It is that time of year again, the anticipation is building and that feeling of excitement is growing.  One week out from the start of yet another A-League season feels a bit like the week before Christmas as a kid and the building anticipation of what you might find under that tree on that special morning.  So it is with the start of the new football season, you just never know what it is you might find.

There is so much to look forward to in this A-League season no matter which team it is you support.  Some supporters are waiting to see if the new star signing is going to be as effective and devastating as they were when they played in Europe.  Others are looking forward to seeing if the team that rode the top of the table and cruised through a stellar season on the back of squad depth can repeat the effort this year and maybe make a real shake of the Asian Champions League.  Some other supporters want to see if their team has been able to turn a corner and can arrest the poor performances of Seasons gone by.  Whatever the case may be the new season is full of possibilities.

As a Mariners supporter I think I am looking forward to seeing if the team can build on a great season in which the squad discovered how to work as a team rather than relying on a few stars.  Arnolds first season at the head of the Mariners showed how a coach can achieve great results and give a club a strong winning culture in a very short time.  Last season the club went within one game of winning that one award that has thus far eluded them, Grand Final winners (or champions if you want to use the Australian labels).  One more win and the Mariners could have completed the full collection of A-League titles, could the team rectify this missing title this season?

The first game of the season for the Coast will be the mouth-watering rematch of the season 6 grand final.  The Roar look to be a side that will be almost as formidable as last season and I can only hope that the game this weekend will be every bit the spectacle the season closer last year was.  The Mariners have lost arguably their most influential player (although he seemed to be unavailable for more games than he played last season) but have recruited players that seem to be filling the void in the pre-season games.  In the first few games this year Hearfield and Pellegrino have shown an ability to find the back of the net.  Maybe even more importantly the Mariners have retained the back four players that served them so well last season.  The combination of Patrick Zwaanswijk and Alex Wilkinson was possibly the best defensive partnership of season 6.  Add to this partnership the rampaging wide running wing backs of Pedj Bojic and Joshua Rose you have what would be one of if not the best defensive units in the league.  Lastly this season will be a chance to see if the Red Haired pocket rocket Amini can build on his great breakthrough season.

I must admit that the opportunity to see Harry and Brett (if you need more than a first name as a player you are not really a star) playing on the Blue Tongues hallowed turf is almost as exciting as seeing your team perform well.  These guys have real class and talent, and no matter which team great players are performing for it is always good to see quality players in the A-League.  The more stars we can get playing in Australia the more chance we have raising football to the level of support it deserves amongst Australian sports.   The addition of these two guys might bring in some big crowds and get some non-football supporters interested in the A-League.  The prospect of seeing football elevated to the level of AFL and the NRL should be the dream of every football supporter and if it means my club has loose games to teams with superstars than this is a sacrifice I am willing to make for the greater good.

Well I had better trot off upstairs to bed, because just like Christmas the count down to the season kick off will be that much closer after another sleep

4 more sleeps to go.