How South Coast Flame plan to attack this year's NPL NSW competition

That's what South Coast Flame fans can expect when their senior men's NPL NSW team kick off their 2024 campaign this weekend.

New head coach Andy Paine has compiled a revamped squad - along with plenty of familiar faces - as the side prepares to compete in the Football NSW League Two competition.

Round one sees the Flame host Gladesville Ryde Magic at Ian McLennan Park on Saturday night.

After finishing 11^th in 2023, there is a breath of fresh air around the club following the acquisition of former Helensburgh Premier League mentor Paine last August.

There are also plenty of new recruits at the South Coast club, led by former Sydney United 58 duo Yianni Perkatis and Yianni Fragogiannis.

Other key inclusions are Bankstown United gloveman Jordan Bruce, former Premier League pair Jason Pappas (Wollongong Olympic) and Genki Iwata (Helensburgh), as well as Fernhill District League premiership winner Mitchell Turner.

Headlining their list of re-signings are James Baldacchino - who was last week named among the Flame's senior captains for 2024 - Matthew Mazevski and Jacob Poscoliero.

"There's been a lot of change this year - new coaching staff, a lot of new players and a new playing style. So there's been a lot of moving parts getting it all to come together, but the boys have been excellent. They're really committed to what we're trying to achieve," Paine told the Mercury.

"We've been really lucky. To be able to retain 'Poso', Baldacchino and Mazevski was priority number one, and then we were able to bring in Yianni Perkatis and Yianni Fragogiannis. Those guys both played in the Australia Cup final two years ago, and Perkatis has got quite a bit of A-League experience under his belt as well. We were lucky enough to get them through connections with the other boys.

"Once we knew that we had those two guys with Baldacchino and Poso, we had the core of a defence in place, so we're gone out and chased some quick guys and guys in the attacking third. It was pretty obvious last year at the Flame that we didn't score enough goals (they scored 40 goals in 28 games), and we want to play a more proactive attacking style.

"Mitch Turner comes in, and he was the Matt Horsley (Medallist) in the District League grand final last year. I've brought Genki over from Helensburgh, and (Michael) Trajkovski comes from Shellharbour.

"We've also got Jason and a few other good players, including Jordan Bruce from Bankstown United."'

While it's been an exciting off-season in terms of recruitment, Paine is equally excited about some young talent who have come through the Flame system.

"Inclusions are part of it, but we've really got to be careful at an NPL club because it's not like the IPL," he said.

"We're at the pointy end of a really long process of developing players from SAP (Skills Acquisition Program) all the way up. So it's about getting that balance right and bringing in some senior guys that can add to the players that are pushing through the system.

"Sam and Zander Alston are some really good young ones. Jay (De Gouveia) and Jyden (Harb) are 18, 19, 21 year old kids who have come all the way through the Flame system.

"We want to make impressions every year. So we want to be better every year, and be substantially better."

Senior Men's:

Jordan Bruce (GK), Rocco Zinnato (GK), Sam Alston, James Baldacchino (C), Jacob Poscoliero, Namito Tsuchiya, Mitchell Turner, Jacob Gjorsevski, Genki Iwata, Michael Trajkovski, Matthew Mazevski, Yianni Perkatis, Matthew Claps, Luke Hoefsloot, Jyden Harb, Jason Pappas, Zander Alston, Ryan Chard, Yianni Fragogiannis and Jay De Gouveia.

U20s Men's:

Tyrone Valenti (GK), Junho Cho, Mitchell Despotovski, Christian Sansone, Jake Morris, Harrison Keller, Louis Miller-Tamsit, Ryan Plumridge, Artip Suksing, Zac Borg (C), Bowen Spencer, Lucas Ayala, Chayden Vasquez, Liam Hoyn, Antonio Sansone and Levi Dirks.