A message from Kossie Junior

[MartinAUFC]

For those who aren't members and/or didn't receive it...

Dear Members,

As the 2023/24 season comes to an end, I wanted to write to you all to express our gratitude for your loyal support throughout what has undoubtedly been a challenging campaign for the Club.

Since 2020, we have regularly been top four contenders and have celebrated this success accordingly. This season, we did not achieve our Finals benchmark, and it is important that, just as we celebrate success, we are honest in recognising our shortcomings.

In that regard we have already commenced an analysis of what has worked and what hasn’t and ultimately contributed to a bottom half of the ladder finish. An obvious takeaway has been that our men’s team scored the highest number of goals in the League yet finished eighth; the issue this season was not scoring but our propensity to concede. This will form a starting point for our review of the season along with our recruitment requirements, which is well and truly underway, stay tuned for more news.

While our on-field performances were not where we needed them to be, off-field we continued to grow as part of our commitment to remain true to the values and vision under which the Club was created.

In January, we celebrated our 20th Anniversary at a special dinner at Adelaide Oval, the evening was an opportunity to reflect on the highs, lows and shared successes we have enjoyed over the past two decades. In all honesty, it was one of the more enjoyable evenings of my time at Adelaide United, the opportunity to reconnect with many old friends and past legends is something we will endeavour to do more often moving forward.

While our women’s team had a very difficult campaign, a highlight was Emily Condon and Emily Hodgson becoming the first players in League history to reach 100 matches for the Club, a fantastic achievement from the pair who have been the forefront of our women’s program for nearly a decade. This season we also had the privilege of hosting more double headers than ever before, along with two unforgettable standalone matches at Coopers Stadium. This will remain a focus for 2024/25 as we commence season planning.

We now bid farewell to Nestory Irankunda as he departs for a new chapter of his life at Bayern Munich. Nestory is a unique talent and his impact on the South Australian football community is something we have not seen before. We have been privileged to aid him in his development over the past three years. We thank Nestory for his contributions to the Club and wish him the utmost success, where we will be watching his progress proudly.

Last week, the PFA announced Coopers Stadium as the “Best Venue for atmosphere and surface” for A-League Women’s matches, as voted for by the players. After winning the A-League Men accolade last year, Adelaide United is proud to be known around the country for its elite match day experiences which was a hallmark of our 2023/24 campaign. The State Government’s ongoing investment in the venue underscores Adelaide Venue Management and Adelaide United’s five year lease agreement reached last year, ensuring Coopers Stadium remains the best football stadium in Australia. Further upgrades to the playing surface of Coopers Stadium will commence next month.

Lastly, I want to express our deepest appreciation to our loyal members. This season we increased our membership base for the fourth straight year, with our Liberty A-League membership reaching record heights with a 400% increase from last year. With the upcoming sold-out match CommBank Matildas match at Adelaide Oval, it is an exciting time for women’s sport in Australia.

In closing, let me reiterate our commitment to return the Club to a Championship contender. With another group of exciting young players coming through, a clear understanding of our recruitment priorities and our recent partnership announcement with PSV Eindhoven, I am confident that next season we will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before.

We will remain in contact through this important off-season as we prepare for a return to pre-season training in early-July.

Thank you for standing by us.

Yours sincerely,


Nathan Kosmina
Chief Executive Officer
Adelaide United Football Club

[sevengoals]

Thanks for posting the letter.

[otto62]

I thought it was a good, honest letter.

[MartinAUFC]

Key sentence for me - "the issue this season was not scoring but our propensity to concede. This will form a starting point for our review of the season along with our recruitment requirements"

So...no Carl, you're not getting a new striker. We need players who can defend.

[Bptiger25]

We will see , a long winded letter that means bugger all unless it is followed up with decent signings across the hole team , I hope along with all the reds fans that we can compete with the best next season