Australia gears up for big kick-off

Australia is unique for a number of reasons. Four different codes of football fight to be called by that very name and, along with the MLS, its domestic competition - the Hyundai A-League - spends almost as much time hibernating as it does packing stadiums.

The A-League teams have awoken from their slumber, and two new teams have emerged from the sleepy burrows for the coming season: Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury. The new additions sees the length of the home and away season grow by six extra rounds, 51 more games, and seven games in the Finals Series, up from six.

ESPNsoccernet previews each of the ten A-League teams ahead of the season opener on August 6th.

Adelaide United
Coach: Aurelio Vidmar
Captain: Travis Dodd
Key Player: Travis Dodd

Having failed to qualify for the Asian Champions League (ACL) in 2008, the Reds have had a longer pre-season than they've been used to. The extra time has been a welcome luxury for coach Aurelio Vidmar, who has had to deal with rushed pre-seasons in previous campaigns due to their ACL commitments.

Adelaide enters the new season without a marquee player after striker Paul Agostino retired from football. The club has, however, found a replacement for Agostino in former Ghanaian international, Lloyd Owusu. Should there be some chemistry between Owusu and his exciting attacking partner, Cristiano, this combination could become one of the most prolific in the competition.

Vidmar's squad boasts plenty of experience across the park. While defensively they've been dealt a blow with the departure of defender Sasa Ognenovski to Korean club Seongnam Ilhwa, they do have the league's best goalkeeper in Eugene Galekovic. Captain Travis Dodd will yet again be the team's driving force with his searing pace and attacking flair, while Cassio looks to be over his calf problems and could be the player to watch in this team. Having made two Grand Finals and a third place in the past four seasons, Adelaide is the A-League's most consistent team. They'll be up there again.

Brisbane Roar
Coach: Frank Farina
Captain: Craig Moore
Key Player: Sergio van Dijk

Brisbane Roar welcomed a name change and new rivalries during the pre-season, however new arrivals have been scarce. Furthermore, Reinaldo, the club's highest goalscorer, has been plagued by a groin and ankle injuries during the past few months and only completed a full session with the team at the tail-end of pre-season. He's not expected to return to full fitness until at least three-to-four weeks into the season.

The Brazilian wasn't the only one collecting loyalty points for visiting the medical room so frequently, with a number of players enduring niggling injuries. Among them is talented midfielder, Massimo Murdocca, who'll miss the early part of the season with a broken leg.

Frank Farina has successfully blended experience with youth in his team and, according to some, he has them playing the most attractive brand of football in the league. The Roar has bowed out of the Finals Series at the penultimate stage in the past two seasons. An on-target Sergio van Dijk and injury-free Charlie Miller could see this team go one, if not two, steps further.

Central Coast Mariners
Coach: Lawrie McKinna
Captain: Alex Wilkinson
Key Player: Matt Simon

The Mariners have the unenviable record of not having won a game in 2009 - their last victory coming on New Years Eve against Perth Glory. Unsurprisingly, some already have their pencils sharpened, eager to write the team's 2009-10 Obituary. But as they have demonstrated so often over the years, you cannot write this team off - no matter how dire things may appear.

Lawrie McKinna has made a habit of building a team without that 'star' signing. The foundations of his teams are built on hard work, commitment, and determination. For what it's worth, the formula has worked - sort of. In the past four seasons, they've made two Grand Finals and a semi-final. They may play unattractive football, but they get the job done - most of the time.

McKinna has signed former Celtic player Michael McGlincey. The youngster was once dubbed Scotland's hottest young talent and should fit in nicely with the likes of Ahmed Elrich, Adrian Caceras, Dean Heffernan and Matt Simon - the players earmarked to lead the team. The Mariners have also welcomed back hitman Adam Kwasnik, who will fill the void left by Sasho Petrovski and have enjoyed a relatively injury-free pre-season, which could pay off handsomely during the season.

Gold Coast United
Coach: Miron Bleiberg
Captain: Jason Culina
Key Player: Shane Smeltz

Gold Coast United has quickly taken the 'glamour club' tag off Sydney FC. The team is set to travel in style for away fixtures - in their owner's private jet - while they've also completed a list of extraordinary signings.

Brazilian trio Robson, Milson and Jefferson join the likes of last season's A-League top scorer, Shane Smeltz, former Socceroo Joel Porter, and young prodigy Tahj Minniecon. While in goal, safety is assured in former Juventus shot-stopper, Jess Vanstrattan.

Arguably the biggest - and most significant - coup of all is the signing of Socceroo Jason Culina as its marquee player. Although it remains to be seen if the new-boys can all play together.

Melbourne Victory
Coach: Ernie Merrick
Captain: Kevin Muscat
Key Player: Carlos Hernandez

The same fate of season 2007-08 - where the Victory missed out on the Finals Series after winning the title the season before - seems unlikely as the club has managed to keep the bulk of the 2008-09 Championship-winning squad together, including captain Kevin Muscat and talismanic playmaker, Carlos Hernandez.

Goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos left the club for English League One side Norwich during the off-season, but New Zealand international, Glen Moss, has been signed between the sticks. Moss can expect much protection from arguably the best defence in the A-League, which boasts the likes of Kevin Muscat, Rodrigo Vargas and Matthew Kemp. So confident is Merrick with this backline that he has shelved plans of signing another defender and the side also boasts the league's deadliest strikeforce in Socceroos Archie Thompson and Danny Allsopp.

We can expect much of the same from the Victory this season - that is, an attacking brand of football - and the Victory can look a bit more dangerous by adding an element of width to their game.

Newcastle United Jets
Coach: Branko Culina
Captain: Matthew Thompson
Key Player: Fabio Vignaroli

The Jets' off-season has been one to forget. There have been squabbles about unpaid player wages, a mass exodus of players, and coach Gary van Egmond walked out of the club to join the Australian Institute of Sport only weeks before the start of the new A-League season.

New coach Branko Culina has managed to halt the exodus for now, but new players aren't exactly beating down the door to don the golden jersey and those that have remained with the club will be charged with the responsibility of salvaging what pride there is left for a club that once believed it was on the verge of creating a dynasty.

This season could be a defining one for former FC Thun defender, Ljubo Milicevic. The controversial defender will be keen to get his career back on track and knows a solid season may see him back in the Socceroos squad bound for South Africa 2010. The Jets conceded quite a number of goals last season, and they scored even fewer, so Culina will be relieved that Italian midfielder Fabio Vignaroli has made his move to the club permanent. The skilful playmaker provides a creative spark to the team, and the acquisition of striker Sasho Petrovski from the Mariners should make for a solid attacking combination.

North Queensland Fury
Coach: Ian Ferguson
Captain: TBA
Key Player: Robbie Fowler

Like their Queensland counterparts, Gold Coast United, North Queensland Fury have had no trouble getting exposure during the off-season. However, it hasn't been for its footballing prowess, rather the arrival of its marquee signing, Robbie Fowler.

Coach Ian Ferguson has recruited strongly for the Fury's inaugural season in the A-League, building a workmanlike team that obviously revolves around Fowler. The man Liverpool fans refer to as 'God' has endured a frustrating time thus far in Australia as he has struggled to overcome a groin injury, but the coaching staff is slowly and steadily increasing his workload in the hope he'll reach full fitness during the early rounds of the season.

Among the new players are six former Sydney FC players, experienced defender Karl Dodd, and former Young Socceroo David Williams, who could be a perfect decoy for Fowler. Since joining the club on loan from Danish club FC Brondby, Williams has given the team an attacking edge and could provide the X-factor. The bookmakers have Fury as 20-1 rank outsiders, but that figure will blow out to 100-1 should something happen to Fowler.

Perth Glory
Coach: David Mitchell
Captain: Jacob Burns
Key Player: Mile Sterjovski

It seems a long time ago when the name Perth Glory struck fear into the hearts of opposition players and supporters alike. During the days of the old National Soccer League, the Glory were the team to beat; but since the A-League's inaugural season, however, they have been far from impressive and haven't appeared in a single Finals Series in four seasons - finishing second last for the past three years.

An amazing recruiting drive this year though has the Glory well positioned for their best finish to a season. Among the impressive new arrivals include Socceroos Mile Sterjovski (Derby County), Jacob Burns (C Unirea Urziceni), and defender Chris Coyne (Colchester United), Serbian Branko Jelic (Energie Cottbus), Andy Todd (Derby County), and talented young goalkeeper, Alex Vrtevski (FK Pobeda).

The squad has been plagued by injuries during the pre-season campaign, which has prevented them from gelling ahead of the season opener; but they could be the surprise package of the competition.

Sydney FC
Coach: Vitezslav Lavicka
Captain: Steve Corica
Key Player: Karol Kisel

You can never talk down the chances of Sydney FC, no matter how poorly they fared the season prior. There's always hype surrounding the big name arrivals, the impact the new coach will have, and the new brand they're set to play. Come mid-season, however, there's gossip about player unrest, the blandness of their football, the poor results, and the inevitable noose tightening around the coach's neck.

This pre-season has been no different. The club has appointed its fifth coach in as many seasons, former Czech under-21 coach Vitezslav Lavicka, and made a number of new additions to its line-up. One of Lavicka's first signings was Czech midfielder, Karol Kisel. The former Sparta Prague player boasts good technique and will orchestrate the proceedings from midfield.

Marquee player John Aloisi has enjoyed an injury-free pre-season and is reportedly keen to silence his critics from last season, while Lavicka has also promoted many players from Sydney's championship-winning youth team.

The pre-season has focused on professionalism, concentration and discipline with a strict physical schedule. Thus far, it's paid dividends as the team won 12 games and drew one and their defence also proved rock solid as it conceded only two goals. For some reason, you get the feeling things could be a little different this time around.

Wellington Phoenix
Coach: Ricki Herbert
Captain: Andrew Durante
Key Player: Leo Bertos

Wellington had its best season to date in the A-League last year, finishing sixth and only two points outside the top four. New Zealand international striker Shane Smeltz had a lot to do with that, but now that he's crossed the Tasman and ventured north to join A-League newcomers Gold Coast United, Wellington were forced to look elsewhere for a regular supply of goals.

Their search ended recently when Barbados international Paul Ifill put pen to paper on a two-year deal and the former Millwall, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace striker joins ex-Tranmere Rovers striker, Chris Greenacre, in attack.

Ricki Herbert will look to the team's Aussie contingent to lead them into finals action, along with the Brazilian pairing of Daniel and new signing Diego. Captain Andrew Durante will provide stability in defence alongside John McKain, while Michael Ferrante and Kiwi international Leo Bertos will look to assert some sort of authority in midfield.

Herbert is an intelligent coach and knows how to get the best out of his men. However, the loss of Smeltz in attack could hinder their aspirations of making the Finals Series for the first time in the club's history.