Southern Utd faces tough start to year
BREAKING a losing trend is never easy, but backing up is often even harder.
That is what Southern United is tasked with as its national football premiership season begins tomorrow.
The side is coming off the best season in club history — finishing fifth and claiming six wins in last year’s premiership.
However, that solid season followed years of disappointment.
The previous three years the side had finished last, making 201718 an impressive turnaround.
But now it is looking to back that up and prove it was not just a oneoff good season.
It has a tough start in trying to achieve that.
A trip to Christchurch to play Canterbury United — one of last year’s top four — is a big ask, and the Southern side is well aware of that.
However, it showed it was capable of getting a good start last year, when it managed a 22 draw against Auckland City in its season opener.
It will be looking to that game to provide some confidence next week too, as the defending champion Auckland City visits Dunedin to continue Southern’s tough start.
It will be the last home game Southern plays until the end of November, with three on the road in a row.
Only two more home games follow before Christmas, making for a brutal opening round.
However, if it can accumulate as many points as possible through that period, it has a far more desirable run home.
Staying solid at the back will be key once again, and it looks to have the players to do that.
Liam Little is back at goal
keeper after spending the summer in Australia, and has been a reliable pair of gloves over the past few seasons for Southern.
In front of him Conor O’Keeffe and Stephen Last return.
Both came to the side as part of the Irish contingent which signed in 2016 and were among the top performers last year.
Marcus Fjortoft looks to be a key acquisition.
A 1.91m Norwegian, he played at Duke University in the United States for four years, before spending time with both the Seattle Sounders and New York Red Bulls in the MLS.
Former Team Wellington defender Erik Panzer could also be a good signing, bringing experience from both around New Zealand and overseas.
Andrew Ridden and Hamish Cotter are both gone from the midfield, although Tony Whitehead and Abdulla AlKalisy are quality replacements.
Up front Garbhan Coughlan provides a dangerous attacking weapon, ranking fifth in the league with eight goals last year.
He is joined by what looks to be a lethal group.
Liam MacDevitt has played in the English Championship and has also spent time as a sprinter, having raced around Europe.
Azariah Soromon brings flair to the attack, while Omar Guardiola and Ben Wade both return after showing their value last year.
But it will be how they combine and how consistently they reach their potential that determine this team’s fate.
The season runs to March 16 and the playoffs follow over the next two weekends.