Matt Windley and David Davutovic revisit their A-League pre-season predictions
HERALD Sun experts David Davutovic and Matt Windley revisit their pre-season predictions. There’s a surprise package, some great news for Australia overseas and inevitabilities confirmed.
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DID anyone really expect any different?
Sydney FC, once again, streeting the field to stamp itself as the team to beat.
If Graham Arnold’s men do go on to win back-to-back titles the inevitable comparisons with Ange Postecoglou’s all-conquering Brisbane Roar side will come - if they haven’t already.
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Closer to home, Melbourne Victory is starting to click into gear after a stuttering start that was almost predictable given the amount of disruption the squad had to endure.
By the half-way point of the season Victory have lined themselves up as one of Sydney’s two most likely challengers, with 2017-18 surprise packet Newcastle clearly the other.
Pre-season predictions of the demise of Melbourne City were greatly exaggerated, but having come back to the pack after a blistering start, Warren Joyce’s side isn’t without growing pains.
But while many tire of the same clubs dominating, what the formlines of Sydney and Victory mean is that Australia will enter the Asian Champions League next month with two sides at the top of their games.
Whether we have a third Aussie representative, Brisbane, will be determined in the coming weeks when the Roar tries to negotiate a pair playoffs to get into the main draw, the second of which - in China - would be particularly tricky.
Having two years ago advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in their histories, Sydney and Victory will be hellbent on at least replicating those feats.
And with the Sky Blues dominating the way they are and with Victory’s recruiting strategy this season being designed around challenging hard in Asia, there will be hopes that both sides may even surpass their previous ACL feats.
There is a sameness about the A-League, there is no doubt about that - the same 10 teams playing each other three times a season with so many of the same players popping up at different clubs.
But the Champions League provides the opportunity for players, coaches, fans and media to experience something different.
Different, higher calibre opponents - both collectively and individually - different styles, different venues, different storylines.
And with Western Sydney standing alone as the only Australian side to have conquered the Asian mountain, both Sydney and Victory are getting ever more desperate to scratch that Asian itch.
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS REVISITED
DAVID DAVUTOVIC
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS
Champions: Melbourne Victory Runner-up: Sydney FC
Top six: Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory, Western Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Central Coast
Johnny Warren Medal: Karim Matmour (Adelaide)
Golden Boot: Besart Berisha (Victory)
Young Player of the Year: Daniel De Silva (Central Coast)
Biggest headline of the season: A-League expansion confirmed for 2020
By Round 14 we’ll be saying: “More Aussie coaches attracting European interest”
Biggest regret: Leaving Newcastle out of the top six
Biggest tick: Picking Danny De Silva to be the Young Player of the Year
MID-SEASON (RE) PREDICTIONS
Champions: Sydney FC Runner-up: Melbourne Victory
Top six: Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets, Victory, Adelaide, Perth Glory, Melbourne City
Johnny Warren Medal: Milos Ninkovic (Sydney FC)
Golden Boot: Bobo (Sydney FC)
Young Player of the Year: Daniel De Silva (Mariners)
Biggest headline of the season: An independent A-League is confirmed for 2019-20
By Round 27 we’ll be saying: “How do we open up opportunities for youngsters?”
Victory B&F leader: Rhys Williams
City B&F leader: Ross McCormack
MATT WINDLEY
PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS
Champions: Sydney FC Runner-up: Melbourne Victory
Top six: Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory, Western Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne City, Newcastle
Johnny Warren Medal: Ronald Vargas (Newcastle)
Golden Boot: Bobo (Sydney)
Young Player of the Year: Stefan Mauk (Melbourne City)
Biggest headline of the season: A-League to expand by four teams in 2019-20
By Round 14 we’ll be saying: “Socceroos in the World Cup, Matildas on fire, political infighting over and Channel 10 a success.”
Biggest regret: Clearly the political infighting isn’t over and ONE has not been a success.
Biggest tick: Putting Newcastle in the top six and not writing off Melbourne City.
MID SEASON (RE) PREDICTIONS
Champions: Sydney FC Runner-up: Melbourne Victory
Top six: Sydney FC, Newcastle, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide, Melbourne City, Western Sydney
Johnny Warren Medal: Dimitri Petratos (Newcastle)
Golden Boot: Bobo (Sydney FC)
Young Player of the Year: Daniel De Silva (Central Coast)
Biggest headline of the season: Graham Arnold leaves Sydney FC to take up Socceroos job
By Round 27 we’ll be saying: “Bring on the semis, with Jets and Victory poised to challenge Sky Blue domination.”
Victory B&F leader: Rhys Williams
City B&F leader: Bart Schenkeveld
Originally published as Matt Windley and David Davutovic revisit their A-League pre-season predictions
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