Season preview: Melbourne Heart FC

Our next season preview focuses our attention on the new kids on the block, Melbourne Heart.

Bolton, Colosimo, Beauchamp, Skoko, Aloisi… No, it isn’t a fantasy football team, its just a selection of the names currently on the books of the new boys.

This time last year, Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer declared that not only would his side win the A-League at the first time of asking, but also that he believed that they were capable of doing so undefeated. Heart Chairman Peter Sidwell has made no such promises, however you cant help but think that there will be an air of confidence emanating from the director’s box at AAMI Park when the Heart kick off the new season against the Central Coast Mariners.

Whilst sceptics will point to the fact that the likes of Aloisi and Skoko are in the autumn of their careers, their experience will be priceless in building a culture of professionalism at the club.

Often the ‘spine’ of a team will dictate how consistent they will be. Heart’s spine will consist of a ‘keeper of Clint Bolton’s quality, a centre halves pairing of Beauchamp and Colosimo, a midfield run by Josip Skoko and Aloisi up top, combined total of 164 international caps between them, not bad for a new team looking to find their feet in a new league.

Many will be hoping that this season Kristian Sarkies will at last deliver on his immense potential, and the signing of Matt Thompson from Newcastle Jets brings with it a hard, honest worker and talented footballer.

There will be the potential for goals from left back too, with Socceroo Dean Heffernan also making the move south to play alongside Beauchamp for the first time since they were together at the Mariners in season one of the A-League and played well enough to entice German club FC Nuremberg to come calling.

Of course there is no point having a star-studded playing roster if the manager is incapable of getting the best out of them. On paper this should not be an issue for the Heart, with the instalment of John Van’t Schip as the club’s inaugural coach. As a player, 380 senior appearances for Ajax and Genoa, as well as 41 caps for Holland shows that has been there and done it, and succeeded at it.

However great players do not always make great managers, but Van’t Schip coaching resume so far includes stints with Ajax as their youth, assistant and interim manager at various times, as well as taking the reigns of FC Twente and the role of assistant for the Dutch national squad.

Heart fans, if there are any yet, it looks good. It looks very good.