Lady Reds Arrivals and Departures for season 3

[Red-4-Life]

Adelaide United’s Women’s Team for 2010/11 features eight new names, while ten players have moved on from last season.

Arguably the Lady Reds’ most significant signing of the off season is American striker Ashleigh Gunning. The 25 year old plays for the Charlotte Eagles in the USL W-League, and if her highlight reel is anything to go by, Coach Mike Barnett can be excited about what she will bring to the team.

“We’ve seen video footage of her in action and are very much looking forward to her having an impact not only for our team but doing well in the W-League this season,” Barnett said.

“I think having her here will definitely highlight the standard of overseas players, and if she makes an impact it might help us to attract more players from overseas to further lift the profile of the game.”

After undergoing a knee reconstruction that kept her out of last season, Victoria Balomenos returns to the squad in 2010. The Westfield Matildas squad member will be an important part of the Lady Reds’ midfield, which includes the likes of captain Christina Papageorgiou and new signings Katrina Gorry, Vedrana Popovic, Katherine Ebbs and Georgia Macri.

Queenslanders Gorry and Popovic both come to the Reds after playing with Melbourne Victory’s Women’s Team last season, while Macri and Ebbs are young up and coming talents who have been in the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) squad.

Former Newcastle Jets duo Stacey Day and Loren Mahoney, who have both played in the previous two W-League campaigns, are also new faces in the squad, the defensive pair set to sure things up at the back.

Selin Kuralay rounds off United’s new signings, the former Melbourne Victory midfielder looking for a fresh start and to make an in Adelaide.

While she part of United’s squad last season, defender Ruth Blackburn is as much of a new signing after the Queenslander did not see any action in 2009 after breaking her foot.

“There has been quite a large turnover of players this year. Injuries, work commitments and a number of other reasons have seen some girls unable to play this season, but that has given some opportunities to some new young local players,” Barnett said.

“We’ve also got some good interstate players with W-League experience that have joined us and will hopefully improve the squad.”

Returning from last season are goalkeepers Sian McLaren and Kristi Harvey, defender Nenita Burgess, midfielders Angela Fimmano, Ruth Wallace and Papageorgiou, and strike duo Donna Cockayne and Racheal Quigley, who led United’s scoring and was named the club’s Most Valuable Player last season.

Heading into his third season in charge of United’s Women’s Team, Barnett believes this crop of players is not as experienced as previous line ups, however he can see plenty of upsides to the current group.

“This squad is probably less experienced than the first season when we had the likes of Di Alagich, Sharon Black and Kristyn Swaffer, but having said that, with the extra month of training that we’ve had, hopefully we can see some improvement,” Barnett said.

“There’s no doubt that the other teams have also been strengthened by a number of overseas players and we have to realistic, we know how difficult it is going to be again this season, but we’ll definitely give it a shake and hopefully Adelaide United fans can come out and support the girls.”

ARRIVALS
Victoria Balomenos
Stacey Day
Katherine Ebbs
Katrina Gorry
Ashleigh Gunning
Selin Kuralay
Georgia Macri
Loren Mahoney
Vedrana Popovic

DEPARTURES
Katerina Bexis
Tenneille Boaler
Georgia Chapman
Lauren Chilvers
Ashlee Faul
Greta French-Kennedy
Thomai Kezios
Rochelle Kuhar
Marijana Rajcic
Karina Roweth

RE-SIGNED
Ruth Blackburn
Nenita Burgess
Donna Cockayne
Angela Fimmano
Kristi Harvey
Sian McLaren
Christina Papageorgiou
Racheal Quigley
Ruth Wallace

http://adelaideunited.com.au/default.as ... y&id=36395

[rain maker]

Lol.

[shorty]

Stacey day woo

[Red-4-Life]

Ebs & I weren't apart of last years - we don't deserve a mention hahaha

i noticed that your too good for a mention!

Check out this video of Gunning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V76RR4kFAgo


first goal is a cracker, and she has some skill as well. The player the Lady Reds havent had in their team to add that bit of flair in the past 2 seasons.

[SAD GAL]

Another Ho Hum year....

My question is now (and has been a few times)....How will VB be integrated into the side. VB is not known for her wilingness to share the limelight and do the team thing. MAny otehr players have been reduced to bit parts when she's about.

Not an easy player to integrate in any side. Racheal is a good player however, she will find it difficult with Ms VB on the park.

Sad to see the departed list. Happy to see Dayzee is back.

Shorty? Were you really ever in the team? Might have been a dream.

[paul merson]

Ebs & I weren't apart of last years - we don't deserve a mention hahaha

i noticed that your too good for a mention!

Check out this video of Gunning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V76RR4kFAgo


first goal is a cracker, and she has some skill as well. The player the Lady Reds havent had in their team to add that bit of flair in the past 2 seasons.

Wait for Renee Harrisons video from training this week, hopefully the ABC camera man sends her a copy so she can you tube it, absolute gold!!!!

[corona]

what happened to Bexis ??

[Red-4-Life]

obviously got the axe

[Unretired]

what happened to Bexis ??

She decided to concentrate on her career......no she did not get the axe...

[gee_kay]

Ebs & I weren't apart of last years - we don't deserve a mention hahaha

i noticed that your too good for a mention!

Check out this video of Gunning... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V76RR4kFAgo


first goal is a cracker, and she has some skill as well. The player the Lady Reds havent had in their team to add that bit of flair in the past 2 seasons.

Wait for Renee Harrisons video from training this week, hopefully the ABC camera man sends her a copy so she can you tube it, absolute gold!!!!

has she got a contract yet?

[lollipop]

Gunning was my teammate this past w-league season in Charlotte and she is an absolute STUD! sooo excited for her to have the opportunity to tear it up in AUS!

[boltonunited]

SACK THEM ALL. there are friggin hopeless,

[gee_kay]

Congratulations to Renee Harrison on being contracted

[Red-4-Life]

Congratulations to Renee Harrison on being contracted

finally!! The defence could do with her

[southern]

Happy about R. Harrison making the team, but IMO this is just another demonstration of how they have no idea what they want . Didn't she quit? Sorry, but this is getting more and more ridiculous. They started in June or something this time, there are no excuses for being so pathetic.

[gee_kay]

Happy about R. Harrison making the team, but IMO this is just another demonstration of how they have no idea what they want . Didn't she quit? Sorry, but this is getting more and more ridiculous. They started in June or something this time, there are no excuses for being so pathetic.

Did u miss out on the squad????

[southern]

Happy about R. Harrison making the team, but IMO this is just another demonstration of how they have no idea what they want . Didn't she quit? Sorry, but this is getting more and more ridiculous. They started in June or something this time, there are no excuses for being so pathetic.

Did u miss out on the squad????

I wish!
Nah, just an outsider's perspective!

[gee_kay]

Hahah fair enough

[The General]

Any news on the team line up or coach for this week :?

[gee_kay]

Coach is safe and squad will be finalized for the weekend tonight or tomorrow

[Red-4-Life]

Expect a couple changes

[rain maker]

Another defender? That's really going to assist United in solving its scoring drought.

[gee_kay]

Might plug up their leaky defense

[Red-4-Life]

Might plug up their leaky defense

[guess_who]

Might plug up their leaky defense

I dont think that many of the goals have been from defensive errors. Why not sack macca or kristi for letting them in if thats the case.. the ball shouldnt get to the back line if the ball could be kept upfront.

[gee_kay]

Have u watched much of the games?

[Red-4-Life]

Have u watched much of the games?

I don't think many critics on here do mate, they just like to assume things.

[gee_kay]

Eithe do I but even if they watched the Perth game they'll see that their comments make no sense

[rain maker]

FYI I have watched all the games. And I know that there's only so long a defense can remain strong whilst the forwards fail to penetrate the other end of the pitch. Not only is it frustrating for the defenders but also both mentally and physically demanding so obviously this will result in a 'leaky' defense. My point, however, is that it is not the defenders' fault, Mike should have focused on signing strikers rather than defenders.

Also heard along the grapevine Gunning is actually a defender, although she can play any position? Can anyone confirm or disprove this rumour?

[juniorsupporter]

In the highlight clips I've seen she has played midfield. One assumes that if a player puts together a highlight video it would be playing her preferred position?