CAN IT really be just 15 weeks since Gold Coast United were granted unconditional entry into the A-League? Wow. It's already been a long, strange trip...

The club has now confirmed twelve players. If you add a few sure starters and some very strong rumours, there's already a likely squad of over twenty players. That's not a bad start for a club that still does not have an official name, colours, strip or logo!

Here's the squad to date, by my reckoning. A question mark denotes unconfirmed players, including guys like Robson whose contracts are still being finalised. If I have got anything wrong, please let me know.

GOALIES

- Jess Vanstrattan (26, ex Verona, Juventus, 2 year deal)
- Scott Higgins (32, ex Brisbane Strikers, Roar, Falkirk, Maccabi Herzliya, now on a short stint with the Nix )

- Jerrad Tyson (? 19, ex Sunshine Coast Fire, Young Socceroo, now playing with Brisbane clubs till April 1st start)

DEFENCE

- Adam Griffiths (29, ex Jets, Socceroo, 3 year deal)
- Daniel Piorkowski (24, ex Jets, Melbourne, 2 year deal)
- Kristian Rees (28, ex Adelaide City, Wellington, 2 year deal)

- Michael Thwaite (? 25, now SK Brann on loan to Melbourne, Socceroo)
- Bas Van den Brink (? 26, ex FC Omniworld)

MIDFIELD

- Zenon Caravella (25, ex FC Omniworld, NZ Knights, 2 year deal)
- Matthew Osman (25, now Central Coast, 2 year deal)
- James Brown (18, ex AIS, Young Socceroo)
- Steve Fitzsimmons (32, ex NZ Knights, 1 year deal)
- Steve Pantelidis (25, ex Melbourne Victory, Young Socceroo, 2 year deal)

- "Robson" Alves da Silva (? 22, ex Cabofriense, Brazil U15, U17 )
- "Jefferson" Charles de Souza Pinto (? 26, ex Criciuma, Brazil )
- Trent Waterson (? 24, ex South Melbourne)
- Richard Greer (? 19, ex AIS, Young Socceroo)
- Jason Culina (? 28, ex Sydney, Twente, PSV, Socceroo)

ATTACK

- Shane Smeltz (27, ex Nix, NZ international, 3 year deal)
- Andrew Barisic (23, ex Melbourne Knights)

- Joel Porter (? 29, ex Hartlepool, Socceroo)
- another Brazilian striker?

Culina and the third Brazilian are clearly the biggest question marks. No doubt as we get closer to a full squad, salary cap issues will start to come into play. But with Sydney and Central Coast getting seriously cashed up, Gold Coast won't be the only team pushing finances to their limit next year.

If we do get the three Brazilians, plus Van den Brink and Smeltz, that's our 5 import spots locked in. But we still haven't signed our marquees! Or have we??!

Remember that Gold Coast will be fielding a Y-League team next season, after Clive Palmer turned down the FFA's offer of a one-year opt-out. I imagine both Tyson and Greer will be in the Youth Team, but James Brown looks like being one of the senior squad's three under 23 players.

For the junior marquee, the latest rumour I have heard is former Newcastle United starlet James Troisi, a 20-year-old Young Socceroo who is now playing in Turkey with Genclerbirligi. But that's a very tenuous rumour at this stage.

Sure, a couple of the players above look like reserve team war-horses (sorry guys - please prove me wrong!). But basically, with Vanstrattan in goal, Griffiths and Piorkowski at the back, plenty of talent in the midfield and Smeltz up front, we already have a solid and stylish framework confirmed.

Throw in Porter, Thwaite and Jefferson, and we are looking bloody dangerous. Add Culina, a decent young marquee, and another import, and the bookies will be starting Gold Coast United as odds-on favourites for 2009/10.

PS: Didn't Miron Bleiberg boast that he had 9 A-League players signed? So who are the others?