Shepparton Soccer Club has sought to stick its head above the local pack with a recent frenzy of names old and new committing to the cause.
While Tatura will undoubtedly serve as the yardstick by which all seven other clubs will be compared and measured, the Vibert Reserve natives have been busy assembling the parts under new coach Ali Karslioglu.
Arguably leading the line among the string of eight recent new or returning signings for Shepparton will be Murtaza Gulzari, a man accustomed to success in the past 12 months.
The former Goulburn Valley Suns junior won Shepparton’s best-and-fairest last season before going on to help Afghanistan claim the recent Shepparton Nations Cup.
He’s not alone as far as that title-winning Afghan squad, with utility Ali Naveed and another Suns alum in Ali Jafari joining in the aftermath of that January tournament.
Family legacy is further enshrined within the club’s walls as well with Josh Dimit donning Reds colours once more, reconnecting with an illustrious history which has had three of his forebearers ply their trade there.
Goalkeeping stocks have been further bolstered with the full-time promotion of Dean Prinzi to the seniors, the gloveman having split 2024 between the top grade and reserves.
Also getting back on the board for a finals push is Dhiya Al Mugotir, most recently captaining Iraq in the Nations Cup, as a playing assistant coach.
Finally, Shepparton rounded out its spree of announcements with the return of 2024 captain and fellow assistant Seyhan Aslan as well as one of its longer-tenured figures in Hussain Algazali.
It’s safe to say this news has incoming coach Karslioglu feeling confident.
“Last year was a hard one being our first season back, but we saw the passion we had within the club and people have been more willing to commit,” Karslioglu said.
“We’ve watched Ali Jafari very closely. We were watching him through the Nations Cup, we love the skill-set on him and we believe this kid could go forward in the future.
“We wanted a left winger and someone who could play full-back on either side and we’ve done it. There are a couple more coming, but Nations Cup did have a very big impact on the players we’re signing.
“I 100 per cent think we’ll be making finals; I’ve got a dedicated team with a good senior co-ordinator, and the squad we have now and the players we’ll have joining us help with a lot of talent.
“It’s going to be a very good squad which will push for finals and, hopefully, even that top spot.”
Greater fortunes will be on their minds after finishing 2024 sixth and meeting a swift finals exit at Strathdale’s hands, conceding nine more goals than any other outfit during the regular season.
Shepparton kicks off its 2025 campaign in arduous fashion, taking on three-time defending champion Tatura at Howley Oval on Sunday, April 27.
