I kind of understand AucklandPhoenix feeling angsty. I would blame it on seasonal flu and living in Auckland. Yes we all lose faith sometimes. But the time for that was last season (I would not wish to go through the Kalezic pantomime season ever again, and especially sober).
People tend to underestimate the slow but constant improvement of A-League. That is why we also have to improve constantly if we are serious about remaining in the league. But whichever way AucklandPhoenix wants to look at the current squad, this s not a "dire" team. Will it be competitive? Sure, we may lose plenty of games against better teams, but I hope that we will have done our best on the day, played till the last breath, and left nothing in the tank. And that is the difference I expect from the team under Rudan, compared to previous year.