Melbourne Heart v Central Coast Mariners

Thursday, 5 August, 2010
Melbourne Heart v Central Coast Mariners
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Local kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Referee: Chris Beath

Melbourne Heart kick start their inaugural A-League campaign tonight against a new look Central Coast Mariners. The first match of the 2010/2011 season also marks the debut of Melbourne’s new football specific stadium, AAMI Park.

Melbourne Heart will go into the match as many bookies favourties, after assembling one of the best squads in the A-League. Most impressive is the defensive unit Heart coach John van 't Schip has at his disposal, including Socceroo’s Simon Colosimo, Michael Beauchamp, Dean Heffernan and goalkeeper Clint Bolton. Promising right back Michael Marrone looks set to start after moving from Adelaide United in the off season.

Heart’s midfield is just as impressive, with the underrated Wayne Srhoj drafted in to anchor the midfield with experienced A-League campaigner Matthew Thompson and former Socceroo Josip Skoko likely to line up next to him in a three man midfield.

Upfront, Melbourne Heart has recruited Dutchmen Gerald Sibon and Rutger Worm, along with Brazilian Alex Terra. Not much is known of Terra, and van't Schip is likely use him off the bench. Melbourne Heart also has an array of talented youngsters in Eli Babalj and Kliment Taseski. Former Melbourne Victory youngster Aziz Behich has been drafted in on an injury cover contract

John Aloisi looks set to miss that start of the season with a hamstring injury.

Tonight’s match also marks the return of Graeme Arnold to the domestic coaching scene after a decade in the national team set-up. Arnold has promised a new look Central Coast outfit, often criticized in the past for playing ‘agricultural’ style football.

New recruit, Patricio Perez looks set to miss the match with a hamstring injury, whilst off season recruit Josh Rose is ineligible awaiting transfer clearance from his former Romanian club FC Universitatea Craiova. Dutch defender Patrick Zwaanswijk will make his A-League debut as will Oliver Bozanic who recently returned to Australia after stints with English lower league clubs Cheltenham Town and Aldershot Town.

Melbourne Heart squad:

1. Clint BOLTON (gk), 2. Michael MARRONE, 3. Brendan HAMILL, 4. Simon COLOSIMO (c), 5. Michael BEAUCHAMP, 6. Matthew THOMPSON, 7. Rutger WORM, 9. Gerald SIBON, 10. Wayne SRHOJ, 11. ALEX TERRA, 17. Jason HOFFMAN, 19. Eli BABALJ, 20. Josip SKOKO, 21. Kliment TASESKI, 22. Nick KALMAR, 23. Dean HEFFERNAN, 24. Aziz BEHICH, 20.Peter ZOIS

*three to be omitted*

Unavailable: John ALOISI (Hamstring – 4 weeks), Kristian SARKIES (Leg – Indefinite), 14.Kamal IBRAHIM (not selected), 18.Ante TOMIC (not selected)

Central Coast Mariners squad: 1. Jess VANSTRATTAN (gk), 2 Daniel MCBREEN, 4. Pedj BOJIC, 5. Brad PORTER, 6. Patrick ZWAANSWIJK, 7. John HUTCHINSON, 8. Rostyn GRIFFITHS, 9. Nik MRDJA, 10. Patricio PEREZ, 11. Oliver BOZANIC, 12. Matthew LEWIS, 14. Michael McGLINCHEY, 18. Alex WILKINSON (c), 19. Matt SIMON, 20. Mathew RYAN (gk), 23. Adam KWASNIK.

*one to be omitted*

Unavailable: 3. Joshua ROSE (ineligible), 15. Marc WARREN, 16. Trent SAINSBURY, 17. Chris DOIG, 21. Sam GALLAGHER, 22. Mustafa AMINI (not selected)