Images: Murray United
Murray United’s 2017 NPL preparations have kicked off with the re-signing of nine squad members.
Headlining those is player/coach James Coutts, who returns in a playing capacity after spending last season solely on the sidelines.
Joining him are experienced campaigners Zac Walker, Ashley Dunn, Sean Pye and Ryan Giles, alongside the younger brigade of Melkie Woldemichael, Alex West, Darcy Pawlik and Munya Ruparanganda.
Coutts joined in 2015, with the central midfielder soon taking the reigns as first team coach.
The former Bournemouth man will be supported by assistant Ufuk Kubilayhan and technical director Nick Mammone as Coutts also takes to the pitch in 2017.
Walker, the 24-year-old striker, was the club’s top scorer last campaign on 10.
The former Melbourne Heart youth will look to recapture his 2015 form, where he netted 15 times for the regional outfit.
Dunn joined from Salford City, with the central midfielder captaining the side last year.
One of the club’s most solid performers, he was included in numerous TCF teams of the month and finished the club’s highest polled player at the FFV’s Gold Medal Night.
Pye, a centre back and midfielder, cleaned up the club’s awards night, taking out Murray United’s 2016 Best and Fairest, and Player’s Player of the Year.
Giles rounds out the older heads, with the 32-year-old centre back adding plenty of experience in the side’s defence.
Of the younger re-signings, former Boomers FC man Woldemichael signed on from Murray’s youth side in 2016.
The 21-year-old is able to be utilised on the wing or in a fullback role, netting once in 2016.
Centre-back Alex West continued to progress into senior action in 2016 after breaking through in his first NPL season in 2015.
Ruparanganda is a winger and former teammate of Geoffry Lino at Hellenic Athletic in the Northern Territory.
He has previously been involved in the Australia Institute Challenge All-star team coached by Kenny Lowe and was part of an NT All Stars team that played an Exhibition match against Adelaide United in September 2014.
Meanwhile, former Wodonga Diamonds midfielder Pawlik is the youngest of the re-signed squad, with the midfielder joining Murray United in the club’s inaugural NPL season and signing on for his third season at the club.
Football operations manager Marcus Copsey said: “Having these boys recommit to the club is huge. They were the core of the team last year and will make it easier for the new boys coming knowing they have an established base of the playing group.”
The club is expected to announce new arrivals in the near future.