Feature Image: Jason Heidrich
Richmond have begun preparations for the 2017 NPL2 season with the signings of six new players, the re-signings of four players from the 2016 senior squad and the promotion of eight youngsters from the Championship-winning 20s side.
The 2015 NPL2 Champions were relegated back to the second tier after finishing the season in 12th position on the competition ladder before losing the promotion/relegation play-off at the hands of the North Geelong Warriors.
Head Coach Rick Mensink resigned and was succeeded by Paul Donnelly with the Scottish-born coach most recently residing over the hot seat at State League One outfits North Sunshine Eagles and Cairnlea FC respectively.
The club in that time has also adopted a coaching restructure within their football department which is aimed at emulating the European-type model also adopted by Hume City with Technical Director Savas Saglam moving into the newly-created role of Technical Manager amongst other changes.
Headlining the new arrivals is goalkeeper Savas Ozdemir who returns to Melbourne following seven years abroad playing in the lower leagues of Turkish football.
The 28-year-old won a VPL Championship in 2007 with the Preston Lions before making 21 appearances for the Melbourne Knights the following year under Chris Taylor which saw their season come to an end following a heartbreaking extra-time defeat to the Altona Magic in the Grand Final.
Returning to Kevin Bartlett Reserve is defender Andrew Viola who joins after spending three seasons with the Port Melbourne Sharks where he made a total of 35 league appearances.
The experienced centre-back made his debut for Richmond in 2008 and spent the next five seasons with the club under Mike Chatzitrifonas, scoring twice in 94 league appearance as Alemannia won the 2010 VPL Premiership before departing for the Southern Stars in 2013.
Viola’s teammate at the Dingley-based outfit was Halil Gur who is reunited with his former defensive partner at Richmond having joined the club from Dandenong City.
The versatile defender made 22 appearances for Hajduk in NPL2 this term, scoring three goals having re-joined City from the Dingley Stars for whom he featured for in 2015.
Englishman Rob Taylor is another new arrival at Richmond, with the midfielder joining from State League Two side Doncaster Rovers where he was captain.
Teenage midfielder Ryan Lambert is another player to return to Kevin Bartlett Reserve after making 10 appearances over the course of 2016 for Melbourne Victory Youth.
After making his senior debut aged just 15 in 2014, Lambert featured under Mensink 15 times in the league before his move to the youth ranks of Victory last summer.
Fellow teen Marcus Dimanche is the last of the new signings having spent the last two years with the Melbourne City Youth Team after previously being part of the NTC set-up and is a Mauritian youth international.
Experienced Irish midfielder Alan Mulcahy has re-committed terms for the upcoming season after joining the club mid-season from Port Melbourne.
The 32-year-old made 13 appearances for Richmond and has been appointed captain of a young side for the upcoming campaign, replacing the departed Jake Barker-Daish in the role.
Fellow mid-season signings Ratip Cileli and Souheil Azagane have also re-signed with the attacking-minded midfielders boasting previous top-flight NPL experience with Green Gully and Hume City respectively.
Right-back Declan Lambert enjoyed a breakthrough season making six starts throughout the course of the campaign and is expected to continue on his progress next year at the club where he is reunited with twin brother Ryan.
Joining the ten new and re-signed players are eight teenagers who have been promoted into the senior squad having played a major part in Darren Carr’s Championship winning 20s side of 2016 with their mentor now promoted to the role of assistant coach to Donnelly.
One of those is George Voliotis, a midfielder who spent 2014 with the South Melbourne 18s moved to Richmond the following year and scored on his senior debut against Dandenong City.
Wide players Valli Cesnik and Jordan Liaskos both made their first-team debuts in 2016 and will be looking to continue their development with the seniors in 2017.
Goalkeeper Matt King and out-fielders Lachlan Hogben, Riley Phillips, Jared Ekkel and James Beninati are the other promoted players with Richmond’s senior squad currently listing 18 players.
Richmond Technical Manager Saglam has said the restructuring of the club is a necessary step towards its progress and delighted with the steps the club is taking in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
“Our focus will very much be on being a development club with an emphasis on winning. If you look at the players we have retained and signed on, 12 out of the 18 are 20 years or younger.”
“They have a strong desire to succeed and combined with the experienced boys, will make for an exciting blend of youth and experience next season”, Saglam added.