Visas - International Route to success?

As the A-League has progressed, clubs are more often looking at players with experience at the highest level. On the other side of the scale, more A-League players are representing their country on the international stage, be it for the Socceroos or their respective national teams.

Every Premiership winning A-League side has had at least two former international players in their squad since the inception of the A-League in 2005. On top of that, nine of the 13 teams to claim the Premiers Plate have had six or more current or former Socceroos in their squad.

Since the 2008-09 Melbourne Victory Premiership side, only one squad has not had a former or current non-Socceroo international in their squad, when Adelaide finished first in 2015-16.

In terms of current international experience in next season’s A-League sides, Wellington Phoenix boast the most international players with 11 former or current capped players to their name, including current New Zealand international Thomas Doyle and Australian Nathan Burns tipping in with 11 and 24 caps respectively.

Melbourne Victory can also lean on their experienced international players after signing the likes of Swede, Ola Toivonen, and marquee, Keisuke Honda, who both scored at the 2018 World Cup.

But Perth will be hoping their recent acquisitions of Chris Ikonomidis, Ivan Franjic, Mathew Spiranovic and Jason Davidson will provide them with the Socceroo experience to lead them to glory.

  PERTH ADD MORE SOCCEROO TALENT IN IKONOMIDIS   

 

Previous Season Finishes - keeping it together?

Until 2011/12 season saw Central Coast Mariners crowned Premiers, no Premiership-winning side had finished in the top four the previous season.

The likes of the 2006-07 Melbourne Victory side finished second last in the previous season, and the 2009/10 Brisbane Roar side finished ninth before capturing the Premiership in the 2010/11 edition of the A-League.

But since then, every Premiership-winning side has made the semi-finals of the previous season’s final series at a minimum, suggesting that previous season success now favours A-League sides, and that clubs are more able to keep hold of key players from one season to the next.

If the 2018-19 A-League season is to follow the trend of the previous seven seasons, then it is likely that we will see one of Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Sydney FC and Melbourne City be crowned Premiers.

Steve Corica's Sydney side will be looking to gain their third Premiership in a row, meanwhile, both the Jets and Melbourne City have never finished top of the A-League table.

But it's been six years since a team won its first Premiers Plate, dating back to Western Sydney Wanderers sensational run in the 2012/13 season.