Following arguably the most entertaining campaign since its inception, the time has come for a new team to etch its proud name in A-League history when Adelaide United host Western Sydney in the grand final.
As all Australian football observers eagerly await Sunday’s kick-off, Outside90’s Adam Pallotta explores the rollercoaster ride that was Adelaide United’s incredible change from horrid to top-class.
When sports fans talk about a season revival, it would be hard to suggest that any team has shown a greater turnaround in success than the Reds in 2015-16. How anyone genuinely believed that they would be playing in the grand final given such an extremely bleak start is hard to fathom. Rock bottom and without a win from the opening eight A-League fixtures, the pressure was mounting on first-year coach Guillermo Amor and many pundits had his team glued to the foot of the table.
Amor, who previously worked within Barcelona’s youth setup, had giant boots to fill when fan-favourite Josep Gombau unexpectedly cut ties with the club, leaving the managerial position up in the air with limited time to instil his game plan. The Reds had also lost key players in Awer Mabil and Nigel Boogaard following the 2014-15 season, making the task at hand even more difficult for the Spaniard.
POPULAR ARTICLES
A-League – Grand Final Preview – Adelaide United vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Road to the A-League grand final – Western Sydney Wanderers
A-League Grand Final – Whose game is better suited to Adelaide Oval?
Adelaide United and Western Sydney craving elusive grand final glory
The opening two months revealed a number of worrying signs for supporters – their strikers lacked grit and the required instinct, the defensive line looked uncertain and vulnerable, captain Eugene Galekovic was largely absent due to injury, and star playmaker Marcelo Carrusca could not cement his spot in the starting XI.
To the optimistic fan, however, it was not all doom and gloom. Youngsters Craig Goodwin, Jimmy Jeggo, and Bruce Kamau were shining lights during United’s poor start. The defensive-minded Osama Malik, now plying his trade with Melbourne City, can hold his head high for his performances during this dreary run. Adelaide picked up three points from a possible 24, and many were losing faith – judged by the dwindling crowd figures and the #AmorOut hashtag becoming more and more frequent.
Following the loss to bitter rivals Melbourne Victory in round eight though, the team from the city of churches was finally resurrected. The extraordinary rise up the ladder was on the back of a 14-game unbeaten streak, where the dramatic turnaround was complete when they found themselves on top of the table (and the world) by round 22. Adelaide United recorded its first win of the season with a 1-0 win over Perth Glory, much to the delight, and more so relief, of the Coopers Stadium faithful.
During this period, the team seemed to finally adjust to Amor’s system and credit should be given to the coach for sticking by his approach following his tough introduction to the competition. Amor backed Kamau to make the left-wing his own when Goodwin was forced into defensive duties during Tarek Elrich’s injury layoff. It was a gutsy play, and Kamau repaid the faith. Dylan McGowan stood tallest in central-defence, his ability to lock down and negate the best attackers in the league largely contributed to the Reds conceding just 29 goals this season. The arrival of Stefan Mauk during the mid-season transfer window was a welcomed one. Losing Jeggo to greener pastures in Europe, the classy midfielder from Melbourne City has filled the gap superbly.
After scoring zero goals in the opening eight matches, striker Bruce Djite finally found his mojo. His tenacity and on-field presence were undoubtedly restored during United’s unbeaten run, and went a long way in the 2015-16 resurgence. It would be unfair to suggest that scoring was his only contribution, but he did manage to break the club’s goal record, surpassing South Australian royalty Travis Dodd. Carrusca began to finally showcase the deftness and skill that he is so widely known for, and Pablo Sanchez became the most dangerous ‘super-sub’ in the competition, scoring a handy eight goals in 24 appearances (eight starts, 16 off the bench.
When they won they did it fiercely, with the biggest victories coming against fellow finalists Brisbane Roar as well as Wellington Phoenix. The only blemish that United endured was a loss to Melbourne City in round 23, but the newly-crowned A-League Premiers will not be complaining after finishing the regular season with 14 wins, seven draws, six losses, and their second top of the table finish.
As they sizzle towards this weekend’s grand final with their confidence sky-high, Coach of the Year winner Amor will be hoping to extend the celebrations and make it one of the most successful seasons in A-League history.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
