Season Review - Adelaide United
Posted by Jasper Reed in A-League, Adelaide | 23 March 2006
Nickname: The Reds
Home Strip: All Red
Manager: John Kosmina (former Australian captain)
Final League Position: 1st
Position after the finals; 3rd
How are they doing: Winning the league by 10 points, but finishing 3rd, tells its own story. Adelaide was arguably the catalyst for the new league and the club and team emerged virtually unscathed thorough the tendering process for the new league as a result. Virtually a year ahead of everyone else, the team without stars exceeded the surprisingly low expectations from the start of the season. Very fit, a good blend of youth and experience and some exciting playmakers, they just ran their race too early and paid for Kosmina’s confrontational approach. When your coach says ‘you are the best team in the league, regardless of what happens in the finals’ you know its all downhill from there
Star Player: Qu Shengqing (striker); Adelaide raised a few eyebrows when they signed the “Mr Football of China’, but after an understandably slow start (given the fact that he was knocked down within weeks of arriving) he formed a blistering partnership with the Brazilian Fernando Rech. Sadly, it looks likely he will head back to China after just 1 year
You might also have heard of: Carl Veart (once of Sheffield United, Millwall and Palace)
What do they need? Not too much, although some of their old legs are creaking. Kosmina has again turned up the heat by saying ‘its next year or not at all’, so likely to stay quiet this off season before a drastic rebuild for 2007/08. Ross Aloisi (brother of John) is United’s captain and Aurelio Vidmar (brother of Tony) is assistant coach, so the welcome mat is out, and the door is open….
Little known fact: They are already in pre season training for 2006/07. The season kicks off in late July!
