The first full round of the ISPS Handa Premiership takes place this weekend with all ten teams in action.

Check out the squad lists and get the lowdown on each team’s prospects with the official preview below.

For the draw and all other information please click here

ISPS Handa Premiership Season Preview

Waitakere United

Position last season: Seventh
Titles: Five (2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13)
Coach: Chris Milicich
All Whites: Jake Butler
Key player: Sam Burfoot
Young player to watch: Dylan Burns

Squad: Danyon Drake (GK), Luke Jorgensen, Kohei Matsumoto (Japan), Ben Gordon (United Kingdom), Alec Solomons, Dylan Burns, Oscar Browne, Sam Burfoot, Alex Connor-McClean, Eder Franchini Pasten (Chile), Sanni Issa (Nigeria), Matt Conroy, David Parkinson, Jake Butler, Bill Robertson, Oliver Bassett (United Kingdom), Andrew Abba (Solomon Islands), Silvio Rodic (GK) (Croatia), Nick Draper (GK) (United Kingdom)

Prospects: Once among the glamour sides of the competition, Waitakere United have fallen out of the spotlight somewhat since picking up five titles in six years from 2008. It did look like the glory days might be returning when the west Aucklanders finished third the season before last but that was followed up by a disappointing campaign that brought only five wins. Given Waitakere’s proud record, an improvement must be made on that seventh-place finish and coach Chris Milicich has responded accordingly by bringing together almost an entirely different squad. Only three players – stalwart Jake Butler, Eder Franchini Pasten and David Parkinson – have survived from the squad which started the previous campaign as Milicich raided the stocks of ISPS Handa Chatham Cup winners Birkenhead United. Sam Burfoot, Alec Solomons, Alex Connor-McClean and Luke Jorgensen have all joined from the North Shore-based winter club while the most exciting aspect of the playing group is the presence of promising youngsters Oscar Browne and Matt Conroy. Another to watch is Dylan Burns, who was once on the books of Nottingham Forest in the English professional game, while the experience and organisational skills of Bill Robertson will be useful at the back.

Auckland City

Position last season: Champions
Titles: Seven (2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2017/18)
Coach: Ramon Tribulietx
All Whites: Cameron Howieson, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi
Key player: Cameron Howieson
Young player to watch: David Browne

Squad: Enaut Zubikarai (GK) (Spain), Hayden McHenery, Takuya Iwata (Japan), Mario Bilen (Croatia), Angel Berlanga (Spain), Brian Kaltak (Vanuatu), Cameron Howieson, Albert Riera, Javier Lopez (Spain), Micah Lea’alafa (Solomon Islands), Fabrizio Tavano, Dylan Manickum, Jordan Vale, Daniel Morgan, Yousif Ali, Reid Drake, Ruben Parker (GK), David Browne (Papua New Guinea), Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, Maro Bonsu-Maro, Alfie Rogers

Prospects: Auckland City will feel the trophy is now back where it belongs after a two-year spell in the Team Wellington cabinet and their aim this season will be to make sure it stays at Kiwitea Street. With a record seven titles to their name, a coach well versed in what it takes to win the league and a squad packed full of both home-grown and imported talent, the Navy Blues are more than capable of successfully defending their title. But a lot of ability and experience has headed out the exit door with Darren White, Kris Bright, Marko Dordevic, Cole Peverley, Liam Graham, Daewook Kim, Ryan De Vries, Emiliano Tade and Callum McCowatt all no longer involved. Hit hardest by that exodus is the attacking end of the pitch, where the goals of Tade, De Vries and McCowatt will be difficult to replace. Tricky wideman Dylan Manickum has arrived from local rivals Waitakere United to help fill the void while coach Ramon Tribulietx will hope striker Javier Lopez proves as successful as some of City’s previous Spanish imports. Anything less than an eighth title would be a disappointment for a club of Auckland’s ambition.

Eastern Suburbs

Position last season: Fourth
Titles: None
Coach: Danny Hay
All Whites: Tim Payne, Andre de Jong
Key player:  Tim Payne
Young player to watch: Elijah Just

Squad: Andrew Withers (GK), Alexander Clayton, Kelvin Kalua, Nando Pijnaker, Adam Thomas, Harrison Moss-Edge, Tim Payne, Owen Parker-Price, Andre de Jong, Mohamed Awad, Elijah Just, Dalton Wilkins, Dominic Woolridge, Michael Built, Patryk Misik (Canada), Tinashe Marowa, Justin Biega (GK) (Australia), Hayden Johns

Prospects: Despite appearing in the playoffs for the first time last season, wholesale changes have been made to the Eastern Suburbs squad with only a handful of players returning. Among them are the All Whites pair of Tim Payne and Andre de Jong, who are sure to be influential figures again. Much of the turnover has been due to Suburbs’ exciting partnership with the Wellington-based Ole Football Academy, which has provided the majority of the new-look squad. Most of those players also starred in Western Suburbs’ march to the ISPS Handa Chatham Cup final and include some of the country’s finest emerging talent in the likes of Elijah Just, Dalton Wilkins and Owen Parker-Price. How quickly they adapt to the rigours of national league football will have a big bearing on the prospects of the Lilywhites, who will need their remaining senior players to step up after losing the experience of Jordan Vale, Derek Tieku, Moses Dyer, Tristan Prattley and Louis Caunter. The target will be to at least repeat the playoff-making exploits of last year and maybe even go one better.

Hamilton Wanderers

Position last season: Tenth
Titles: None
Coach: Ricki Herbert
All Whites: None
Key player: Tommy Semmy
Young player to watch: Hamish Smylie

Squad: Matthew Oliver (GK), James Hoyle (United Kingdom), Joseph Nottage, Agustin Contratti (Argentina), Gensei Nakamuru (Japan), Bradley Whitworth (United Kingdom), Rhys Ruka, Martin Bueno (Uruguay), Jordan Shaw, Hiroki Toyokawa (Japan), Tommy Semmy (Papua New Guinea), Paul Clout, Joseph Terry (United States), Hamish Smylie, Aaron Bayliss, Derek Tieku (United Kingdom), Xavier Pratt, Jonathan Mannes (GK)

Prospects: After picking up the unwanted wooden spoon last season, the only way is up for Hamilton Wanderers. They have not finished higher than the bottom two in either of their campaigns since entering the competition in 2016 and will be aiming to finally stamp some sort of mark. In a significant blow to Ricki Herbert’s side, playmaker Alexis Varela has already been ruled out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, placing even more weight on the broad shoulders of Tommy Semmy. The Papua New Guinea international was one of the few bright spots of a disappointing campaign for Wanderers last time out and he will again be the focal point of their attacks. The speedy Derek Tieku is a very handy addition in that regard and should complement the physicality of Semmy’s muscular approach but there are issues that need to be resolved at the other end of the park. Hamilton conceded nearly half a century of goals last season and will need to plug those holes if they are to climb the ladder.

Hawke’s Bay United

Position last season: Eighth
Titles: None
Coach: Brett Angell
All Whites: Cameron Lindsay
Key player: Sam Mason-Smith
Young player to watch: Jorge Akers

Squad: MacKenzie Waite (GK), Anders Erikkson (Sweden), Liam Schofield (United Kingdom), Cameron Lindsay, Joseph Zupo (Canada), Daniel Allan, Cory Chettleburgh, Paul Ifill, Sam Mason-Smith (United Kingdom), Sho Goto (Japan), Maxime Oliveri (France), Ben Lack, Birhanu Taye, Dilan Nanayakkara, Jordan Lamb, Bjorn Christensen, Karan Mandair, Jorge Akers, Alex Britton (GK)

Prospects: Hawke’s Bay United had become almost surefire bets for the playoffs after making the top four in five straight years but that impressive run was rudely interrupted last season as they finished well off the pace. Brett Angell had previously performed wonders in getting so much out of his charges but the magic finally wore off and he will hope it hasn’t gone forever. As has been the case in most of the recent seasons, this year’s squad again has a new look to it with only several players returning. Angell has picked up some shrewd acquisitions in the transfer market and there is a cosmopolitan feel to the squad with players hailing from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, Japan and France. The most notable of the new arrivals is one-cap All White Cameron Lindsay, who joins Daniel Allan in heading north from Tasman United, while the return of Sam Mason-Smith from a stint in South Africa is a huge boost to the Bay’s chances. They were the lowest scorers in the league last season and the goals of Mason-Smith could fire them back into playoff contention. Assistant coach Paul Ifill has also been listed as a player and could turn in some match-winning cameos.
 

Team Wellington

Position last season: Runners-up
Titles: Two (2015/16, 2016/17)
Coach: Jose Figueira
All Whites: Justin Gulley, Henry Cameron
Key player: Justin Gulley 
Young player to watch: Jack-Henry Sinclair

Squad: Scott Basalaj (GK), Justin Gulley, Scott Hilliar, Mario Ilich, Liam Wood, Taylor Schrijvers, Eric Molloy (Ireland), Henry Cameron, Tom Jackson, Nathanael Hailemariam, Mario Barcia (Argentina), Andy Bevin, Roy Kayara (New Caledonia), Jack-Henry Sinclair, Angus Kilkolly, Alex Palezevic, Ross Allen (Guernsey), Hamish Watson, Marcel Kampman (GK)

Prospects: Team Wellington went through contrasting emotions in the closing stages of last season, missing out on a three-peat of ISPS Handa Premiership titles but creating history by qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup for the first ever time with a maiden OFC Champions League win. With such an exciting adventure looming in December, one of Jose Figueira’s main challenges may be keeping his players’ focused on the task at hand domestically before they make their bow on the global stage. In contrast to most other teams in the league, Wellington have a very settled squad with almost the same group of players again at Figueira’s disposal. The quality he is able to call on is arguably rivalled only by Auckland City and it appears that the pair – who have established a fierce rivalry in recent years – will again fight it out for the title. The only additions are All White Henry Cameron and Alex Palezevic while the return from long-term injury of Tom Jackson is almost like a new signing after the sharp-shooting striker missed the whole of last season.

Wellington Phoenix Reserves

Position last season: Ninth
Titles: N/A
Coach: Paul Temple
All Whites: None
Key player: Willem Ebbinge
Young player to watch: All

Squad: Zac Jones (GK), Dino Botica, Liam Moore, Kieran Richards, Calvin Harris (United Kingdom), Willem Ebbinge, Sam Sutton, Oliver Valentine, Noah Tipene-Clegg, Stephen Sprowson, Ronan Wynne, Ben Waine, Tuyishime Byamana, Maximilian Batchelor (United Kingdom), Owen Smith, Caleb Emmens

Prospects: The main purpose of representation by the country’s sole professional club in this competition is individual player development so their process is far less results-driven than the other teams. Even if they do make the top four, regulations prevent them from taking part in the playoffs, leaving Paul Temple with the sole aims of introducing his young charges to senior football at a national league level and helping mould them into potential professionals. With the exception of the few A-League squad members who sometimes step down to take part, the Phoenix second string is made up mostly of precociously talented teenagers but, despite their promise and obvious ability, it’s difficult for such a young group to physically compete with older, more battle-hardened campaigners and last year’s placing of ninth reflected that. Each member of the squad is worth keeping an eye on but Willem Ebbinge, Dino Botica, Boyd Curry and Zac Jones are likely to feature prominently after helping New Zealand qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup recently.

Tasman United

Position last season: Sixth
Titles: None
Coach: Andy Hedge
All Whites: None
Key player: Kiernan Hughes-Mason
Young player to watch: Ronaldo Wilkins

Squad: Corey Wilson (GK) (Ireland), Sam Ayers, Ed Sillars, Tom Hickey (United Kingdom), Fox Slotemaker, Bertie Fish, Corey Larsen, Matt Tod-Smith, Ronaldo Wilkins (Vanuatu), Kiernan Hughes-Mason (United Kingdom), Alex Ridsdale, Ahmad Othman (Syria), James McClay (Northern Ireland), Ryan Worrall (United Kingdom), Max Winterton, Ben Kiore, Chester Gaskin, Nick Stanton (GK), Jordan Yong (United Kingdom), Keegan Smith (GK)

Prospects: It’s all change at the top of the South Island with a new coach at the helm and many fresh faces to work with. Andy Hedge certainly has the necessary experience to get the best out of his players after two decades working in coaching and player development, most recently as head of the Wellington Phoenix Academy. The departure of previous coach Davor Tavich – who returned to his native Croatia for personal reasons – was a shame for Tasman as significant strides were made last season. Hedge’s aim will be to continue that upward trajectory and push for the playoffs but the loss of several key players has left some big boots to fill, most notably that of Paul Ifill, Maksym Kowal and Cameron Lindsay. The return of Alex Ridsdale from Southern United is a welcome boost while promising young goalkeeper Keegan Smith has been picked up from the Phoenix. But the most interesting of the new additions is striker Kiernan Hughes-Mason, who spent time in the youth systems of both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Canterbury United Dragons

Position last season: Third
Titles: None
Coach: Willy Gerdsen
All Whites: None
Key player: Gary Ogilvie
Young player to watch: Sean Liddicoat

Squad: Edward Ashton (GK), Lewis Gordon (GK), Conor Tracey (GK), Daniel Terris, Aaron Spain, Brock Messenger, Tom Schwarz (United Kingdom), Reese Cox, Sean Liddicoat, Andreas Wilson, Gary Ogilvie (United Kingdom), Luke Tongue, Adam Thurston (United Kingdom), James Pendrigh, Cory Mitchell, George King (United Kingdom), Maksym Kowal (Canada), Stephen Hoyle (United Kingdom), Juan Chang Urrea (Guatemala), Seth Clark, Byron Heath, Lyle Matthysen (South Africa)

Prospects: After a one-year absence, the Dragons returned to the playoffs last season and a failure to at least repeat that feat would be deemed as a disappointing campaign by Willy Gerdsen. With Team Wellington finally having dragged the trophy away from the City of Sails for the first ever time three years ago, the most likely new name to be etched on the trophy would be that of Canterbury United but all three previous finals have been Auckland-Wellington affairs and breaking that monopoly will be far from straightforward. Most of last year’s squad will be back to give it their best crack and the team has a strong spine of Englishmen with Tom Schwarz, George King, Gary Ogilvie and Stephen Hoyle all influential figures. But there is no shortage of young Kiwi talent with Conor Tracey, Aaron Spain, Brock Messenger, Reese Cox, Sean Liddicoat and James Pendrigh all likely to play important roles. The Dragons are likely to need Auckland and Wellington to drop their standards but certainly have an outside chance of claiming the title.

Southern United

Position last season: Fifth
Titles: None
Coach: Paul O’Reilly
All Whites: None
Key player: Garbhan Coughlan
Young player to watch: Abdulla Al-Kalisy

Squad: Liam Little (GK), Conor O’Keeffe (Ireland), Jared Grove, Markus Fjortoft (Norway), Stephen Last (Ireland), Danny Ledwith (Ireland), Omar Guardiola, Tony Whitehead (Ireland), Abdulla Al-Kalisy, Garbhan Coughlan (Ireland), Ben Wade, Liam MacDevitt (United Kingdom), Ben Deeley, Riley Anderton, Erik Panzer, Blake Weston, Nick Treadwell (United Kingdom)

Prospects: The southern-most representatives have traditionally been the whipping boys of the competition, finishing bottom for three straight years before their comparative heroics of last season. While they missed out on a first-ever berth in the playoffs, Southern finished as the best of the rest in fifth – a remarkable level of progress after so many barren years. Irishman Paul O’Reilly deserves much of the credit for turning Southern’s fortunes around in his second year in charge and has not rested on his laurels in the off season. O’Reilly has made use of that time to bring in some genuine quality with Markus Fjortoft – once drafted by Major League Soccer franchise the Seattle Sounders – swapping the bright lights of America for Dunedin while Tony Whitehead joins from the Irish top flight and the lightning-fast Liam MacDevitt was on the books of several professional clubs in England before playing to a high non-league standard. Having enjoyed their best season in years, the next step for Southern is to finally break into the top four.

Article added: Friday 19 October 2018