It’s all about to begin; after what has felt like an eternity, the A-League gets underway this Saturday. Never before has this level of excitement towards a new season of the round ball game been felt by football fans Down Under. Following two seasons plagued by poor crowds and financial troubles, there is a general expectation that this new edition of the competition will move the game in a positive direction, helped especially by the return of  two prodigal sons.

The game in Australia is steadily growing in popularity as the standard of play increases. Season six continued this trend, thanks largely to the Brisbane Roar.  The Side from the Queensland capital stunned the league, setting a new record for the number of games without defeat as they swept the Minor (top of the table) and Major (Grand Final winner) Premierships.  With traditional powers Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory making bold off-season moves, the seventh edition of the A-League promises to once again raise the bar.

While the Roar dominated last season, this season should be a closer competition.  Their talismanic leader, Matt McKay, is now at Rangers, earning the move to Scotland on the back of his A-League and Socceroos heroics. Frontman, Jean Carlos Solorzano has also departed, for rivals Melbourne Victory, and, while Brisbane has recruited well, they may not pack their former punch.

As far as new signings go, it’s nigh on impossible for any Aussie side to match the signings of Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton by Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, respectively. The two Socceroos’ impact on the domestic game is already showing with strong crowds at friendlies involving the clubs, not to mention a larger media presence.

A championship would be the icing on the cake for Emerton, who is happy enough just to have escape what looks to be a woeful premier League Season for Blackburn Rovers.  Meanwhile, Kewell has jumped off the sinking ship of the Turkish Super Lig, which is taking on water rapidly, thanks to a massive match-fixing scandal.  The duo will play out their careers in Australia and, in the process, bring a much needed boost to the game. Kewell and Emerton face off for the first time in the season’s opening round at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne — not Manchester! — this weekend.

While Kewell and Emerton are undoubtedly the headline signings, there are other newcomers who are expected to improve the quality of A-League play. Adelaide United have signed Socceroo Dario Vidosic from FC Nurnberg, while Tiago Calvano has also made the long trip from Germany, signing with Newcastle Jets from Fortuna Dusseldorf.  Perth Glory have brought in midfielder Liam Miller from Hibernian, former Blackburn Rovers striker Maceo Rigters will represent Gold Coast United and Tony Warner, an experienced goalie who as been at Liverpool and Fulham, has joined Wellington Phoenix.

There is one transfer, however, that has raised more eyebrows, especially amongst the Melbourne Victory community, than others, and that’s Melbourne Heart’s capture of Brazilian playmaker Fred. The midfielder, a premiership player at Victory and a former fan favourite has not only joined the Heart from MLS club DC United, but has been handed the captaincy. This move has started rumours that former captain Simon Colosimo is attempting to force a move away from the club with – surprise, surprise – Melbourne Victory actively seeking his signature.

The drama doesn’t end there, with the league rivaling popular soap Neighbours for nail-biting cliff-hangers, stunning betrayals, the writing out of key characters and last minute rescues.

The Wellington Phoenix were, for a while, looking to be in a bit of trouble. Under the ownership of Tony Serepisos, who had fallen into hundreds of millions of dollars of debt, the Phoenix were struggling to keep enough players to meet the minimum requirements set by the Football Federation of Australia (FFA.   The club was rescued in a take-over orchestrated by a group of local businessmen.   Following the coup, the club made a last minute dash in the market, signing a handful of players, but leading many to speculate that the Kiwis will struggle early, while the new line-up gels.

Yet, the Phoenix haven’t quite wrapped up the award for Most Dysfunctional Off-Season. The Newcastle Jets sacked manager Branko Culina last Tuesday in a move that shocked everyone who follows Australian football. Jets owner Nathan Tinkler is said to be furious that Branko signed his son and Socceroo midfielder Jason, on a lucrative contract, despite being aware of his injury troubles. Jason has been ruled out for this season and possibly longer, raising fears at the Jets that he may never play a game in the three years he is contracted to the club. Newcastle is also in the process of looking at ways of canceling Jason’s contract without being forced to pay it out.  Nothing like a bit of nepotism to get the blood boiling.

One has to wonder if the action on the pitch can compete with the off-the-field antics, but the opening match between the Sky Blues and Victory, starring Emerton and Kewell, has the potential to keep the fans riveted.  The pair make their marquee clubs favourites to dominate the competition.  Yet, one player doesn’t make a side, as we all know.  So don’t be surprised if another side claims the Minor Premiership.

Brisbane Roar, despite being somewhat weaker than last season, still have the league’s best manager, in Ange Postecoglou, and will be a force to be reckoned with. The Central Coast Mariners will be desperate to go one better while last years runners-up, Adelaide, have also recruited well and could launch a considerable title challenge.

Melbourne Heart are the great unknown.  Heading into their second season, it’s tough to say whether or not they will be in the finals, with one or two big moves still rumoured to be in the offing. Perth Glory and Gold Coast have enough quality to end up in the finals, although will have to play more consistent football than they have in the past in order to do so. Unfortunately, due to their dramatic build-ups to the season, Wellington and Newcastle must be considered favourites to finish bottom of the table.

Having said that, don’t be surprised if one of the favourites flop and one of the underdogs rise, such is the nature of the A-League.

Whatever happens, the 2011/12 A-League season promises to be entertaining both on and off the pitch. If you haven’t paid much attention to Australian football in the past, now would be the ideal time to change that, it’s going to be a cracker!

Sure it started well. Pierre Litbarski had them working well and with the touch of Dwight Yorke class in the middle it was a romp to the inaugural title. It was fun. But how things changed. The Terry Butcher years, John Kosmina, Branko Culina, all promising so much.

But the problem… oh the problem. Players were scouted. They were seen performing well for other A-league teams, teams with a work ethic and organisation. They were purchased. They were shoved on  the pitch and they were left to get on with it. Excellent cogs in well run machines were being dumped in a bucket and asked to tell the time. It didn’t work, it couldn’t work. Until now.

Because  Vítězslav Lavička has come in and turned them in to a team, a team moreover that it more than the sum of its parts, that has a game plan, that uses it’s player to their abilities and, most of all, a team that does not feature John Aloisi. The A-league’s highest paid player gets left on the bench to stew, given a late cameo when the games stretched, a simple and effective indictment of his ability to play as part of this team.

Instead Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge have formed a devastating partnership up front. Brosque is slighter, but he is faster, and Bridge, no slouch, has that extra burst of pace aligned with his more muscular and powerful build.  Given an extended run up front this season they’ve produced some dazzling performances. True, Brosque should score a few more goals, and likewise Bridge should set more up but on current form they’re the most lethal double act going, and both these players having been bought from other A-league franchises, poorly used and both in danger of seeing their natural talents squandered.

A good example was against Wellington Phoenix last weekend. The Phoenix had, in their previous game, thrashed the stuffing out of Gold Coast Utd 6-0 and have, since, comfortably beaten the Newcastle Jets2-0 but in Sydney they were never in the game. First the Sydney front two combined with a neat one-two to set Bridge free and plant a powerful shot just inside the far post with venom. Next up Brosque just refused to give up the ball in the opposition area before finding some space to fizz a favoured left foot shot low at goal which the keeper could only parry before Steve Corica tapped it away and, saving the best for last, Brosque ran half the length of the pitch before delivering the ball in low for Bridge to sweep in to the net. Game over.

There was a scare when Wellington won a dubious penalty but justice was served when it was ordered retaken for encroachment and Clint Bolton got down easily to scoop up the second attempt. Sydney are back. Enjoyable to watch, enthusiastic, looking like they’re enjoying their football and even space in the team for fan favourite and foundation player Terry McFlynn of whom it was announced this week that he’d signed a contract extension keeping his at the club till the end of the 2012/13 season.

Sydney sit atop the table, 1 clear of Melbourne Victory and 5 of Gold Coast, who they face next at Skilled Park. A win will keep them top but also send out quite a message, since it would mark victory over every opponent they’ve thus far faced, and should they follow it up the following week against Perth Glory it will mean a win against every other team in the league. That may be no great achievement, and there’s  sure to be losses to come, but knowing that on your day your team can beat anyone has got to be good for the confidence and with an ethic, a tactic and a well balanced team, that top spot is theirs to lose.