A-League 2019/20: Rising stars, golden boot race and the game’s biggest issues
From the competition’s powerhouse players to the new kids on the block — here are the biggest talking points ahead of the new A-League season, from TOM SMITHIES and DAVID DAVUTOVIC.
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The new A-League season is nearly upon us — and that brings with it a new season of drama, intrigue and on-field excellence.
But what can we expect from the 2019/20 season?
News Corp football writers Tom Smithies and David Davutovic have run their eye over the competition and unearthed the rising stars, goal machines and the biggest issues we’ll be talking about in the coming months.
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STAR IMPORTS
The visa recruiting has lifted a notch with plenty of pedigree arriving down under, and a few Thomas Broich-type stars may emerge. Alessandro Diamanti, Panagiotis Kone (Western United), Migjen Basha, Jakob Poulson, Adama Traore (Victory), Radoslav Majewski, Pirmin Schwelger (Wanderers), Abdiel Arroyo, Wes Hoolahan (Newcastle Jets) and Michael Maria (Adelaide United) all arrive having represented their national teams, while many more have represented their youth national teams, including Dario Jertec (Western United), Adrian Luna (City) and Ziggy Gordon (Central Coast).
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
With Graham Arnold taking charge of the Olyroos, whose decisive Tokyo 2020 qualifiers take place in January, the kids will be watched. Melbourne City’s young brigade will be led by Ramy Najjarine and Connor Metcalfe, while Sebastian Pasquali, Josh Cavallo (Western United), Birkan Kirdar (Victory), Tate Russell, Fabian Monge (Wanderers), Alhassan Toure, Pacifique Niyongabire (Adelaide United), Joel King, Harry van der Saag (Sydney FC), Samuel Silvera (Mariners), Angus Thurgate (Jets), Aiden O’Neill (Brisbane Roar), Kristian Popovic (Perth Glory) and Reno Piscopo (Wellington) should feature.
POWERHOUSE PLAYERS
Diego Castro (Perth Glory), Milos Ninkovic (Sydney FC), Toivonen (Victory) headline last season’s big names, but several new signings threaten to propel themselves into Johnny Warren medal. The nickname of ‘Football God’ stands new Wanderers signing Alex Meier in good stead to make an impact and score goals, while Diamanti looks sharp and ready to torment defences. City’s Craig Noone has made a sudden impact, while Baumjohann could flourish at Sydney FC.
GOLDEN BOOT RACE
Perth Glory’s Bruno Fornaroli has a point to prove to Melbourne City, who are led by Socceroos sharpshooter Jamie Maclaren. With 2018-19 runner-up Roy Krishna departing to India, runner-up Adam Le Fondre (Sydney FC) will take some beating, while Melbourne Victory’s Swedish striker Ola Toivonen has starred in pre-season. Meier (Wanderers) and Roy O’Donovan, who’s swapped Newcastle for Brisbane Roar, loom large. Don’t rule out Besart Berisha making an impact for his new club Western United.
SURPRISE PACKAGES
An FFA Cup run suggests the Mariners might be ready to improve on a woeful A-League record over the last five years of not finishing above eighth. Alen Stajcic, a hugely experienced coach, has recruited well, but it would still take a brave pundit to predict more than relative improvement.
A-League entrants Western United have everything to prove, and coach Mark Rudan is well aware of what his close friend Tony Popovic achieved in Western Sydney’s first season.
SOCCEROOS RADAR
While only a few A-League-based Socceroos (City’s Jamie Maclaren and Sky Blues duo Rhyan Grant and Andrew Redmayne) have featured in the early 2022 World Cup qualifiers, that number will rise once the domestic competition kicks off. Ryan McGowan, Brandon O’Neill (Sydney FC), Andrew Nabbout, Robbie Kruse, Thomas Deng (Victory), Riley McGree (Adelaide United), Curtis Good, Josh Brillante (City) Matt Jurman, Dylan McGowan, Mitch Duke (Wanderers) and Dimi Petratos (Newcastle) are among those on Arnold’s radar.
COACHING P-PLATES
The A-League might be short of a genuine marquee star this year but at least it has a marquee coach. Robbie Fowler’s appointment at Brisbane has attracted attention from around the world for what is his first full-time coaching gig, and knocking Sydney FC out of the FFA Cup was a promising start.
Ufuk Talay at Wellington also branches out on his own for the first time at club level, though he has experience with Australia’s junior teams.
GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM
With the steepest stands in the country, and the first “safe standing area”, all eyes will be on Western Sydney’s return to the new Bankwest Stadium at Parramatta. The atmosphere at Wanderers games was a key part of the A-League’s popularity five years ago, and across the league more games will be played in small stadia that offer a noisier, more colourful experience both in the flesh and on TV.
GOING INDY
At the age of 15 the A-League has left the parental home. Fed up with year after year of losses, the club owners fought for and finally gained control of their own competition, with promises of investing tens of millions of dollars.
In the short term, it’s doubtful we’ll see any difference beyond a glitzy marketing campaign, but even that would be an improvement.
COACH PRESSURE COOKER
Western Sydney coach Markus Babbel was handed a reprieve after an underwhelming debut season, but such results (24 points from 27 games, while conceding 54 goals) won’t be tolerated again by Wanderers fans. Ex Matildas boss Alen Stajcic may have an extended honeymoon period after a positive finish to last season, but he will be judged differently in his first full season at Central Coast. Dutchman Gertjan Verbeek has made a good start to life in Adelaide, and he’ll have to continue stepping into the big shoes of Adelaide United fan favourite Marco Kurz.