20
Eugene Galekovic
Age 27
Position Goalkeeper
Club Adelaide United

Adelaide goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic has had a year most players can only dream about.

His standout performances between the sticks helped the Reds make the finals of two competitions - the Asian Champions League and the A-League - as well as winning a string of personal accolades, including A-League Keeper of the Year and United's Player's Player Award.

"Gene" was rewarded for his efforts with a call-up to the Socceroos squad, playing against Indonesia in an Asian Cup qualifier and making the sqaud for the crucial game against Japan in February.

For the 27-year-old stopper, it's the culmination of a plenty of hard work since joining Adelaide from rivals Melbourne Victory midway through the 2007/08 season.

"What impresses me most about Eugene is his work ethic," says Adelaide goalkeeper coach Peter Blazincic. "He never complains about any extra work and he's a great professional. That kind of attitude will pay off for you and Eugene's proven that."

Countless times during the last campaign, it was Galekovic's heroics that kept Adelaide in the game and you could make a highlight reel of the A-League's best saves from his performances alone.

There was none better than his stunner in the last minute against Perth, a split-second reaction save to claw Jamie Harnwell's header away and preserve a 1-0 win.

But for Blazincic, it was Galekovic's body of work over the entire campaign rather than any individual moment that impressed him the most.

"I don't think you can isolate a moment because it was such a good season. The save against Perth is the one you remember but there were great performances throughout the ACL and A-League. When he was injured in Tashkent, he had a great game and we didn't even expect him to play."

Missing out on national team selection for June's qualifiers, Galekovic is a victim of the A-League's long off-season, but don't expect to see him angling for a move anytime soon.

"18 months ago I was in Melbourne and on the bench as the second keeper," says the man himself. "To come to Adelaide and get a new lease of life, I love it here."

19
Richard Garcia
Age 27
Position Winger
Club Hull City (England)

Considering he has been plying his trade overseas for a decade, it is baffling to consider Garcia has only made his mark at the highest level in the past year.
As Hull were promoted to the Premiership, Garcia was regonised with his first Socceroos' cap in August. An equally unlikely EPL survival campaign followed for Hull and Garcia was a solid performer with 23 appearances. The late bloomer continuing to see his career blossom and was a surprise Socceroos starter against Uzbekistan.

18
Nick Carle
Age 27
Position Midfielder
Club Crystal Palace (England)

Anyone who remembers Carle's season two Goal of the Season for the Newcastle Jets knows this playmaker has a special creative ability. Now residing in the English Championship with Palace after stints in Turkey and with Bristol City, Carle has found his feet in London with a regular starting spot and a few goals to boot. Finding a place on Pim's squad sheet has provided more difficult. After being omitted from the Dutchman's 35-man squad last year, his persistence finally saw him recalled for the June World Cup qualifiers.

17
James Troisi
Age 20
Position Winger
Club Genclerbirligi (Turkey)

Another of those weighted with the burden of his "next Kewell" tag, left winger Troisi has taken himself from the out-of-contract wilderness to a hat-trick hero in the Turkish Superlig in the past year. Before signing his deal at Genclerbirligi in August, he had failed to land a contract extension at EPL side Newcastle United, but life in Turkey has reaffirmed his potential, highlighted by scoring all of his side's goals in a 3-1 win over Kayserispor. Continues to wait in the Socceroos wings, but for how much longer?

16
Adam Federici
Age 24
Position Goalkeeper
Club Reading (England)

Fed was the stand-out star of the disappointing Beijing Olympics last year. This season in England, Fed spent a 10 game loan spell at League One side Southend, before returning to Reading. Injury to first choice custodian Hahnemann gave the Olyroo his chance to impress, which even included a goal against Cardiff. The Royals' season trailed off and they fell short of promotion, but Fed impressed enough for Hahnemann to be released.
A full term as Reading's number one awaits him next season.

15
Carl Valeri
Age 24
Position Midfielder
Club Grosseto (Italy)

Over the last 12 months the midfield screener has quietly established his credentials in the national team with some assured performances in the Socceroo engine-room. With Culina and Grella being Verbeek's first choice midfield tandem, it has left Valeri filling in admirably when needed and now looks to be a shoo-in as first choice post-2010. At club level the 24-year-old is still playing in Serie B for Grosseto. Moving to a bigger league will strengthen his chances of shifting up the list.

14
Craig Moore
Age 33
Position Centre-back
Club Brisbane Roar

Despite a roller-coaster of a year, Moore's been able to exert a calming influence at the back for both club and country. For the Socceroos, his return after a short-lived retirement stiffened the national team's defence when it was needed most. At the Roar, Moore's form contributed to the side's play-offs run which fell agonisingly short earlier this year. All this after the 33-year old was diagnosed with testicular cancer late last year, proving once again Moore's inspirational qualities.

13
Brett Emerton
Age 30
Position Midfielder
Club Blackburn (England)

Emmo's energy and creativity has been sorely missed over the last six months. It says much about Emerton's value that he can finish in the top 15 of this list even after missing half of the season with injury. If Emerton had continued with his scorching form for the Socceroos, he could've easily slipped into a top three slot. His superb form in round three and four World Cup qualifiers last year bear that out with an enormous work-rate down the right together with his goals and brilliant crossing.

12
Mile Jedinak
Age 24
Position Midfielder
Club Genclerbirligi (Turkey)

Just a couple of seasons ago, Mile Jedinak was playing in the NSW State League with Sydney United. Now, he's a regular in the Turkish Superlig with Genclerbirligi, alongside fellow Aussies Bruce Djite and James Troisi.

His meteoric rise up the ranks, via two seasons with Central Coast Mariners, is hardly a surprise if you've seen the man play.

A tough, uncompromising force in the middle of the park, his versatility makes him a valuable commodity.
He can mark a player out of a game (Juninho at Sydney in season three springs to mind) or put them to the sword with a timely goal (scoring the winner against Fenerbahce in February).

Another strong outing in Turkey next season and there's a very good chance the "Jedi" will be on a plane to South Africa in 2010.

11
Josh Kennedy
Age 26
Position Striker
Club Nagoya Grampus (Japan)

Despite some game-changing performances in the 2006 World Cup and being a regular scorer in Germany for nearly a decade, it's been the last 12 months that Josh Kennedy has emerged as the Socceroos most dangerous frontman.

Beginning in August last year, Josh scored three goals in as many months for the national team, including the winning header in a 2-1 win over Holland in Eindhoven.

Against Uzbekistan in a crucial World Cup qualifier in April, it was Kennedy's introduction as a second half sub that turned the tide for Australia and his 66th minute header paved the way to a 2-0 win and top spot in the group.

In fact, Kennedy has made an impact in almost every Socceroo game he's played in (remember how he wreaked havoc in the games against Japan and Croatia in 2006 as
a substitute). At 6ft 5in, there's no surprise Josh is good in the air, but like fellow cloud-skimmer Peter Crouch, he's got a good touch and can hold the ball up effectively for his teammates too.

Kennedy's club form was disappointing though, with the Wodonga-born frontman going more than 20 Bundesliga games without a goal en route to Karlsruher being relegated to the second tier of German football. In an attempt to turn around his domestic fortunes, last month Kennedy signed for J.League outfit Nagoya Grampus.

Not that his lack of goalscoring form at club level has affected his Socceroo chances, with Kennedy fast becoming a favourite of Pim Verbeek as the big outlet up front for the Dutchman's often defensive approach.

(Anyone else notice we wrote this entire piece without once making a single Jesus reference...?)

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