After topping the table in Round 10 the Reds season has taken a dramatic turn for the worse resulting in the club missing out on finals football for the very first time.

But coach Aurelio Vidmar feels the season could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as he and his staff look to implement changes ready for the ACL and A-League version 4.

“It was a terrible season,” said Vidmar. “That’s the best thing that could’ve come out it.

“There’s so many things I want to change for next year. In a way it’s probably a blessing in disguise that things have gone so poorly for us, so wrong.

“If the season had gone very well for us you probably don’t see the cracks. It’s not nice for us, not nice for the football club but in a way it’s opened everyone’s eyes so we now know what we need to fix.

“We’ve identified some areas at the beginning of the season that we didn’t do and it’s not anyone’s fault. It’s a question of having people here committed that can do a job for us.

“We’ve got people here working part time or a few hours here or there and we just need to clean all that up so we have people who are committed here to the football club.”

Goals haven’t been a problem for the Reds this season but it’s at the other end where they have conceded as many as they have registered and Vidmar has acknowledged the defence will be a key area he looks to strengthen.

United are still negotiating with a number of players regarding contract extensions but the Reds coach hasn’t ruled out overhauling certain areas of the squad.

“Everyone (is playing for they’re place), myself included,” said Vidmar. “That’s a process we’ve been going through in the last four or five weeks.

“We have some boys still on contract and some who aren’t so it’s a pretty simple equation isn’t it?”

Adelaide go into Sunday’s game against Queensland looking to restore some pride and to shake things up with the top four sides all looking for the minor premiership.

Long serving defender Richie Alagich makes his final A-League appearance before retiring after the ACL campaign and Vidmar is hoping to give him a great send off with a win.

“He’s (Alagich) been great servant to Adelaide United Football Club and also a great servant to football here in South Australia.

“In a way for someone who’s a fantastic professional on and off the park deserves a great send off so if we can give him that it would be very good for him.”