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The worry that could possibly arise is the two games which ended in defeat and a draw were against A-League opponents Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix respectively. Nonetheless John van’t Schip will not be too worried with preseason results, as the most important thing for him is to have his squad in perfect condition and to make sure his new arrivals fit well into his system before the October 8th opener in Newcastle.
Last Season...
8th
They'll Win The League Because...
...of underdog status. With much attention focused on rivals Melbourne Victory, John van’t Schip will be happy his side have gone under the radar this preseason. With younger and fresher faces in Dugandzic and Williams along with the acquisition of experienced midfielder Fred joining the side, Melbourne Heart may just cause a few upsets this season and challenge at the top of the table. With some luck the Heart may go all the way and win its first A-League Championship.
They'll Be Cellar Dwellers Because...
...of a lack of squad depth. If any injuries occur to any of the starting eleven it will be hard to bring in that much needed experience off the bench. This is where they may be missing - the much needed experience from retired John Aloisi and Josip Skoko and transferred Michael Beauchamp.
As great as the new signings may turn out to be, Maycon and Germano may easily fail to adapt to the Australian game, something Van’t Schip would certainly like to avoid. If this does indeed happen, expect to see Heart well out of Finals contention and trying to avoid a bottom place finish.
Talk Around The Watercooler... Look smart in front of your colleagues with this valuable piece of information.
The name Melbourne Heart FC was chosen in an online competition held by the Herald Sun. Melbourne Heart was preferred, beating other choices Sporting Melbourne FC, Melbournians FC and Melbourne Revolution. The announcement of the name was delayed until early in 2010 as the AFL had objections of using Melbourne, Football and Club in its name.
The Extended Off-Season Brought...
...young, creative and smart signings. With the retirement of both Skoko and Alosi along with the release of Gerald Sibon, Heart has done well to sign Mate Dugandzic from rivals Victory and David Williams. They are joined by the South American trio of Maycon, Germano and former Victory star Fred. If the signings are able to adjust quickly into the Heart system, they will become a pivotal part of the team and play a key role in reaching the finals.
Key Player...
Fred – The Brazilian is back in Melbourne and he is back in the A-League, however this time he will be plying his trades for his former side's cross-town rivals Melbourne Heart. The attacking midfielder is a great coup for Heart as his creative ability to find and set-up teammates will be pivotal to the team’s success. Fred will be hoping he will have a similar influence that he had at Victory, helping them to their first A-League Championship in his only season at the club.
One To Watch...
Mate Dugandzic – The first player to ever make a direct transfer from Melbourne Victory will be eager to get the season underway. After spending much of his time on the bench at Victory, Dugandzic could become a key figure in the Heart midfield as they are much more suited to his game than his former club. Expect him to provide several assists and score some great goals this season.
Full Squad List
1. Clint BOLTON, 2. Michael MARRONE, 3. Brendan HAMILL, 4. Simon COLOSIMO (captain), 5. FRED, 6. Matt THOMPSON, 7. Rutger WORM, 8. Kristian SARKIES, 9. MAYCON, 10. Wayne SHROJ, 11. Alex TERRA, 12. Nikola ROGANOVIC (gk), 13. Jonathan GERMANO, 14. Kamal IBRAHIM, 15. David WILLIAMS, 16. Aziz BEHICH, 17. Jason HOFFMAN, 18. Curtis GOOD, 19. Eli BABALJ, 20. Adrian ZAHRA, 21. Kliment TASESKI, 22. Nick KALMAR, 23. Mate DUGANDZIC