If something positive comes out of this shambles, I hope that the club are jolted out of their seeming complacency on the recruiting front and sign a few decent defenders and an attacking player or two who are consistant and can score regularly.
This season's team seems significantly weaker than last season's.
Lost from beginning of last season:
Boxall (huge loss in defence), Brockie, Cunningham, Boyd, Burns, Hicks.
Defence:
Sigmund, Muscat and Durante seem on the wain with each season now.
Doyle is an average player who would be okay on the bench.
Fenton's career seems seriously compromised by injury (how long will he be out now?)
They are lacking any quality fullbacks / wingbacks.
Seems that Blake did okay in defence tonight but he's too young to rely on.
Midfield and Attack:
Sarpong is a quality signing as a midfielder / winger but has a very poor goal-scoring record (8 league goals in 10 seasons as a pro in 136 games; 2 goals in 28 appearances last season was his joint highest in a season). He's unlikely to become another Nathan Burns in the goals department.
Krishna can be quite erratic and we'll struggle relying on him as the sole striker in the squad.
Ernie's said Powell has been signed as a reserve striker and he has an erratic record.
So there have been no signings to make up for the loss of goals from Burns, Brockie, Boyd and Cunningham.
Rufer looks like a reserve player and fails to make a mark in A-League games.
Ridenton looks like an average defensive midfielder and doesn't inspire confidence.
With the squad as it is, we're stuffed...
The only hope is some decent Aussie or NZ recruits before the season starts.