National Premier Leagues SA season preview: Ultimate guide to everything you need to know about 2019 soccer season
A wealth of overseas recruits and returning stars have made this National Premier Leagues SA soccer season the most eagerly anticipated in decades. We preview the 12 competing clubs in our ultimate guide ahead of the campaign kick-off.
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Five full internationals, 13 former European professionals and 26 players with A-League experience make up this season’s star-studded cast for the National Premier Leagues SA.
A summer of high-profile signings and returning favourites had made this weekend’s opening round the most eagerly anticipated in decades.
For Adelaide City’s prized recruit Marcos Flores looking forward, not dwelling on off-pitch turmoil, was the focus.
The Argentine playmaker joined a galaxy of big name arrivals when he signed for the Black and Whites last month, eight years after dazzling Adelaide United fans.
He vowed to bring the same flair and personality to the local competition, despite his new club starting the campaign six points down for breaching player registration regulations.
“Adelaide City has a rich history and I’m completely aware of how big a responsibility it is to represent this club,” Flores, 33, said.
“Our target is to play attractive football, because what happened outside the field is not our business.
“I cannot avoid the fact our club has been in the last three grand finals and how difficult it is to get there.
“But if we put all of this stuff in our mind, we’re going to fail.
“In this new future for Adelaide City, we need to make sure we take it step-by-step and try to enjoy what we do.
“If that happens, eventually you’re going to take points.”
Flores said the sanctions, which included point deductions for the past three seasons, a $10,000 fine and the repayment of $32,500 prize money, had not dampened spirits at Oakden.
Michael Matricciani had replaced long-serving coach Damian Mori and set about rebuilding the squad following the high-profile departures of captain Matt Halliday and winger Joel Allwright.
English defender Elliot Green, who previously played for League Two Lincoln City, and proven goal scorer Paul Radice (Croydon) were among the key recruits.
“It’s going to take time,” said Johnny Warren Medallist Flores, ahead of Saturday’s season-opener against the Kings.
“But if you want to be successful tomorrow, start today.
“He (Matricciani) is bringing a lot of energy and his philosophy matches with the players we have.
“He wants to keep the ball and he wants to attack. I am one of his soldiers to make that happen.”
Five-time state champion Raiders have returned to the top-tier after being relegated for the first time in four decades in 2016.
The Gepps Cross outfit had signalled its intent, signing Sergio Melta Medal-winner Rocky Visconte and two-time NPL SA goalkeeper of the year Nick Munro from Croydon.
Coach Nik Kuzman would again bank on national league experienced Adam van Dommele, Nick Budin and Scott Tunbridge, who helped his side win the State League One grand final.
Para Hills had shocked most observers by securing finals football in 2017 and missing it by just one win last campaign since regaining their top flight status two years ago.
New coach and former NSL player Barney Smith would lean heavily on the Knights’ youth factory which had an impressive record of unearthing A-League talent.
Ex-Australian under-17 international Charlie Devereux added creativity, having joined from Adelaide United, while goalkeeper Paul Reilly (Modbury) brought experience.
ADELAIDE CITY
Last season: 5th
Ground: Adelaide City Park, Oakden
Coach: Michael Matricciani (new)
Captain: TBC
In: Marcos Flores (Bali United, Indonesia), Elliot Green (Guiseley, England), Benjamin
Kovadio (Gwelup Croatia, WA), Domenic Matricciani (Port Adelaide), Paul Radice (Croydon), Zak Waters (Olympic)
Out: Joel Allwright (Campbelltown), Shannon Day (Raiders), Matthew Halliday (Olympic), Scott Nagel (Comets), Valentino Yuel (Bentleigh Greens, Victoria)
Key player: Marcos Flores
Top flight titles: 17 (SA), 3 (NSL)
Prediction: 5th
PARA HILLS
Last season: 8th
Ground: The Paddocks, Para Hills
Coach: Barney Smith (new)
Captain: Tyler Bailey
In: Kyle Crout, Charlie Devereux (Adelaide United), Kirill Gretchko (Western Strikers), Kieran McNally, Paul Reilly, Darsen Shaksi (Modbury)
Out: Carter Bailey, Todd Leahy (Salisbury), David Biar (study), Deale Chamberlain (retired), Chante Mayol (Blue Eagles)
Key player: Matthew Marchioro
Top flight titles: Nil
Prediction: 11th
RAIDERS
Last season: State League One grand final winner
Ground: Croatian Sports Centre, Gepps Cross
Coach: Nik Kuzman
Captain: Paul Blefari
In: Terrence Carter (Comets), Kalilou Kamara (APIA Leichhardt, NSW), Jake Monroe, Oliver Zafiridas (Birkalla), Nick Munro, Rocky Visconte, Ambesager Yosief (Croydon), Emmanuel Philip (South West Queensland Thunder)
Out: Johnathon Negus (Playford), Michael Paleka, Mimi Saric (retired)
Key player: Nick Munro
Top flight titles: 5
Prediction: 7th
GIANT RETURNS TO MAKE ITS MARK
SA soccer powerhouse Adelaide Blue Eagles are refusing to make up the numbers as they plot their top flight comeback.
The 10-time state champion overcame a bumpy initiation to the second tier last season to bounce back to the National Premier Leagues SA at the first attempt.
Captain Chris Annicchiarico said only a finals challenge would suffice for the Marden club this year, after a summer highlighted by the arrival of ex-Serie A striker Emanuele Testardi.
“We’re back where we belong,” Annicchiarico, 27, said.
“It’s been a tough couple of years for the club and the players in particular having to endure relegation.
“But we’re a club with a strong history and we’re here to win trophies, not merely survive.
“It’s a big jump from the State League (One) to the NPL, but it’s exciting times ahead.”
Blue Eagles sacked coach Steve De Giovanniello after opening last campaign with three straight draws.
It signalled the return of former boss Vojo Gluscevic, who led the club to 15 wins from 19 games to finish top and secure automatic promotion.
Annicchiarico said signing ex-Sampdoria and Italian under-20 front man Testardi, as well as retaining highly-rated twins Hamish and Liam McCabe, demonstrated his team’s ambitions.
“You can tell as soon as he (Testardi) touches the ball and steps over that white line, that he’s a cut above,” said Annicchiarico, who had spent his entire career at Blue Eagles.
“We’ve got quite a young group at the moment and we had a few hurdles to overcome last year.
“But there was that core group of players that stuck with the club and now we’re definitely pushing to cement our spot in the top six.”
Blues Eagles would kick-off the season at Steve Woodcock Sports Centre on Friday night against a Campbelltown City outfit striving to emulate last year’s heroics.
The Red Devils swept all before them in 2018, winning the SA minor premiership and championship, as well as the national playoff title.
Coach Joe Mullen had strengthened a talent-laden squad with the additions of his son and one-cap Socceroo Daniel Mullen, and experienced Adelaide City wide man Joel Allwright.
Captain Iain Fyfe backed his teammates to flourish under the spotlight.
“I think we’ll thrive,” said the veteran centre back, who had enjoyed a 14-year professional career in Australia, Scotland, Iran and Korea.
“In the past, we’ve had a pattern of being successful one season and then falling back the next.
“We know there is a bit of a target on our back.
“But we’ve got some great individuals, not only on the field but off the field, and that’s what really makes us gel.
“We set our bar pretty high and we know what we want to achieve.”
MetroStars had flown under the radar during the off-season after bowing out in the preliminary final last year.
But the capture of ex-Adelaide United midfielder Dylan Smith was an important addition for Robbie Saraceno’s side, as it bid to end its seven-year title drought.
Stability, as well as attacking weapons Christian Esposito (18 goals last campaign) and Tom Strain (10), would be central to the Klemzig club’s championship assault.
ADELAIDE BLUE EAGLES
Last season: 1st, State League One
Ground: Marden Sports Complex, Marden
Coach: Vojo Gluscevic
Captain: Chris Annicchiarico
In: Josh Negrean (Raiders), Nicola Pulera (Cove), Harrison Taylor (Birkalla), Emanuele Testardi (Casale, Italy)
Out: Assadullah Abbasi, Simon Mitchell, Tamba Musa (released), Gianmarco Mancinin, Pietro Pegollo (Italy), Andre Rastovac (Western Strikers)
Key player: Alemayo Kebede
Top flight titles: 10
Prediction: 9th
CAMPBELLTOWN CITY
Last season: Champion
Ground: Steve Woodcock Sports Centre, Newton
Coach: Joe Mullen
Captain: Iain Fyfe
In: Joel Allwright (Adelaide City), Daniel Mullen (Wellington Phoenix)
Out: Spase Dilevski (released), Anthony Hartnell (amateurs), Andrew Maio (Croydon)
Key player: Luigi Ditroia
Top flight titles: 4 (SA), 1 (NPL)
Prediction: 1st
METROSTARS
Last season: 2nd
Ground: TK Shutter Reserve, Klemzig
Coach: Rob Saraceno
Captain: Michael D’Aloisio
In: Dylan Smith (Sturt)
Out: Liam Wooding (South Adelaide)
Key player: Christian Esposito
Top flight titles: 3 (SA), 1 (NPL)
Prediction: 3rd
REDS GREAT FIRES WEST CHARGE
Marcelo Carrusca won three trophies and the hearts of Adelaide United supporters during his 114-game Reds career.
Now the Argentine maestro had a new challenge on his hands: helping West Adelaide re-emerge as National Premier Leagues SA title-contenders.
Carrusca ended his nine-month playing exile when he signed for the former NSL champion in December.
The 35-year-old playmaker said it was a chance to demonstrate his on-field longevity and return West to past glories.
“Adelaide is for me my first home,” said Carrusca, who last appeared for Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League in April.
“I’m very grateful for the club (West) for giving me this opportunity to keep playing and trying to help them.
“Of course the first thing is to be in the finals and then everybody wants to win the league.
“We’ll go step-by-step, but I think we can do something really nice together.”
West missed the playoffs by a point last year, having won consecutive games just twice in a stop-start campaign.
Former West Torrens Birkalla coach Steve DeGiovanniello had replaced Jim Karatzas, who had himself been drafted in mid-season following Elias Demourtzidis’ sacking.
Exciting attacker Ibrahima Kamara had bolstered West’s attacking stocks after joining from Adelaide Comets.
But the club would play home games at the Parks and Oakden as work continued on its new $6 million Kilburn ground.
“We have a very good team and a good coach who wants to play good football,” A-League premier, champion and FFA Cup winner Carrusca said.
“He has a good philosophy, similar to how I like to play, pressing up all the time and trying to play out from the back.
“Of course the main thing is to win, but I’m also here to help the kids in the team by sharing my experience with them.
“Hopefully they can learn something from me.”
Carrusca would lead West into Saturday’s season-opener against a Comets side strengthened by its own high-profile recruits.
Former Spanish under-21 defender Jon Aurtenetxe joined the FFA Cup SA holder following 92 La Liga games for Athletic Bilbao and Celta Vigo.
Manager Theo Tsiounis had also added Afghanistan international winger Omid Popalzay, as the ambitious Mile End club bid for its breakthrough top-flight title.
Adelaide Olympic had been boosted by the arrival of standout centre back Matthew Halliday from Adelaide City and Argentine midfielder Paul Espina, once of Club Atletico Huracan.
Striker Fausto Erba, who notched 12 goals in 11 outings last campaign, would again be key as George Tsonis’ men looked for a return to the finals.
Croydon Kings’ disastrous title defence ended with them narrowly avoiding relegation by goal difference on the final day of the season.
Adelaide United great and new coach Angelo Costanzo had signed goalkeeper John Hall and midfielder Antoni Trimboli to offset the loss of guns Nick Munro and Rocky Visconte.
Teenage talents Carlo Armiento, Pacifique Niyongabire and Isaac Richards were among the youngsters to watch as the Reds’ youth side aimed to emulate last year’s fourth-place finish.
WEST ADELAIDE
Last season: 7th
Ground: Distinctive Homes Park, Kilburn
Coach: Steve DeGiovanniello (new)
Captain: Perry Mitris
In: Marcelo Carrusca (Western Sydney Wanderers), Ryuta Hamamatsu (Modbury), Ibrahima Kamara (Comets), Riccardo Rosania (Italy)
Out: John Karatzas (Olympic), Robby Lippett (Cumberland), Dakota Ochsenham (Adelaide United)
Key player: Marcelo Carrusca
Top flight titles: 11 (SA), 1 (NSL)
Prediction: 6th
ADELAIDE COMETS
Last season: 3rd
Ground: SA Athletics Stadium, Mile End South
Coach: Theo Tsiounis
Captain: Allan Welsh
In: Jon Aurtenetxe (SD Amorebieta, Spain), Jack Bladen (returning from UK), Lewis Farquar (Mackay, Queensland), Scott Nagel (Adelaide City), Omid Popalzay (FC Lienden, Netherlands), Alex Woodlands (Birkalla)
Out: Tom Briscoe (Cumberland), Terrance Carter (Raiders), Ibrahima Kamara (Victoria), Mitch Nicholson, Mark Ocheng (released), Shane Tobias (White City)
Key player: Jon Aurtenetxe
Top flight titles: Nil
Prediction: 2nd
ADELAIDE UNITED YOUTH
Last season: 4th
Ground: The Parks, Angle Park
Coach: Paul Pezos
Captain: Louis D’Arrigo
In: Yared Abetew, Dominico Costanzo, Al Hassan Toure (Croydon), Dakota Ochsenham (West Adelaide)
Out: Blake Carpenter (Dandenong Thunder, Victoria), Kyle Crout, Charlie Devereux (Para Hills), Brayden Micallef (South Adelaide), Kristos Sterfanopoulos (Croydon), Paul Wilson (Hume City, Victoria)
Key player: Carlo Armiento
Top flight titles: Nil
Prediction: 8th
ADELAIDE OLYMPIC
Last season: 6th
Ground: The Parks, Angle Park
Coach: George Tsonis
Captain: Ricardo Da Silva
In: Julio Abadia (Spain), Paul Espina (Huracan, Argentina), Matthew Halliday (Adelaide City), John Karatzas (West Adelaide), Dimi Toumazos (Queensland)
Out: Nicholas Harpas (South Adelaide), Zak Waters (Adelaide City)
Key player: Fausto Erba
Top flight titles: Nil
Prediction: 4th
CROYDON KINGS
Last season: 10th
Ground: Polonia Reserve, Croydon Park
Coach: Angelo Costanzo (new)
Captain: Luke Klimek
In: John Hall (Sydney United), Andrew Maio (Campbelltown), Nathan Munro (Western Strikers), Kristos Stefanopoulos, Chris Vivian (Adelaide United), Antoni Trimboli (Olympic)
Out: Domenico Costanzo, Yarred Abetew, Al Hassan Toure (Adelaide United), Adrian D’Alfonso (Western Strikers), Nick Munro, Rocky Visconte (Raiders), Paul Radice (Adelaide City)
Key player: Jarrod Brazzale
Top flight titles: 5
Prediction: 12th
PANTHERS SET TO POUNCE
Two big-name recruits, a new artificial pitch and a shift in mentality have South Adelaide primed to make history this National Premier Leagues SA season.
The Panthers welcomed former Adelaide United duo Liam Wooding and Doni Pollock to O’Sullivan Beach during a summer of change at the perennial top-flight battler.
South had also benefited from the installation of a synthetic playing surface and improved floodlighting thanks to a $1.1 million ground upgrade.
Captain Sam Carmichael said the developments, on and off the field, had raised hopes of securing a maiden playoff berth.
“The club has always had the mindset that we’re a National Premier Leagues team and there’s a lot of thought that we can be more than just a team,” midfielder Carmichael said.
“The signings of Liam and Doni are massive from both their calibres and their histories.
“The club has also got a new pitch which has transformed O’Sullivan Beach and it’s firing on all cylinders.
“Hopefully we can put it together on the field to match everything else. Our goal is to be in the finals, it’s as simple as that.”
Sergio Melta Medallist Wooding returned to South, where he was a junior before making his A-League debut with the Reds and spending five standout campaigns at MetroStars.
Pollock claimed the State League golden boot with United’s youth team in 2015, had a stint at US College Monmouth and turned out for West Torrens Birkalla last season.
Carmichael said the signings, along with the return of Brayden Micallef from Adelaide’s junior ranks, would help South compete after a summer of high-profile additions to the league.
“We’ve obviously got better, but everyone else has got better as well,” said Carmichael, following the arrivals of the likes of Marcos Flores, Marcelo Carrusca and Jon Aurtenetxe.
“I think we’re one of the best NPLs in the country.
“But it couldn’t be more exciting for players like myself who haven’t had a crack (at professional football).
“Now we can prove that maybe we should’ve had that chance.”
South recovered from a 10-0 humiliation at the hands of Adelaide City on the opening day of last season to avoid relegation by two points in its first campaign back in the big time.
Coach Ben Dale had lost the services of 10-goal David Thornton and ex-Manchester United youth team striker Adam Thurston.
But he would call on a crop of talented youngsters, including midfielder Jayden Lobasso, winger Joel Smith and defenders Christian Tinnion and Caden Yates.
Carmichael, who sat out the off-season having spent last summer playing for Southern United in the New Zealand Football Championship, backed the fledglings to shine.
“We’ve got a very young squad,” Carmichael, 26, said.
“But that breeds a bit of fire.
“The young boys from South coming through are always knocking on the door, so it’s a really good atmosphere.
“Now it’s time for these players to start stepping up and start becoming leaders as NPL players.”
SOUTH ADELAIDE
Last season: 9th
Ground: O’Sullivan Beach Sports Complex, O’Sullivan Beach
Coach: Ben Dale
Captain: Sam Carmichael
In: Liam Wooding (MetroStars), Chris Ashwood, Doni Pollock (Birkalla), Nicholas Harpas (Olympic), Brayden Micallef (Adelaide United)
Out: Dayle Anderson, David Blane (retired), Adam Thurston (UK), David Thornton (released)
Key player: Liam Wooding
Top flight titles: Nil
Prediction: 10th
22.2.19. It begins. 🔥@AdelaideComets @AdelaideUnited @aufc_YouthTeam @PHKnights @NE_MetroStars @SA_PanthersFC @AdelaideCityFC @WestAdelaideSC @campbelltowncsc @AdelaideOlympic @CroydonKingsFC @ABE_FC @CroatiaRaiders pic.twitter.com/FXSidoSpKP
— NPL SA (@FFSANPL) February 13, 2019
NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES SA — ROUND ONE
Friday
Campbelltown City v Adelaide Blue Eagles, Steve Woodcock Sports Centre, 7.30pm
Saturday
Raiders v Adelaide United youth, Croatian Sports Centre, 3pm
Para Hills v MetroStars, The Paddocks, 3pm
Adelaide Comets v West Adelaide, Jack Smith Park, 5pm
Adelaide City v Croydon Kings, Adelaide City Park, 7pm
Adelaide Olympic v South Adelaide, The Parks, 7pm
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