Adelaide United announces its 2016 National Premier League squad, which will compete for the first time in competition.
Following the promotion of the Adelaide United Youth Team from the National Premier League (NPL) State League from 2015, the squad will challenge for the NPL title with new Head Coach, Mark Jones.
Jones selected his squad of 20 players using a combination of eligible Adelaide United Foxtel National Youth League players, as well as players who were selected following successful open trials at the Club’s elite training facility at the City of Playford.
Speaking on the team of players in the squad, Jones said he was confident his group will be able to be competitive in the competition, despite their being a rather significant age difference between his side and the rest of the teams in the league.
“We’re very luck to have been able to select a group of such talented, local young footballers,” Jones said. “A number of our squad have played together for a few years with the National Youth League and the State League last year, which will help us in our new season.
“We’re confident that we can compete in this league and grow as a team, developing our skills and our understanding of the game as the season rolls on.
“One of the most difficult thing we will face, though, is that our team is very, very young in comparison to the teams we will be playing against.
“Most of our boys are 16, 17, 18 years of age and will be coming up against men, men that have been playing in this league for a number of years, even some that have played professionally here and overseas.
“We’ll have to be disciplined in the way that we play and also focus on playing to our strengths. If we do that, we hope to do well now and in upcoming seasons.”
Adelaide United 2016 NPL Premier League squad: 1.Daniel Margush, 2.Zack Gomez, 3.Ruon Tongyik, 4.Jordan Pudler, 5.Tommy Stokes, 6.Jordan Elliott, 8.Jordan O’Doherty, 9.Nicholas Polli, 10.Dylan Smith, 12.Mark Ochieng, 14.Blake Carpenter, 15.Ben Warland, 17.Clifford Maina, 18.Johnny Koutroumbis, 19.Alec Maiolo, 20.Isaac Richards, 21.Paul Wilson, 22.Riley McGree, 30.John Hall
Coach: Mark Jones
Assistant Coach: Ivan Karlovic
Captain: Dylan Smith
Ins: Blake Carpenter (Promoted), Johnny Koutroutmbis (Adelaide United Youth Team), John Hall (Adelaide United), Jordan O’Doherty (Adelaide United Youth Team), Isaac Richards (Promoted), Paul Wilson (White City)
Outs: Samed Altundag, Niko Apostolopoulos, Nathan Konstandopoulos, Thomas Love, Guy Miller, Yiannis Nestoras, Adam Piscioneri, Doni Pollock, Alex Woodlands, Oliver Zafiridis, Antoni Trimboli
Adelaide United will kick-off their NPL Premier League season against Adelaide Blue Eagles on Sunday, 28 February at the Elite Systems Football Centre. Kick-off is at 5.00pm.
