The highest level of competitive soccer in Australia is back underway, and there is promise to be another action-packed six months of action for fans to look forward to. There have been some significant changes during the off-season, which has led to this season is one of the most eagerly anticipated in recent years.
A-League Splits From Football Australia
Despite the new season getting underway on the 28th of December, there was still much talk over the opening round of fixtures about the future of the A-League. However, it was revealed on New Year’s Eve that there would be groundbreaking changes for the league in 2021, as the shackles that domestic clubs felt were put on them were finally released following the split from Football Australia. It is a huge change to the league and it has long been the goal of all the clubs to seek independence from the league. Independence will mean that clubs will now be able to operate how they see fit.
FIFA was forced to get involved in the dispute between Football Australia and the A-League, but a solution was officially made on Thursday 31st December to announce the split. From the club's perspective, this change will likely see them have the power to control their destinies, and will likely have a profound impact on the resurrection of the league that has been faltering for a number of years now.
The split from Football Australia now means that the A-League and the women’s W-League will be run by Australian Professional Leagues. The commissioner will be Greg O’Rourke, and clubs have already begun to admit that they can now set about their mission of creating the vision shared by the clubs involved.
Other Changes For A-League 2020-21
While the split from Football Australia was the news story that generated all the headlines, there are still some further changes that fans should be aware of for the new season. Below are some of the most significant changes that will come into effect:
- Later start date due to the COVID pandemic
- 12 clubs involved in the 2020-21 season
- Macarthur FC introduced
- A gradual shift from summer to winter
Teams Involved In A-League 2020-21
The A-League is renowned for being one of the most competitive competitions, with a number of teams chasing a playoff position. These are the 12 teams that will be fighting for one of the playoff positions in 2020-21:
- Adelaide United
- Brisbane Roar
- Central Coast Mariners
- Macarthur FC
- Melbourne City
- Melbourne Victory
- Newcastle Jets
- Perth Glory
- Sydney FC
- Wellington Phoenix
- Western Sydney Wanderers
- Western United
Who Could Win The A-League?
Making a wager on the A-League is like wagering on real money casinos. Before placing a bet, you will need to weigh up the pros and cons of all the teams involved before making a bet. Some teams have brighter recent histories than others, which means that you can use performances from last season as a measuring stick to see whether they can repeat the feat again. These are three of the sides that will have an excellent chance of winning the A-League this season:
Sydney FC
It would be incredibly hard to study the front-runners to win the A-League without first mentioning the defending champions. Sydney FC was faultless throughout the finals series last season, as they didn’t concede a single goal on their way to being crowned champions. They faultlessly beat Perth Glory 2-0 in the semi-finals, before beating Melbourne City 1-0 in the final.
They have won the Premiership in three of the last four seasons, and have won the Championship three times in the past four years. The addition of Brazilian striker Bobo could be another factor that points to them winning the championship again, as the 35-year-old has scored consistently for clubs such as Besiktas, Gremio, and Hyderabad FC throughout his career.
Melbourne City FC
Last season’s beaten finalists in the Grand Final will also be looking to go one better this season. The club which is part-owned by Manchester City will be looking to kick on from their best-ever season in the A-League last term by claiming a first Grand Final success. Patrick Kisnorbo is the new manager in charge at AAMI Park after he was promoted following the departure of Erick Mombaerts. The club has done a lot of business during the off-season, with Aiden O’Neill and Naoki Tsubaki among the players brought in. Marco Tilio was also signed by Sydney FC, and the 19-year-old will be looking to prove a point to his previous employees when leading the line this season.
Perth Glory
Perth Glory is a club steeped in A-League history, as they have won one Premiership since the formation of the modern tournament. However, their last win in the Grand Final came 17 years ago now. The closest that they have come since then was in 2019 when they lost in the Grand Final to Sydney FC. There has been an off-season of change for Perth Glory, as they have brought in a new number-one in Tandy Velaphi, while Andy Keogh was previously a proven goalscorer in the second tier in England.
