Heart Maintains Youth Focus With Zahra Signing
Wednesday, 29 December 2010

Melbourne Heart FC's Adrian Zahra in action against Everton FC. Melbourne Heart FC has demonstrated its continued focus on promoting local talent by signing Victorian rising star Adrian Zahra to the Club’s permanent roster.

Currently on an injury replacement deal covering for Eli Babalj, Zahra’s impressive debut season has prompted Heart to sign the 20-year-old to a two-year contract, starting in 2011/12.

Head Coach John van ‘t Schip said he has been impressed by Zahra’s athleticism and endeavour since joining the Club as a triallist.

“Adrian has achieved the opportunity to become a professional through hard work and persistence,” he said.

“He joined us initially on a trial basis, and since then, has shown he has the all-round qualities, both technically and physically.

“Our Club is committed to providing a pathway for Victorian footballers. Adrian’s signing shows there is local talent available if you are prepared to give them a chance and work with them.”

Zahra’s signing marks a meteoric rise for the Victorian Premier League’s Under 21 Player of the Year, who made his first Hyundai A-League appearance in the inaugural Melbourne Derby in October.

Since forcing his way into Heart’s starting line-up, Zahra has developed into an integral member of the Club’s attacking third, his pace and mobility regularly troubling opposition defences.

The Heart technical staff have also been encouraged by Zahra’s versatility and undoubted capacity to be fielded in a variety of positions across the park.

Details
Adrian Zahra
D.O.B: 24 September 1990
Position: Utility
Hyundai A-League Appearances: 15
Hyundai A-League Goals: 2
Previous Clubs: North City Lions, Melbourne Knights

http://www.melbourneheartfc.com.au/default.aspx?s=aleague_newsdisplay&id=37802

Melbourne Heart use spare cash to start search for new striker as John Aloisi set to move to coaching

Melbourne Heart are likely to have a war chest for next season to invest in a striker with an elite pedigree as a number of the club's most senior and best-paid players are unlikely to continue beyond this campaign.

The Heart, who have six games left to play and the potential of finals, will lose John Aloisi, will almost certainly see Josip Skoko join him in retirement, expects defender Dean Heffernan to ask for a transfer and could yet let marquee striker Gerald Sibon go when the club's first season ends.

Combined, the money made available in the salary cap by their departures would enable the club to hunt for a distinguished striker.

Heart football operations manager John Didulica said overseas marksmen were becoming more affordable because of the strengthening of the Australian dollar and deflation in the European football market.

"The way the European football market and European economic situations are, clubs there, particularly in the second-tier leagues, just can't absorb the high wages they once could," Didulica said.

"So for a lot of clubs, even in the championship in England or in Italy or the Dutch, French and Belgian leagues, the capacity to pay the premium wages isn't what it once was. My reading of that is that there will be a glut of players on the open market in June, July and even August.

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"It's a perfect opportunity for Australian clubs with a decent amount of salary cap room, especially with the Australian dollar's rise, to be really confident about the quality of player we bring over here."

Aloisi will cross over as planned to a coaching role for the 2011-12 A-League season and Skoko, Heart's Australian marquee player, has strongly indicated that, at 35, he is likely to draw his distinguished career to a close.

Heffernan, a Socceroo not 12 months ago, is contracted for next season but has not started for almost three months and is thought likely to seek a first-team opportunity elsewhere.

Sibon's situation is less clear. The elegant Dutchman has netted six goals in his time with the Heart and his distribution has often been of a high order. He indicated that he would like to stay on for another season.

And yet he is 36 years of age and of late has been making a contribution from the bench as a concession to his years.

"Gerald is on a one-year deal and there are still a couple of chapters of this season to be written before we think about a second season, for anyone coming out of contract," Didulica said.

"That said, we can't resile from the fact we have to consider not only where a player's body is at today but where it is likely to be in 12 months.

"We all know how arduous, with the travel involved, the A-League season is."

There is certain to be some room created in the Heart's cap, though.

"It puts us in a good position, going into next season, if guys like Aloisi, Skoko and Gerald decide that it's it for them. It means we can be bullish about bringing in a quality attacking player.

"If those three were to retire, it would free up a lot of the football budget to look for an established goal scorer.

"We've already got Alex Terra contracted for next season. We haven't seen the best of him this year but there have been glimpses of a really high quality finisher, and we've got young Ali Babalj who we think will continue to improve.

"But if we could add a cherry on the cake, it would obviously be a real plus."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/melbourne-heart-use-spare-cash-to-start-search-for-new-striker-as-john-aloisi-set-to-move-to-coaching/story-e6frf4gl-1225983380360

One quality striker to replace 3 outgoing decent quality players?

Thought I'd give you lads a bump.
Heartfan, post some drivel in here alright, help your club's thread out

:lol: never saw this page before

First time I've seen it too - I've even looked for something like this before, but considering the last comment was on Jan 7th it doesn't surprise me why I didn't find it.

It looks like it was all going so well then all of a sudden on the 7th of Jan...

By the way, I just bought my Newcastle Jets Vs Melbourne Heart tix via proticket.com.au for October 8th!
Anyone else making the trip north to the land of Novocastrians?

By the way, I just bought my Newcastle Jets Vs Melbourne Heart tix via proticket.com.au for October 8th!
Anyone else making the trip north to the land of Novocastrians?

By the way, I just bought my Newcastle Jets Vs Melbourne Heart tix via proticket.com.au for October 8th!
Anyone else making the trip north to the land of Novocastrians?

Who do you think with take Hearts set pieces this season