Heart on track with new squad

 

When Melbourne Heart announced that they agreed to terms with Korean club Seongnam regarding youngster Brendan Hamill there was some backlash on twitter and supporter forums throughout the red part of Melbourne.

Some fans were saying we are selling too much of our young talent (Eli Babalj, Hamill and possibly Curtis Good), while others were questioning if we still had enough players to fill a squad.  Let’s all take a deep breath and relax.  The club is in a great position; yes we have lost some exciting youngsters but at the same time have picked up some very important prospects.

I believe Heart have recruited very well in the off season, and will continue to do so.  A chat with Football Operations General Manager John Didulica confirmed my thoughts regarding this issue and also reminded me of a few things.  Didulica confirmed that the club still had three positions to fill, all with very specific profiles in mind.  Due to the fact we have already exhausted the five International Visa’s the new players will be Australian based signings.

The recruitment of Josip Tadic, Steven Gray & Patrick Gerhardt will not only bring some much needed experience to the club, but will offer new manager John Aloisi much needed flexibility tactically.  Didlulica stated that Gerhardt could play anywhere in the back four, or in the number 6 position (defensive midfielder).

The net was widely cast for the recruitment of Tadic, and not only does he bring experiences from Croatia, Germany and Poland but he gives the club a great target up front.  Sure he may not be 6’3” but he does have a more experienced head on his shoulders and I am predicting he will be a great success at the club.

Although we have lost half our squad from last year, I think we are assembling an even better squad this year, and one that will have a more successful run at the finals.  Fred’s injury came at a bad time last year, and if he can stay fit we have a strong blend of experience and youth.

People should remember that if the club continually wish to hang on to our younger players it will not only be a disservice to the club, but football in Australia in general.  Given our low supporter base this also give an extra income stream, and helps the club remain financially viable for continued successful in the A-League.   Heart is building a very good reputation for developing young players for the bigger Europe/Asian markets.

So for all those who are questioning the sale of our youngsters, look at the bigger picture for football in this country and remember that two seasons ago these players were just promising youngsters and through great coaching, development and hard work have turned into very good  footballers.

The squad is looking very good and will play some attractive football this season.  If you haven’t renewed your membership don’t forget that you only have until the end of the month to attract the early bird price freeze, and if you are thinking about becoming a member stop thinking about it and join up, 2012/13 will be our best season yet.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/membership

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