Gemmill to NZ, Lazaridis to Jets?

Posted by Jasper Reed in A-League, Adelaide, Central Coast Mariners, Melbourne Victory, New Zealand Knights, Newcastle United, Perth Glory, Queensland Roar, Sydney FC | 11 April 2006

Off season news from around the A League:

ADELAIDE: Adelaide seem intent on bringing home old favourites, and with Tony Vidmar this week stating his desire to finish his career in Australia, confirmation of this move appears inevitable. Vidmar's brother Aurelio is the assistant coach at The Red's. The John Aloisi move is still possible, but more likely next year.

CENTRAL COAST: With key defenders Beauchamp and Heffernan likely to stay with Nurnberg in Germany, Vidmar is also linked with the Mariners. No other news from the Central Coast right now.

MELBOURNE: Ex Man City full back Simon Colosimo hopes a move to Melbourne will re ignite his national career. The classy defender is in talks with his hometown club, who this week welcomed news that a’ rectangular’ home ground is to be built in the AFL dominated city. Victory will also be boosted by Archie Thompson’s comments, the on loan striker now likely to return from PSV after the World Cup.

NEW ZEALAND: The Knights have signed Scott Gemmill on a 2 year deal. The ex Forest and Everton and Scotland midfielder, released by Leicester last year, had agreed a player/coach role with Oxford United, but was offered better terms to switch to the A League. The Knights have also picked up the underrated Richard Johnson from Newcastle.

NEWCASTLE: New coach Nick Theodorakopoulos has wasted no time in ruffling A League feathers, announcing Stan Lazaridis as his number 1 target for the new season. The Birmingham wingback, originally from Adelaide, is thought to favour a move home if the Blues go down this year. Sydney title winning stars Alvin Ceccoli and Sasho Petrovski are also on Theo’s radar.

PERTH: Whilst other clubs are filling their playing roster, Glory officials are fighting to save the club. The current license owners have reached a mutual agreement with the Football Federation of Australia to terminate the agreement as at 30th April. A number of parties are interested in taking up the offer, but the fact that Perth do not own their own home ground means a third party, Member Equity Stadium, is also involved in the complex negotiations. The FFA will hold the interim license, and assume day-to-day control, until a buyer is found.

QUEENSLAND: Having signed Andrew Packer from Sydney, the Roar are looking at Ante Milicic to fill the hole left by top scorer Alex Brosque. The experienced striker would be freed by Newcastle, but is currently on $200,000 a year, way more than the Roar’s salary cap could afford.

SYDNEY: Speculation persists that Pierre Littbarski will not be at Sydney next year. The German has given May 2 as “Dday’ to decide on the 1 year deal offered to him by the Champions, at half his previous $700,000 a year wages, but Sydney are pressing for an earlier resolution, claiming that if Littbarski can consider his options ‘so will we’. Meanwhile, with Littbarski in Japan until then, the club is receiving DVD’s and resumes from ‘quality’ players all over the world keen on a slice of the action.