The new A-League campaign gets underway in just over a month, but three of the leading contenders for the title have been hit by bad news over the last week.
Melbourne City will once again be the team to beat in the 2023/24 A-League season but, as Central Coast Mariners showed last season, it can be done.
However, the Mariners will have to do it without Nick Montgomery this season, with the head coach exiting the club for a fresh challenge.
Meanwhile, Adelaide United will have to challenge without star forward Craig Goodwin, who has left the club in acrimonious circumstances this week.
Not only that Melbourne City have lost a star man to a potentially season-ending injury.
There is time for all three clubs to bounce back before the season begins on 20thOctober, but the full impact of losing such influential figures will only be known once the action gets underway.
| What | 2023/24 A-League |
| Where | Venues across Australia & New Zealand |
| When | Friday 20th October 2023 - May 2024 |
| How to watch | Network 10 & Paramount+ |
| Odds | Melbourne City 3.00, Central Coast Mariners 6.00, Western Sydney Wanderers 7.00, Adelaide United 8.00 |
Melbourne City @ 3.00
Melbourne City have suffered the devastating news that Andrew Nabbout could miss the season through injury, but they have moved quickly to replace him.
Socceroos forward Nabbout suffered an Achilles injury in a pre-season friendly last week and there is a chance he may not play at all in the 2023/24 A-League season.
The news is a huge blow to City, but at least they have the resources to bring in what they hope will be a more than adequate replacement.
City have snapped up Brazilian forward Leo Natel on a season-long loan deal from Brazil giants Corinthians.
The 26-year-old, who came through the Academy ranks at Portuguese giants Benfica, has pace, power and technical ability and should be a big hit in the A-League.
Central Coast Mariners @ 6.00
The Mariners pulled off a huge upset when beating Melbourne City 6-1 in last season’s grand final, but they have now lost their mastermind Nick Montgomery.
Montgomery has been lured away by Scottish Premier League outfit Hibernian, who have appointed him as their new coach.
The Mariners fought hard to keep the Englishman, but the opportunity to take the next step and manage at a higher level, was too good for him to turn down.
Now Central Coast face a massive job in attempting to replace him. Academy coach Abbas Saad has been placed in temporary charge until a permanent successor has been found.
Central Coast officials have said they will take their time to find the right man, and it is important they get it right if the Mariners are to have another successful campaign.
Adelaide United @ 8.00
If Central Coast Mariners have suffered a huge blow in losing Nick Montgomery, then so too have Adelaide United with Craig Goodwin moving on.
The forward was their leading goalscorer in the A-League last season and one of the stars for the Socceroos at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
However the 31-year-old has taken up a lucrative offer to play in Saudi Arabia with Al Wehda and the Reds will have to soldier on without him.
To make matters worse for the Reds fans, reports claim that Goodwin wanted to stay with Adelaide, but the club did not come back to him with a counter-offer.
It is not all doom and gloom for the Reds however. They still have a squad packed with talent and should be pushing for honours in the season ahead.
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bet365 News Team
08 Jul 23
