VICTORIAN Premier League club Whittlesea Zebras will boast a new-look line-up when it takes the field in the 2009 season-opener against Richmond at Bartlett Reserve on Friday night.

The Zebras have signed 11 new players during the off-season, some of whom have A-League experience.

Coach Ivan Jolic said the club had secured a balanced group of recruits and highlighted Marko Kuna, Stefan Pierkowski and Edemar Garcia as players he expected to step up.

He also said Garcia should wind up in the A-League.

“Marko was a bit frustrated with the opportunities he was getting at the Melbourne Knights. He’s had a standout pre-season and he’s going to get plenty of opportunities to show his best with us.

“Edemar Garcia is very talented; he’s just got to exercise that talent over 26 weeks and 90 minutes a game,” Jolic said.

While admitting his club did not have the same budgets as some of the VPL powerhouses, Jolic said he was happy with the new players.

“We wanted to add depth and I think we’ve been able to achieve that.

“We don’t have the budgets like Green Gully and Richmond has, but we have concentrated on getting and even bunch of players.”

Earlier this month, the Zebras had their pre-season camp in Anglesea.

The idea of the camp, which saw the side break into four groups, with each group in charge of setting up their own tents, bedding and transport to the camp, was for the players to better get to know each other.

Jolic was pleased with outcome.

“Because we’d turned over so many boys I thought we needed to do some bonding to get an understanding of each other. That was achieved. It was a valuable camp and the feedback I’ve gotten from the guys was that it was a hell of a lot of fun.”

The Zebras’ first-round opponent, Richmond, was a fast starter last season, opening its account with a Round 1 5-1 win over Preston.

Jolic said he expected a tough battle first-up and predicted Richmond and Green Gully would be the benchmarks this year.

“Richmond is always tough to play at home. They have a talented squad littered with top-shelf players.

“Our plan is to get our game plan organised and try and do what we’ve been working on.

“We’ll be happy to come away with any form of a result against Richmond.”

Whittlesea played two practice matches recently.

It drew 2-2 with Sunshine George Cross before taking an undermanned line-up in against Green Gully and going down 3-0.
 

NEW PLAYERS ARRIVE AT THE ZEBRAS

The Whittlesea Zebars have hit the recruiting market hard over the off season and have snatched up some pretty handy players. The full team changes are as follows:

INS:
Tex Apostalikis (ex Oakleigh)
Marco Santili (ex Thomastown)
Josip Kozic (ex Heidelberg)
Sime Kovacevic (ex Hume City)
Edemar Garcia (ex Hume City)
Stefan Pierkowski (ex Melb Knights)
Marko Kuna (ex Melb Knights)
Haydan D'Agostino (ex Bulleen)
Brandon Vasallo (ex Oakleigh/ Green Gully) Julian Cassano Andrea Lombardo (Italy)

OUTS:
Daniel Pierkowski (Newcastle Jets - A league)
James Sherman (Melbourne Knights)
Jerry Karpeh (Oakleigh)

On Friday 6th to Sunday 8th February, the Whittlesea Zebras FC went on a Pre-season Training Camp held at Anglesea.

The event was held on the Anglesea beach front in a quest to bond the 2009 playing squad, who have been training for the club since December 4th 2008.

Players to join last years group include Zebras past players Tex Apostalikis, Marco Santili and Josip Kozic as well as Sime Kovacevic, Edemar Garcia (ex Hume City), Stefan Pierkowski and Marko Kuna (ex Melb Knights),Hayden D'Agostino (ex Bulleen), Brandon Vasallo (ex Oakleigh), Julian Cassano and Italian Andrea Lombardo.

The weekend was extremely well structured by senior's manager Ivan Jolic, and assisted by his able assistant Glenn Clark, who created a survivor style training itinerary.

The groups had to organise there own tents, bedding and transport to the camp in some testing weather and physical conditions.

The weekend featured a mini world cup, held at Anglesea Football Club, lawn bowls at the Anglesea Lawn Bowls Club, beach sprints and  surf life saving carnival events coordinated by ex Geelong Football Club and Celtic FC sprint and conditioning coach, Jarrod Egan.

The 4 Groups were named by the 5 members within each groups.  "Kamikaze FC", "Predators FC", Dirty Sanchez FC and the "A" team, who turned out to be the eventual winners of the weekend events.
 
Each team competed in an extremely enjoyable and at times funny environment, with a balance of hard work, rest and play experienced by all, over the three day weekend camp.

The Whittlesea Zebras FC were thankful for all those who volunteered their time with the squad and commend the work ethic of the players and were thrilled with their behaviour away from home - they were a credit to our brand.

All the players are looking fit and well and cant wait for a big 2009 campaign when they start the season off against Richmond in coming weeks.