A-League Season 5 - Melbourne Victory, It Begins

Melbourne Victory leads the A-League in everything: crowds, facilities, stability, player roster, recruitment.

The Victory became the first club to pay a transfer fee for a player, with Carlos Hernandez who is bound for the World Cup in South Africa with Costa Rica, expected to shine again.

NEW PLAYERS TO WATCH
Exciting Thai international Surat Sukha is the first Thai player to join the Hyundai A-League, arriving from Thai club Chonburi FC.

A Football Story Prediction
Top two finish, Danny Allsop to score and miss a bundle, they will play Adelaide United five times and beat them in the grand finale with Adelaide getting a player sent off again. Muscat to get away with stray elbows fake whistles and other misdemeanours.

FAN CULTURE
Nick-named the “Tards” by Sydney FC. Have more Union members than the Labour Party. Their fan groups love to strike by being silent, turning their backs, not turning up and not singing. With all this striking action, the team are still the Champions. Imagine if they were the Newcastle Jets: would the fans strike by burning down the stadium?

Key Signing: Exciting fullback Surat Sukha (Chonburi FC, Thailand) will be great to watch.

Key Player: Carlos Hernandez plays more through balls than an itchy male adolescent…..

Something interesting: Last season at the dome before they move into the new rectangular ground.

Coach Quote: “Please remind Kevin Muscat that I’m the coach”

Fact: Last time they won the league they missed the finals and how! Will history repeat itself?

Thought: Shows the whole of the A-league how it’s done, on and off the field.


Current Squad: Daniel ALLSOPP, Evan BERGER, Grant BREBNER, Leigh BROXHAM, Billy CELESKI, Nathan ELASI, Carlos HERNANDEZ, Matthew KEMP, Mitchell LANGERAK (gk), Glen MOSS (gk), Kevin MUSCAT (c), Ney Fabiano, Steven PACE, Tom PONDELJAK, Surat SUKHA, Mathew THEODORE, Archie THOMPSON, Rodrigo VARGAS, Daniel VASILEVSKI and Nick WARD.

Re-signed: Evan Berger (2 years), Grant Brebner (1 year), Billy Celeski (2 years), Carlos Hernandez (Alajuelense, Costa Rica - 3 years), Matthew Kemp (2 years), Mitchell Langerak (3 years), Kevin Muscat (1 year), Archie Thompson (2 years), Rodrigo Vargas (2 years), Nick Ward (2 years).

In: Glen Moss (Wellington Phoenix – 2 years), Surat Sukha (Chonburi FC, Thailand – 2 years), Mathew Theodore (Melbourne Victory NYL - 1 Year)

Out: Steve Pantelidis (Gold Coast United), Jose Luis Lopez (Deportivo Saprissa, Cost Rica), Sebastian Ryall ( Sydney FC), Michael Theoklitos ( Norwich City , England ), Michael Thwaite (Gold Coast United).

Media:

Official:

http://www.melbournevictory.com.au/

Fan Forums:
http://www.melbournevictory.net/forum/

Fan Blogs
http://www.victoryinmelbourne.com/

http://a-league4girls.blogspot.com/

Radio:
ABC Grandstand will broadcast up to 10 Melbourne Victory home matches on 774 ABC Melbourne, digital radio and online, with the club's four remaining home matches to be broadcast on digital radio and online only.

Melbourne Victory Coach Ernie Merrick announced the new deal on 774 ABC Melbourne today alongside renowned sports commentator Gerard Whateley, who will host ABC Grandstand’s coverage together with Steve Pearce and Anthony Howard

Thursday, 6 August 2009
Melbourne Victory v Central Coast Mariners
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Local kick-off 8.00pm
Referee: Matthew Breeze

Live & exclusive broadcast on Fox Sports 3 and Sky Sport 3. Hyundai A-League club broadcast partner is 774 ABC Melbourne, Coast FM (Gosford) 96.3FM. To purchase tickets visit www.ticketmaster.com

Melbourne Victory Squad: 1.Mitch LANGERAK (gk), 2.Kevin MUSCAT (c), 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Matthew KEMP, 8.Grant BREBNER, 9.Danny ALLSOPP, 10.Archie THOMPSON, 11.NEY FABIANO, 12.Rodrigo VARGAS, 14.Billy CELESKI, 15.Tom PONDELJAK, 16.Carlos HERNANDEZ, 19.Evan BERGER, 20.Glenn MOSS (gk), 22.Nick WARD

Unavailable: nil
Central Coast Mariners Squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 4. Pedj BOJIC, 5. Brad PORTER, 7. John HUTCHINSON, 8. Dean HEFFERNAN, 11. Dylan MACALLISTER, 14. Michael McGLINCHEY, 16. Nigel BOOGAARD, 17. Chris DOIG, 18. Alex WILKINSON (c), 19. Matt SIMON, 20. Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 21. Ahmad ELRICH, 22. Nicky TRAVIS, 23. Adam KWASNIK.
Unavailable: nil