regular via the NPL.
After making his A-league debut under former boss Marco Kurz, where he started in a scoreless draw with Sydney FC in January 2018, Brook has made three appearances off the bench under Verbeek.
He is also a big game player, scoring the sole goal to secure the 2019 AFF U-18 Championship title for Australia’s Young Socceroos in a 1-0 victory over Malaysia last year.
No. 3: Allan Welsh
Position: Midfielder
Age: 25
Club: Comets
A two-time Sergio Melta medal winner, Welsh is the backbone of the Comets.
The Comets skipper has good pedigree.
His father Brian also won the medal for SA’s best and fairest in the 1986 top flight in the state when he represented Beograd Woodville (now renamed White City).
He will again be very important for the 2019 losing grand finalist as Comets are seriously aiming for titles.
No. 4: Nicholas Munro
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 26
Club: Raiders
Without a doubt the best goalkeeper in the NPL for a few years.
He is a super shot-stopper and can launch quick attacks with accurate distribution.
He is a great leader, very vocal and a calming influence in defence.
There is still a sense Munro, who was on the books of Adelaide United, is good enough to earn an A-League contract.
No. 5: Terence Carter
Position: Striker
Age: 26
Club: Adelaide City
Currently playing for Vanuatu club Galaxy in the OFC Champions League, Carter grew up in London and was nurtured by Queens Park Rangers.
He scored in Galaxy’s opening OFC Champions League match after having a super season with Raiders in 2019, scoring 19 goals in 25 matches.
The Flores and the Carter combination is one to look out for.
No. 6: Hamish McCabe
Position: Midfielder
Age: 20
Club: Blue Eagles
It has been a crazy pre-season for the gifted midfielder.
After doing most of it with Campbelltown City, he decided to head back to his old club with twin brother Liam McCabe.
However, there are complications with his NPL registration papers, which weren’t lodged in time.
It will rob the league of a star for the first part of the season if common sense doesn’t prevail.
Don’t hold your breath.
No. 7: Daniel Mullen
Position: Defender
Age: 30
Club: Campbelltown City
A few players ending their professional careers cannot ‘lower’ themselves to play NPL in what is largely an amateur football environment run by hardworking volunteers.
However, Mullen last year threw his heart and soul into the game which he loves.
He played 20 games for double title winning Red Devils last year, 13 years after making his state league debut for Para Hills in 2006.
He will be the backbone for incoming coach Phil Stubbins.
No. 8: Matt Halliday
Position: Defender
Age: 28
Club: Olympic
It’s hard to understand why Halliday never got a chance to play A-League.
He is by far one of the most consistent performers of the NPL since making his debut with Adelaide City a decade ago.
He is a also a regular in SA’s NPL team of the year and super important to Olympic coach George Tsonis.
No. 9: Alex Mullen
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27
Club: Campbelltown City
Socceroos boss Graham Arnold saw Mullen’s qualities as being worthy of earning him a mature-aged rookie contract at Sydney FC in 2015/16 where he played against Adelaide United.
He also featured in the club’s AFC Champions League campaign before returning to SA.
Since kitting up for Campbelltown in 2018, he is finally winning silverware.
No. 10: Michael Doyle
Position: Defender
Age: 29
Club: Modbury Jets
The Jets skipper finally led the club back to the NPL after too many years in the second tier after a sudden change of rules sunk them unexpectedly in 2015.
Doyle made his debut for Croydon in 2004.
He shifted to Jets in 2018 playing a major role in the club’s leadership group in its quest to regain NPL status.
He will need to use every ounce of his experience to ensure the Jets stay safe.
No. 11: Evan Kostopoulos
Position: Defender
Age: 29
Club: Adelaide City
Not much credit has even been given to the now 29-year-old former Adelaide United winger since he joined City three years ago.
However, he has become the rock in the heart of the City defence by playing street smart football where he is also a driver of many attacks.
His career is also remarkable given he is playing without one anterior cruciate ligament.
It was discovered during a medical when he was about to sign for Thai club Suphanburi in 2015.
The discovery cost him a contract.
No. 12: Fausto Erba
Position: Striker
Age: 34
Club: Adelaide Olympic
The Italian marksman is in his sixth season at Olympic.
He has an incredible strike rate scoring 82 goals in 111 matches.
He is the absolute key to Olympic’s 2020 NPL season where they have also recruited two Greeks Panagiotis Manidakis and Ioannis Simosis and an Albanian Benkert Abdija who spent many years in Italy.
No. 13: Luke Klimek
Position: Defender
Age: 29
Club: Croydon Kings
Many of Klimek’s fans weren’t impressed when he missed out on The Advertiser’s team of the decade.
Klimek is in his 13th year playing for the club’s seniors and should crack the 300 games barrier this season according to the SA Player Database website.
A true captain and a leader by example that is always vital to the Kings plans under coach Angelo Costanzo.
No. 14: Luigi Di Troia
Position: Winger
Age: 24
Club: Campbelltown City
The hard working attacker stepped his game up a couple of notches last season.
He scored 11 goals in the club’s 2019 double winning season.
He is also a key outlet for the Red Devils in attack.
In full flight, his tight skills make him very hard to stop.
No. 15: Christian Esposito
Position: Striker
Age: 29
Club: MetroStars
Misfortune – a badly broken leg after he signed for Novara when the club was in Italy’s Serie A – cruelly dimmed Esposito’s chances of becoming a regular pro in one of the toughest leagues on the planet.
However, he bounced back after the injury threatened to permanently maim the attacker.
After spending 21 years in Italy, Adelaide-born Esposito is a goal machine.
In 87 appearances for MetroStars he has scored 53 goals.
No. 16: Aladin Irabona
Position: Defender/winger
Age: 21
Club: Adelaide City
He fled war-torn Burundi 15 years ago with his mother and brother Arsene via a Tanzanian refugee camp.
He has already impressed his new bosses at City with impressive displays at right back.
The 21-year-old ex Adelaide United national youth league player now has a chance to enter the A-League via a good season with City.
No. 17: Yohei Matsumoto
Position: Winger
Age: 26
Club: Blue Eagles
The nimble 26-year-old winger plays with a smile on his face after coming from the amateur ranks of Japanese soccer.
That smirk also frustrates the living daylights out of most men that play too tight on him – he’s like a slippery fish.
The slightly built new Blue Eagles recruit has an appearance which may suggest he is meek and mild.
He is – until he gets that ball.
No. 18: Marco Marino
Position: Striker
Age: 23
Club: Campbelltown City
After an injury interrupted 2019, Marino is bound to again put Campbelltown in the box seat to be the hunted under new coach Phil Stubbins.
Averaging close to a goal every three NPL matches – 21 goals in 75 matches – the former Adelaide United and Melbourne City A-League striker is poised to give scouts another reason why he should still be playing premium professional football in this country.
No. 19: Nathan Munro
Position: Striker
Age: 26
Club: Croydon Kings
He played a major part in Croydon Kings’ 2019 season scoring 14 goals.
He showed much promise under former Western Strikers boss and current Adelaide City assistant coach Brenton Hiern in 2018 scoring 23 goals.
The tall striker is definitely catching the eye of many fans and shaky defenders across the NPL with Kings coach Angelo Costanzo helping is game reach another level.
No. 20: Andreas Wiens
Position: Attacker
Age: 27
Club: Comets
He’s been a quiet achiever since making his SA debut in 2009 for Western Strikers, but his goals do all the talking.
Wiens has amassed 239 games and scored 130 goals – more than a goal every two matches.
Losing the 2019 grand final to Campbelltown City (3-0) is sure to inspire Wiens to another great season at the Mile End-based club.
No. 21: John Hall
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 25
Club: Croydon Kings
SA’s NPL reigning goalkeeper of the year had a big 2019 after three years with A-League sides Adelaide United and Western Sydney before signing for Sydney United in the NSW NPL.
He settled well in his return to SA last season where the Kings just missed out on the top six.
Hall is again expected to play a huge part in the Kings 2020 campaign.
No. 22: Rocco Visconte
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29
Club: Raiders
The 2014 Sergio Melta medal winner still has lots to offer the game after helping Raiders make a real dent in the NPL after the club suffered when it was relegated in 2016
Visconte has brought stability back to a club that has its traditions shaped by hard work.
Visconte is again bound to reap rewards for the proud club.
No. 23: Adam Piscioneri
Position: Midfielder
Age: 23
Club: Campbelltown City
A product of Campbelltown City since he was five, he was lured briefly away to Adelaide United where he was granted the captain’s armband for the their youth team.
Led the young Reds to NPL promotion in 2015 in an incredible 13-3 win over Adelaide Victory.
He soon became a stable Campbelltown City player again in the club’s most successful era under former coach Joe Mullen.
No. 24: Tom Briscoe
Position: Midfielder
Age:
Club: Cumberland United
Briscoe is always such a joy to watch.
He will be an integral part of the Foxes attempt to cement a permanent spot in the NPL.
Briscoe only played nine times last year but his performances were vital to the Foxes’ jump back into the NPL from State League 1.
No. 25: Jayden Lo Basso
Position: Midfielder/winger
Age: 19
Club: Comets
Had a breakout 2019 with Comets after making a move from South Adelaide, following a stint with Adelaide United’s youth team.
The Port Pirie Northern Demons product is again expected to be the shining light in a strong Comets outfit.
*Stats: South Australian Football Statistics*