Whtile most A-League players have been on holidays during April, there has been plenty of movement amongst the eight clubs as they all look to revamp their squads for the 2008/09 A-league season.
Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory have had to delay their off-season break due to their participation in the AFC Champions League, but that has not stopped them adjusting their player rosters accordingly.
Adelaide United have re-signed Nathan Burns (2 years), Lucas Pantelis (2 years), Michael Valkanis (1 year), Angelo Costanzo (1 year) and Daniel Beltrame (1 year) as well as adding Sasa Ognenovski from Queensland Roar (2 years) and Daniel Mullen from the AIS (1 year), with Bobby Petta, Dez Giraldi, Shaun Ontong, Robert Bajic and Milan Susak released by the club.
Melbourne Victory bolstered their squad for the AFC Champions League with the resigning of Daniel Vasilevski (2 years), Steven Pace (2 years) and Nick Ward (1 year) as well as adding Billy Celeski (Perth Glory � 1 year) and Tom Pondeljak (Central Coast Mariners � 2 years), with youngster Nathan Elasi and goalkeeper Steve Mautone on board as a short-term signings to provide cover during Asia�s premier club competition. The Victory released Adrian Caceres and Ljubo Milicevic.
A-League 2008 Grand Finalists, Central Coast Mariners, have had to rebuild following the departure of John Aloisi (end of contract), Tom Pondeljak (Melbourne Victory), Alvin Ceccoli (released) and the retirement of Tony Vidmar. Coach Lawrie McKinna has rewarded loyalty and performance by offering revised contracts to Nigel Boogaard (2 years), John Hutchinson (2 years), Mile Jedinak (2 years), Brad Porter (2 years), Matt Simon (2 years) and has also added Adrian Caceres from Melbourne Victory (2 years), Ahmad El**ch (Wellington Phoenix � 2 years) and former Australian Youth international Dylan Macallister from Norwegian club FC Lyn Norway (2 years).
A-League 2008 Champions, Newcastle Jets, will see a very different squad at pre-season training compared with the one that held the Championship trophy aloft at the Sydney Football Stadium in February. Gary Van Egmond has shown faith in his younger players and re-signed Tarek El**ch (2 years), Adam D'Apuzzo (2 years) and goalkeeper Ben Kennedy (2 years), whilst recently adding former Adelaide United Shaun Ontong (2 years) and young AIS striker Jason Naidovski (2 years). Leaving EnergyAustralia Stadium are Andrew Durante (Wellington Phoenix), Mark Bridge (Sydney FC), Denni (released), Jorge Drovandi (released), Steve Eagleton (retired), Troy Hearfield (Wellington Phoenix), Mario Jardel (released), Paul Kohler (released), Stuart Musialik (Sydney FC), Scott Tunbridge (released). With plenty of room left in the roster, Van Egmond is about to embark on a European scouting trip to eye potential signings. On his return to Australia, he will detour via Japan to assess the form of his star striker Joel Griffiths who is currently on loan at Avispa Fukuoka in the J-League Division 2.
David Mitchell begins his first full season as coach of Perth Glory and has the opportunity to construct a squad of his own. Jamie Harnwell (2 years), Jamie Coyne (2 years), James Robinson (1 year), David Tarka (1 year), Jimmy Downey (2 years)and Naum Sekulovski (1 year) have been re-signed and local Western Australian Josip Magdic and Ivorian Eugene Dadi have also been added to the club. The departure of Simon Colosimo (Sydney FC), Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix), Billy Celeski (Melbourne Victory) and Stan Lazaridis (released) will still leave Mitchell with a number of positions to full before the season starts.
Queensland Roar coach Frank Farina has travelled to Brazil during the off-season to visit Atletico Mineiro on a fact finding mission and will also be looking to add some new names to his team sheet after losing Sasa Ognenovski (Adelaide United), Reinaldo (Busan I'Park, Korea Republic), Simon Lynch (released) and Marcinho (released). Local favourites Josh McLoughan and Griffin McMaster have both been rewarded with 2 year contracts each. Young Queenslanders Tim Smits (Rochedale Rovers - QLD, 2 years) and David Dodd (Palm Beach - QLD, 2 years) along with AIS pair of Luke Devere and Isaka Cernak the have also recently joined the club for pre-season training. Adam � there�s also a young guy mentioned in today�s GC Bulletin
Sydney FC has signed Qantas Socceroo John Aloisi (2 years) as the club�s new marquee player along with Simon Colosimo (Perth Glory � 2 years), Stuart Musialik (Newcastle Jets � 2 years) and Mark Bridge (Newcastle Jets � 3 years). Leaving Sydney are former club captain Mark Rudan (Avispa Fukuoka, Japan), Ufuk Talay (Avispa Fukuoka, Japan), David Zdrilic (released), Ruben Zadkovich (Derby County, England), Patrick (released) and Ben Vidaic (released), whilst Adam Biddle (to Blacktown City, NSW), Ivan Necevski (to Blacktown City, NSW), Nick Tsattlios (to Penrith Nepean, NSW) are all keeping sharp with a stint in the NSW Premier League.
After their inaugural season in the A-League, Wellington Phoenix has resigned Vince Lia (2 years) and added New Zealand International and Wellington local Leo Bertos from Perth Glory (2 years) and fellow Kiwi Ben Sigmund (Auckland City, NZ - 1 year) . Australians� Andrew Durante (2 years - Newcastle Jets), Troy Hearfield (2 years - Newcastle Jets) and Jon McKain (2 years - from Politechnica Timisoara, Romania*) as well as Chinese import Lei lei Gao (MyPa, Finland) have also taken up new contracts in the New Zealand capital. Leaving the Phoenix are the foundation captain Ross Aloisi (retired), Steven O�Dor (released), Cleberson (released), George Paladini (released), Ahmad El**ch (Central Coast Mariners), Felipe (released), Kristian Rees (short-term player, released), Jacob Spoonley (released) and Steven Old (Macarthur Rams, NSW Premier League).
With three and half months to the kick-off of the 2008-09 A-League season, there is sure to be more transfers making headlines.
Adelaide United
Re-signed � Nathan Burns (2 years), Lucas Pantelis (2 years), Michael Valkanis (1 year), Angelo Costanzo (1 year), Daniel Beltrame (1 year)
In � Daniel Mullen (1 year), Sasa Ognenovski (Queensland Roar)
Out � Bobby Petta (released at completion of contract), Dez Giraldi (released - after AFC Champions League), Shaun Ontong (Newcastle Jets), Robert Bajic (released), Milan Susak (released)
Central Coast Mariners
Re-signed � Nigel Boogaard (2 years), John Hutchinson (2 years), Mile Jedinak (2 years), Brad Porter (2 years), Matt Simon (2 years)
In � Adrian Caceres (Melbourne Victory - after AFC Champions League), Ahmad El**ch (Wellington Phoenix), Dylan Macallister (FC Lyn, Norway)
Out � John Aloisi (end of contract), Tom Pondeljak (Melbourne Victory), Tony Vidmar (retired)
Melbourne Victory
Re-signed - Daniel Vasilevski (2 years), Stephen Pace (2 years), Nick Ward (1 year)
In � Nathan Elasi (6 months � AFC Champions League only), Billy Celeski (Perth Glory), Tom Pondeljak (Central Coast Mariners)
Out � Adrian Caceres (Central Coast Mariners � after AFC Champions League), Ljubo Milicevic (released)
Newcastle Jets
Re-signed - Tarek El**ch (2 years), Adam D'Apuzzo (2 years), Ben Kennedy (2 years)
In � Jason Naidovski (AIS), Shaun Ontong (Adelaide United)
Out � Andrew Durante (Wellington Phoenix), Mark Bridge (Sydney FC), Denni (released), Jorge Drovandi (released), Steve Eagleton (retired), Troy Hearfield (Wellington Phoenix), Mario Jardel (released), Paul Kohler (released), Stuart Musialik (Sydney FC), Scott Tunbridge (released).
On-Loan - Joel Griffiths (to Avispa Fukuoka, Japan)
Perth Glory
Re-signed � Jamie Harnwell (2 years), Jamie Coyne (2 years), James Robinson (1 year), David Tarka (1 year), Jimmy Downey (2 years), Naum Sekulovski (1 year),
In � Eugene Dadi (1 year, Hapoel Acre, Israel), Josip Magdic (Floreat Athena, WA)
Out � Simon Colosimo (Sydney FC), Leo Bertos (Wellington Phoenix), Billy Celeski (Melbourne Victory), Stan Lazaridis (released)
On-Loan - Jamie Harnwell (to FC Vaduz, Switzerland/Liechtenstein)
Queensland Roar
Re-signed - Josh McCloughan (2 years), Griffin McMaster (2 years)
In � Tim Smits (Rochedale Rovers - QLD, 2 years), David Dodd (Palm Beach - QLD, 2 years) plus the young Queenslander in the GC Bulletin
Out � Sasa Ognenovski (Adelaide United), Reinaldo (Busan I'Park, Korea Republic), Simon Lynch (released), Marcinho (released)
Sydney FC
In � Simon Colosimo (Perth Glory), John Aloisi (Central Coast Mariners), Mark Bridge (Newcastle Jets), Stuart Musialik (Newcastle Jets)
Out � Mark Rudan (Avispa Fukuoka, Japan), Ufuk Talay (Avispa Fukuoka, Japan),
David Zdrilic (released), Ruben Zadkovich (Derby County, England), Patrick (released), Ben Vidaic (released)
On-Loan - Adam Biddle (to Blacktown City, NSW), Ivan Necevski (to Blacktown City, NSW), Nick Tsattlios (to Penrith-Nepean, NSW)
Wellington Phoenix
Re-signed � Vince Lia (2 years)
In � Leo Bertos (2 years - Perth Glory), Andrew Durante (2 years - Newcastle Jets), Jon McKain (2 years - from Politechnica Timisoara, Romania), Leilei Gao (MyPa, Finland), Troy Hearfield (2 years - Newcastle Jets), Ben Sigmund (1 year - Auckland City, NZ)
Out � Ross Aloisi (retired), Steven O�Dor (released), Cleberson (released), George Paladini (released), Ahmad El**ch (Central Coast Mariners), Felipe (released), Kristian Rees (short-term player, released), Jacob Spoonley (released), Steven Old (Macarthur Rams, NSW Premier League)
On-Loan � Costa Barbarouses (to Macarthur Rams, NSW), Greg Draper (to Whittlesea