Image: Graeme Furlong
Coach: George Katsakis
2016 finish: 2nd in NPL (semi-final defeat to South Melbourne), FFA Cup Round 6 (defeated by Green Gully)
Summary: The 2016 season started in the worst possible manner with a belting away to South Melbourne alongside a points deduction the campaign before. But the Bergers put that behind them and handed out their own thrashing to Melbourne Knights before moving their way up the ladder to second place. Their run ended in the semi-finals to South Melbourne, while injuries arguably hampered the club’s FFA Cup run.
Ins: Adrian Zahra (Port Melbourne), Paul O’Brian (Redlands United), Christian Pavlidis, Andrew Cartanos (Bulleen Lions)
Outs: Kaine Sheppard (Avondale FC), John Lazaridis (St Albans Saints), Andreas Miltiadou (Sunshine George Cross), Chris Davis (Moreland City), Archie Thompson (Murray United)
Re-signed: Chris Theodoridis, Harry Noon, Jack Petrie, Jordan Wilkes, Josh Wilkins, Ken Athiu, Kostas Kanakaris, Leslie Doumbalis, Lewis Hall, Luke Byles, Paul O’Brian, Phil Petreski, Reuben Way, Sean Ellis, Steven Pace
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Player Q&A: Phil Petreski
How’s pre-season going? Where have you been with the team?
Pre-season has been going really well. Boys have been working really hard and keeping in shape. Kats has been putting us through some tough sessions but definitely feeling the benefits of them.
What have the club’s pre-season results been?
So far we have played against Bentleigh, St Albans, Clifton Hill, Moreland Zebras, Oakleigh and Avondale. Won all of them but lost to Oakleigh. Showed some good signs in the games with our play, so hopefully we can bring it into the season.
How are the new signings settling in?
New signings have been great. Adrian Zahra brings a lot of quality into our final 3rd with his pace and dribbling ability. Paul brings stability and retains possession for us really well in the middle of the park. Will fit in really nicely with our squad.
Who are the Heidelberg United players to watch in 2017 (new or existing) and why?
We have many players that are exciting so it’s hard to signal out individuals. All the boys are just pumped to get the season started and hopefully get off to a win in the first round.
Who are the some of the bigger characters off the pitch and why?
We have a lot of interesting characters in our team. Jack Petrie is probably my favorite especially on a team night out. Definitely the life of the party.
How’s George Katsakis been preparing the squad?
Kats has definitely been putting us through our paces. The sessions have been great and the whole coaching staff has been prepping us really well for the season. We been working on areas that we believe will benefit us during the season and making sure that each session is with high intensity and of high quality.
Which team/player are you most looking forward to facing this year?
I believe this season will be the toughest one yet. Every team has recruited really well and all the sqauds have quality in them. Obviously the big games are what we love being in so teams like South and Bentleigh are what we love to get up for
Which opposition club(s) have impressed you most in pre-season?
Bentleigh was impressive, they have always been one of the better ball-playing teams in the league and that hasn’t changed. I believe Oakleigh have a lot of quality especially with their attack. They have many match winners in the team and they definitely impressed me
What are the expectations/objectives in 2017?
We have one expectation and that’s to go one better than last season. Nothing less
What’s one headline we may see about Heidelberg United this season?
Hopefully the headline is ‘Heidelberg crowned NPL champions 2017’