A-League: Battle for state supremacy in Victoria as Western United joins the fray
The introduction of Western United to the A-League means Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City no longer have the city to themselves. Who will come out on top this season?
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The 2019-20 A-League season looms as the strongest ever, according to the inaugural coach of expansion club Western United.
Mark Rudan refused to make any bold predictions for his team as an enthralling three-way battle for state supremacy commences alongside Melbourne City and a dominant Melbourne Victory.
City and Victory are embarking on new eras. Each has a new coach — Frenchman Erick Mombaerts and German Marco Kurz respectively.
Rudan — one of six Australian coaches in the A-League — said the international coaches had brought new tactics to the domestic competition, while the quality of recruits appears to have risen.
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While perhaps not in the classic marquee mould, the likes of Alessandro Diamanti, Panagiotis Kone (Western United); Tim Hoogland, Migjen Basha, Jakob Poulson (Victory); Radoslav Majewski, Pirmin Schwelger (Wanderers); Abdiel Arroyo, Wes Hoolahan (Newcastle Jets) and Michael Maria (Adelaide United) arrive with significant international pedigree.
Socceroos Andrew Nabbout, Robbie Kruse, Ryan, Dylan McGowan and James Meredith have also joined as they attempt play a role for Graham Arnold en route to the 2022 World Cup.
“I think we’re in for a helluva season. It’s going to be a lot tighter,’’ Rudan said.
“Every team has strengthened from last year and they’ve been a lot smarter with recruitment. There are no real secrets.
“I’m excited by the quality of players coming to play in the A-League, having watched certain teams in pre-season.
“The test for a coach was fantastic last year. Having watched the game for a long time, we saw different coaches, formations, systems, patterns of play — you really had to be on your game.
“The real top ones would make really subtle changes, and you’ve got to be on top of that. You get found out very quickly.
“There’s a lot of coaches looking to write a few wrongs. Finally it’s come around.”
YOUTHFUL INJECTION
AS a former France under-18 and under-21 national team coach, Erick Mombaerts knows potential when he sees it, having coached some of the world’s best in their youth from his time in France, including Zinedine Zidane, Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid) and Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona).
And he’s given a strong hint that he will persist with youth in his opening months at Melbourne City, blooding the likes of Connor Metcalfe, Ramy Najjarine and Denis Genreau.
“I’m happy with the young (players).
They are in the squad, as they are in squad they have to increase their level — we have to be competitive if we play with young players,’’ Mombaerts said.
“You have to make a big effort to answer to high level demands. To be young is not an excuse.”
Mombaerts has made a sudden impact, qualifying for the FFA Cup final on October 23 against Adelaide United.
“I’m really impressed with the physical level of all the teams, really impressed. Teams are well organised and you have to face different styles of play,’’ he said.
“It should be (an) interesting (season) for me.”
BIG EXPECTATIONS
WHEN a club’s membership is pushing 30,000, expectations are high. And new Melbourne Victory boss Kurz is not shying away from it.
After two years at Adelaide United, where budgets had to be balanced, Kurz arrives at Victory with a marquee-laden squad and an expectant board.
“It’s different to other clubs. Finals isn’t good enough. It’s not easy, we have to win the league,” Kurz said.
“The setup here is strong and passionate. It’s a team that’s hungry for success.”
The expectations will also be placed on A-League chiefs, now that the competition is autonomous from Football Federation Australia.
A-League chief Greg O’Rourke believes that an extra club, the free-to-air agreement with ABC TV, increased marketing budgets, improved Hawkeye technology, global eSports integration and the addition of world class referee, Iranian Alireza Faghani, will all improve the product.
But Western Sydney’s move back to Wanderland (Bankwest Stadium) could be key.
“The return of the Wanderers to Bankwest Stadium can’t be underestimated. They have been dislocated for several years — it affected them on and off field,’’ O’Rourke said.
“The fans dubbed Spotless Stadium ‘Soulless Stadium’. Now they’re coming back and the RBB (fan group) will have the first safe standing area of any stadium in Australia. It’s been designed for football of our code.”
NEW BOYS ON THE BLOCK
Western United’s home debut (Kardinia Park) is in Round 2 against Perth Glory, and Rudan can’t wait.
“We’re super excited. We’re the new kids on the block,’’ Rudan said.
“We’re a new club, it’s been helter skelter in pre-season. Don’t make judgments after round one, or round six for that matter. Make it at the end of the season.
“Starting a club is always tough. I’ve got a lot of gratitude for what these guys have done in such a short space of time to start up a new club.
“The amount of work a lot of guys have put in to get a team going, to get the training facility which is just superb.
“I can only imagine how much better the process could have been had they had another 18 months like Macarthur (Rams) have. But we’ve all bought into it and understood there will be hurdles along the way.”