Jacob Stevens 
Adelaide United 23/24 Season Review. Photo: Adelaide United. Design: Round Ball Australia
It’s not been since the dark days of Rini Coolen’s stewardship in the early 2010s that the Reds have looked so lost.
From plucky underdogs to Barcelona-like, Adelaide United has nearly always been recognisable both on and off the pitch over its 20-year history.
But not this season.
2023/24 was full of ups and downs: beating the reigning champions in decisive fashion in Round One before capitulating and not winning for seven straight games in the middle of the season.
The club saw the emergence and quick departure of talented defensive youngsters Alex Popovic and Giuseppe Bovalina, and bore witness to some final moments of brilliance from Adelaide’s very own starboy Nestory Irankunda.
There were quality individual performances from some older players, too: both Zach Clough and Hiroshi Ibusuki had career years, the latter was in the race for the league golden boot despite missing a chunk of games sitting on the bench.
But despite the good, it was not enough to overshadow the bad. Another season of unacceptably poor defending ensued, conceding 53 goals in total.
There was also no clear tactical approach on the pitch, there was no identity.
Veart employed four or five different formations, none of them really made a difference until it was already too late into the season to save the Reds’ campaign.
No surprises then, that United missed out on finals and for the fifth straight season failed to win any silverware.
Season Grade: D
The season wasn’t a completely unmitigated disaster, but it was far from satisfactory.
Heading into the season without star winger Craig Goodwin certainly tempered the expectations of several Reds fans.
Add to that another offseason with limited investment and there were many expecting United to take the spoon. And yet it still feels like a season of nightmares for Adelaide fans.
The strong start to the season didn’t help. Even after a shaky 1-1 draw away to rivals Melbourne Victory, many fans around town were riding high.
However, perhaps the biggest reason for discontent among the fan base was the mixed messaging coming from the club’s executive.
Heading into the season preaching transparency in communication, Reds fans very rarely heard from club Chair Ned Morris.
There were no indications as to plans for the future, or even the club’s intentions for the remainder of the season.
There were no clear aspirations, a rotating cast of players – the best performers sold as quickly as they’d break through – and no identity beyond being the team Irankunda played for.
But, credit where credit is due, signing Stefan Mauk in January was a great bit of business, even if the other arrivals of Yaya Dukuly and Ryan Tunnicliffe failed to make an impact.
The club also handled the sales of Nestory Irankunda (Bayern Munich) and Joe Gauci (Aston Villa) exceptionally, earning nice fees for the pair and sending them off to top 5 European leagues.
For these reasons, it’s not possible to give Adelaide a passing grade, but it wasn’t so awful as to warrant an F.
Highlight: 6-0 Demolition of City
Absolutely crushing Melbourne City 6-0 at home in Round Two was a glimpse of the potential that this Adelaide team had.
This was the game that truly made Adelaide fans believe. A brace for Bernardo, the worldie free kick by Irankunda, even new signing Ryan Tunnicliffe got on the scoresheet.
And then, defensively, holding the reigning premiers to a clean sheet, including a penalty save and keeping Jamie Maclaren’s involvement to only a handful of touches, it seemed like the defence had finally turned a corner.
Alas, it was but a fleeting moment.
Lowlight: The Final Home Game
There’s myriad to choose from, but the 2-1 loss to a 10-man Macarthur team in the final home match of the season – a game dedicated to celebrating Adelaide United’s 20th anniversary – rather perfectly encapsulated the Reds’ season.
An early, wonderful, Irankunda goal put the Reds in front and the home team were firmly on top for the first 45 in front of a packed Hindmarsh Stadium.
But, as was par for the course, the United defence absolutely capitulated late in the game.
Despite the man advantage after Nicolau was sent off for violent conduct, Adelaide couldn’t put away chances and Macarthur held strong.
The Bulls ultimately ruined the Adelaide anniversary, as two goals in the final 10 minutes – a repeat of what happened in the reverse fixture earlier in the season – put the nail in the coffin of United’s season and saw Macarthur take all three points.
How Do The Reds Find Their Groove Again?
It’s a big offseason for Adelaide United.
A number of departures have already been announced, with more likely to follow. Needing to find starters in most positions on the pitch, the club has a lot of work to do.
But it’s also a chance to try and find a bit of the identity which was lacking this season and recover some of the magic that has often made United the perpetual A-League dark horses.
With former PSV Head of Youth Ernest Faber announced as the Reds’ new technical director, money in the coffers from player transfers and a proven history of youth development, all the foundations are in place for Adelaide to begin moving into its next era.
Only time will tell, but Faber has a lot on his hands to appease a fanbase that will rightfully feel disgruntled with last season.
Individual Performers
Despite some poor team performances, there was reason to celebrate at least a few of the individual players that took the pitch for Adelaide this season.
Of course, Ibusuki’s tremendous season should be noted – scoring 15 goals this campaign, including a fantastic hattrick against Sydney at Unite Round.
That’s the best single-season performance for a foreign striker at the Reds since Sergio van Dijk in 2010/11.
Zach Clough was another standout. Starting the season as the 10 in Veart’s 4-3-3 system, before moving to the wing after Mauk’s arrival, he took it upon himself to be Adelaide’s main creative force, contributing with 8 goals and 7 assists.
One player who may have flown under the radar a little was Ethan Alagich, who came into the starting lineup relatively late into the season, but operated really well alongside Isaias in the double pivot.
And of course, it would be remiss not to mention the player that was on everyone’s lips this year: Nestory Irankunda.
He showed an expanse to his game that many hadn’t seen before, and just in time for his big move to Bayern – chipping in with 6 assists alongside his 8 goals
- Vidmar Medal (Best Player): Zach Clough
- Player’s Player Award: Hiroshi Ibusuki
- Red Army Player of the Season: Nestory Irankunda
- Members’ Player of the Season: Hiroshi Ibusuki
- Golden Boot: Hiroshi Ibusuki
- Rising Star: Giuseppe Bovalina
Conclusion
Despite individual moments that will live long in the memory, for many Reds fans this season was one to forget.
Poor recruitment, a lack of transparency, a squad and team lacking any tangible identity: there are clear issues to fix heading into next season.
United are probably a couple of years behind the likes of the Mariners or Phoenix from a football operations perspective, but with Ernest Faber now at the helm, there’s a chance that could change.
Who knows? Maybe the Reds need a bit of oranje…