Rundown of Melbourne Heart squad ahead of 2013/14 A-League season RUNDOWN of Melbourne Heart squad ahead of 2013/14 A-League season. Debut: 2010-11 Members: 5900 Coach: John Aloisi Staff: Hayden Foxe, Gerard Nus, Joey Didulica (assistants), John Didulica (football operations manager), John van't Schip (technical manager) Captain: Harry Kewell 2012-13 best-and-fairest: Richard Garcia ON FIELD Heart has compiled probably its best squad but it could take time to settle with such a high turnover of players. The side should be a huge threat going forward but must remain solid defensively. OFF FIELD A critical year for Heart, a club that's done so much right yet questions about its underlying philosophy linger. Will want to show an increase in crowd numbers. THE COACH Having done a one-year apprenticeship as Heart youth team coach, Aloisi was thrown in the deep end last season. Expectations will be far higher in his second year after he was handed a bigger budget for players. The squad GOALKEEPERS 1 Andrew Redmayne Age: 24 Previous clubs: Central Coast, Brisbane Starts the season as No.1 after displacing Clint Bolton midway through last campaign. Was solid in his 13 games. 20 Tando Velaphi Age: 26 Previous clubs: Perth, Victory The latest to cross from the blue side of Melbourne to the red. Despite impressive form for Victory was dropped once Nathan Coe was signed. Could challenge Redmayne. 2 Jeremy Walker Age: 20 Previous clubs: Oakleigh Converted from a right winger, the Tassie boy got his chance at right back when Michael Marrone left and took it with both hands. An attacking full back. 3 Rob Wielaert Age: 34 Previous clubs: PSV Eindhoven, FC Twente, NEC, Ajax, Roda JC An experienced, accomplished defender comfortable in playing out from the back. Signed by Marco van Basten and John van't Schip at Ajax in 2009. 5 Sam Mitchinson Age: 21 Previous clubs: Perth, Oakleigh The preferred left back after Aziz Behich moved to Turkey last season and did the job. A stay-at-home type of full back. 6 Patrick Gerhardt Age: 28 Previous clubs: Young Boys (Switzerland), Zeljeznicar (Bosnia) Runner-up in last season's best-and-fairest, providing Heart with much-needed aggression. A central defender last season but can play defensive midfield. 16 Aziz Behich Age: 22 Previous clubs: Victory, Bursaspor (Turkey) Was missed badly when he joined Bursaspor midway through last season. Returns on a season-long loan and his energy and overlap will be welcome. 17 Jason Hoffman Age: 24 Previous clubs: Newcastle Struggled to hold down a spot in three years at Heart and finds himself in a new position, right back. If he can improve his defensive game, it looms as the ideal fit. 18 David Vrankovic Age: 19 Previous clubs: Bonnyrigg (NSW) Played 13 games in his debut season and impressed. A solid all-round centre back who faces stiffer competition this season. 24 Patrick Kisnorbo Age: 32 Previous clubs: South Melbourne, Hearts, Leicester, Leeds Tough-as-teak defender. Another who will ensure Heart no longer gets bullied out of games. Capped 18 times by the Socceroos. MIDFIELDERS 4 Orlando Engelaar Age: 34 Previous clubs: Genk, Schalke, NAC Breda, FC Twente, PSV Eindhoven Heart's marquee player. Capped 14 times by the Netherlands, Engelaar has made his name as a tidy defensive midfielder with some of Europe's top clubs. At 196cm, he will be a towering presence when he returns mid-season from a leg fracture. 7 Iain Ramsay Age: 25 Previous clubs: Sydney FC, Adelaide Signed to play left back but, after Behich's return, more likely to play left wing. An attacking player with plenty of tricks. 8 Massimo Murdocca Age: 29 Previous clubs: South Melbourne, Brisbane Was Brisbane's last remaining foundation player. Grew up in Bundoora and returns home after he was released at the end of last season. A high-energy box-to-box midfielder. 13 Jonatan Germano Age: 25 Previous clubs: Estudiantes (Argentina), Rijeka (Croatia), Sportivo Luqueno (Paraguay) An aggressive player who is mainly a midfielder but can play full back. Injuries are becoming a concern and he will miss the start of the season with a hamstring problem. 19 Ben Garuccio Age: 18 Previous clubs: AIS Injury prevented him from playing more than five games last season, but his talent is obvious. Young Socceroos commitments won't help his cause, but he can play either wing so will feature. 21 Stefan Mauk Age: 17 Previous clubs: AIS Made his debut against Sydney FC last season and has immense potential, although he has Harry Kewell and Nick Kalmar to compete with. A tidy attacking midfielder and Young Socceroo. 22 Nick Kalmar Age: 25 Previous clubs: Melbourne Knights, St Albans, Sunshine, Altona, Oakleigh Kalmar showed some magic moments last season and appears ready to take the next step. Technically excellent, he may need to revert to his original position as a deep-lying midfielder. 25 Andrea Migliorini Age: 25 Previous clubs: Livorno, SPAL, Venezia (Italy), Koper (Slovenia) The Italian was spotted by former Heart player Vince Grella and signed as an injury replacement for Engelaar. A tidy and tactically savvy defensive midfielder capable of controlling the tempo of a match. 9 Dylan Macallister Age: 31 Previous clubs: Brann, Lyn (Norway), Central Coast, Wellington, Gold Coast Back-up for the departed Josip Tadic last season and will be competing with Michael Mifsud for the striker's spot. A hard worker with decent feet. 10 Harry Kewell Age: 35 Previous clubs: Leeds, Liverpool, Galatasaray, Victory, Al-Gharafa (Qatar) A month-long stint in Qatar is the only football Kewell has played since leaving Victory in June 2012. Back to try to resurrect his Socceroos career. Likely to play attacking midfield. 11 Michael Mifsud Age: 32 Previous clubs: Kaiserslautern (Germany), Lillestrom (Sweden), Coventry, Barnsley, Valletta (Malta) A lightning quick and elusive striker who is always looking to get in behind the defence and is not afraid to shoot. About to win his 100th cap for Malta, having scored 37 international goals. 14 Golgol Mebrahtu Age: 23 Previous clubs: Gold Coast Quick and armed with an outrageous strike, he has an impressive highlights reel and could be a huge asset after a full pre-season. Prefers striker but has mainly played just behind or right wing. 15 David Williams Age: 25 Previous clubs: Brondby (Denmark), Brisbane, North Queensland A huge season for Williams, who is in the final year of his contract and has shown only flashes of his enormous potential. Likely to start on the left. 23 Mate Dugandzic Age: 23 Previous clubs: Melbourne Knights, Lokomotiva (Croatia, Victory The speedy winger missed most of last season with a foot injury. He's back and should again be a key player. Dangerous from set-pieces. It's shaping as a huge season for Heart forward David Williams. We preview the Melbourne derby between the Victory and Heart. Harry Kewell has crossed to the red half of Melbourne.