The ninth season of the A-League gets underway across the Tasman tonight when Sydney FC host Newcastle. APNZ's Daniel Richardson takes a look at the teams involved.
Adelaide United
Last season: Lost in elimination finals
Coach: Josep Gambou
Notable losses: Dario Vidosic (FC Sion, Switzerland), Iain Fyfe (Mes Kerman, Iran), Iain Ramsay (Melbourne Heart)
Notable gains: Isaias Sanchez (Ponferradina, Spain), Sergio Cirio (Hospitalet, Spain)
Spin: For the past four seasons, Adelaide have gone year-on and year-off for making the playoffs. If that pattern continues this summer, they won't make the finals.
Brisbane Roar
Last season: Beaten semifinalists
Coach: Mike Mulvey
Notable losses: Mitch Nichols (Melbourne Victory), Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusselldorf, Germany)
Notable gains: Matt McKay (Changchun Yatai, China), Liam Miller (Perth Glory)
Spin: Brisbane lost a bit of their moxie last season following the departure of former manager Ange Postecoglou but boast a veteran squad and the magic of German midfielder Thomas Broich cannot be underestimated. They're a tricky prospect to defeat at Suncorp Stadium.
Central Coast Mariners
Last season: Champions
Coach: Graham Arnold
Notable losses: Patrick Zwaanswijk (retired), Pedj Bojic (Sydney FC), Mathew Ryan (Club Brugge, Belgium)
Notable gains: Liam Reddy (Sydney United 58 FC), Marcos Flores (Melbourne Victory), Marcel Seip (VVV Venlo, Netherlands)
Spin: The Mariners are the example of how an A-League side should operate. They mix young players into their squad with imports who contribute but don't break the bank. They also have a crafty manager. It added up to a title last summer.
Melbourne Heart
Last season: 9th
Coach: John Aloisi
Notable losses: Simon Colosimo (Dempo, India), Clint Bolton (retired), Matt Thompson (released)
Notable gains: Orlando Engelaar (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Harry Kewell (Al-Gharafa, Qatar), Robert Wielaert (Roda JC Kerkrade, Netherlands)
Spin: The Heart play second fiddle in Melbourne to the Victory. John Aloisi wears his emotions on his sleeve as Heart manager but they've been underwhelming in the past couple of seasons and more of the same could be on the way again this season. Their roster has undergone a massive overhaul in the off-season.
Melbourne Victory
Last season: Beaten semifinalists
Coach: Ange Postecoglou
Notable losses: Marco Rojas (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Marcos Flores (Central Coast Mariners)
Notable gains: Mitch Nichols (Brisbane Roar), Kosta Barbarouses (FC Alania, Russia), Pablo Contreras (Olympiakos, Greece)
Spin: They've lost their midfield wizard in Marco Rojas but picked up fellow Kiwi Kosta Barbarouses. Manager Ange Postecoglou is a respected taskmaster and the Victory have another experienced squad with some exciting players; think striker Archie Thompson.
Newcastle Jets
Last season: 8th
Coach: Gary van Egmond
Notable losses: Ryan Griffiths (Beijing Baxy, China)
Notable gains: Kew Jaliens (from Wisla Krakow, Poland)
Spin: The Jets haven't made the playoffs for the past three seasons. They splashed the cash on former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey last season but it didn't amount to a change in fortunes. Heskey scored enough goals, he just didn't have a lot of help. Don't expect much this year.
Perth Glory
Last season: Lost in elimination finals
Coach: Alistair Edwards
Notable losses: Liam Miller (Brisbane Roar), Dean Heffernan (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Notable gains: Isaka Cernak (Wellington Phoenix), Sidnei Sciola (Alki Larnaca, Cyprus)
Spin: Perth have one of the A-League's premier goal-poachers in Shane Smeltz and an elite goalkeeper in Danny Vukovic. Heading to Western Australia is never an easy trip and the Glory rely on their ability to win at home to push them towards the post-season.
Sydney FC
Last season: 7th
Coach: Frank Farina
Notable losses: Terry Antonis (Parma, Italy), Joel Griffiths (Qingdao Jonoon, China)
Notable gains: Pedj Bojic (Central Coast Mariners), Matt Jurman (Brisbane Roar), Richard Garcia (Melbourne Heart)
Spin: It was all about Alessandro del Piero last summer. But Sydney's spending couldn't see them reach the playoffs last season and, if they fail again this year, it will be considered a disaster.
Wellington Phoenix
Last season: 10th
Coach: Ernie Merrick
Notable losses: Tony Lochhead (released), Isaka Cernak (Perth Glory)
Notable gains: Carlos Hernandez (Prayag United, India), Kenny Cunningham (The Strongest, Bolivia)
Spin: New coach Ernie Merrick has invested heavily in youth. Carlos Hernandez is an intriguing signing and it's hoped former Belgium international Stein Huysegems shows flashes of his best this summer. They'll be on the edge of the playoffs race.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Last season: Beaten finalists
Coach: Tony Popovich
Notable losses: Tarek Elrich (Adelaide United)
Notable gains: Matthew Spiranovic (Al-Arabi, Qatar), Dean Heffernan (Perth Glory)
Spin: The Wanderers were the surprise package last season as their collection of journeymen, with Japanese maestro Shinji Ono thrown in, rode the wave of their inagural season all the way to the grand final. They're a tough side to break down and it doesn't look like it will be any different this year.
