Otago United coach Malcolm Fleming is confident he can again weld his squad into a competitive unit when its season starts on Sunday with a home match at Tahuna Park against Waikato.
Last year, Fleming led Otago from long-shot obscurity, to within a whisker of reaching the playoffs in what was then the New Zealand Football Championship and is now the ASB Premiership.
Canterbury barely headed off Otago on goal difference before going on to lose narrowly to winner Waitakere, despite the Mainland team having being in bottom place during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
Otago's fifth place was just reward for the attacking brand of football that Fleming inspired, and there were several one-goal margins that could have pushed United into the playoffs.
Close results against top teams Auckland (0-0) and Waitakere (a 2-1 loss), plus draws with Waikato and Manawatu, showed how near Otago was to earning the single point that would have earned a playoff spot.
"So now it's another season and another challenge, with player movement bringing a new blend that we hope will surpass last season's," Fleming said.
Gone are goalkeeper James Waggett, Robbie Deeley, Dave Dugdale, Dan Ede, Ryan Faichnie and Stu Kelly.
Newcomers include striker Phil Ruggles, from English club Bromley, and northern-based Welshman Paul Seaman, with 83 national league games under his belt.
Seaman will add steel to the Otago midfield as he teams up with Andy Coburn, who is aiming to reach his 100-game national league milestone this season.
New goalkeeper Adam Highfield (29) is a former All White, and has experience of playing in Finland.
He joins younger Otago keepers Callum Flaws and Cam Burns.
More experience is evident in classy defender Tim Horner, who has been named captain by Fleming, plus dependable centreback Tom Sadd and left fullback Tristan Prattley.
Prattley, now in his third national league season, has returned to Otago after trialling in Wellington for the Phoenix.
At the sharp end, Ruggles, James Reichwein, Alistair Rickerby, Anthony Hancock and Harley Rodeka will be in the mix, with Nathan Knox also a possibility in a midfield or striking role.
"We are lucky to have a talented group of lefties," Fleming said.
"As well as Tristan and Andy, I expect our new left-footer, Matt Thomas, from Christchurch, to give us balance, and Ben Light is also a versatile linkman."
Otago's focus on developing youth has been strengthened with the mandatory inclusion of two youth league players in every matchday squad, and a corresponding allowance of two senior players in youth league squads.
This new rule opens doors for youngsters to gain premiership experience, and Fleming has quality youth players in defenders James Watson and Liam Lockhart, and midfielders Sam Mepham and Curtis Day.
Fleming sees three distinct groups in his squad.
Around his hardcore of veterans, led by captain Horner, there are those whom Fleming expects to make the step up after gaining experience from the bench last season.
"This is a key middle group who have to make the mental leap to confirm their potential.
"Rodeka, Hancock, Rickerby, Morgan Day, Tom Connor and Hayden Gunn have the talent but must adopt a more professional attitude at training and in preparation as well as during games.
"To make it at top level, players have to do a little extra, and I will be looking for that from this group.
"I will be again asking the squad to compete mentally as well as physically, against the best teams in the country.
"Anything less than total commitment is not acceptable."
Fleming said trainings had been intensive and enthusiastic, but acknowledged Otago might initially suffer a little from lack of match practice.
"I am also not happy with several outside factors, such as playing our first two games at Tahuna instead of Carisbrook or the Caledonian Ground, but our administrators assure me there is no alternative.
"Kick-offs at strange times such as Sunday, when we play Waikato at 12.30pm and the youth team faces Manawatu at 10am, do not reflect well on our aim to set professional standards."
