Stripey Kit

The Herald Sun reports that: "MELBOURNE Heart is the A-League's newest franchise, but it is a team that wants traditional football values.

So Heart will wear a traditional home kit featuring a red-and-white striped shirt when it makes its A-League debut this year.

Although the club is yet to unveil its strip, it is set to choose the stripes, made famous by any number of overseas clubs such as Southampton of England, Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao of Spain, and Estudiantes of Argentina, after also considering a white shirt and red sash.

It is believed Heart will match the stripes with red shorts and red-and-white socks, giving it a stark contrast to the bold navy blue of city rival Melbourne Victory.

The club is tight-lipped about its choice of strip although it has long been known Heart, which started as the franchise's working title and will be adopted as the official team name, will wear red and white.

"We're still working on the strip," Heart chief executive Scott Munn said yesterday.

"We've seen a few design options, but we haven't settled on anything yet. It's close, but it's not there yet."

Heart, which will make the A-League an 11-team competition next season, will unveil its club logo and declare its colours next week.

With four players under contract, several more are set to follow soon, although Central Coast Mariners defender/midfielder Dean Heffernan will delay his arrival in Melbourne after signing a loan deal with English League One club Huddersfield until the end of the season.

"He approached us about amending his contract and we're very supportive of him doing that," Munn said.

Heart, which will be coached by John van't Schip, has also signed Kristian Sarkies, Jason Hoffman and Matt Thompson.

Heart is closing in on a deal that will see it play all 14 of its home matches at the new rectangular stadium under construction on Swan St."

Jason Hoffman signs

Foxsports reports that "Melbourne Heart have bolstered their inaugural Hyundai A-League squad for the 2010-2011 season by signing Young Socceroos utility Jason Hoffman. Hoffman, who has signed a multi-year deal, becomes the fourth A-League player to sign with the Heart, after Socceroos Kristian Sarkies, Matt Thompson and Dean Heffernan.

Heart head coach John van ‘t Schip said that he was impressed by Hoffman’s versatility, and was pleased to have secured his services for next season and beyond.

"Jason is a player with great capacity to improve and become a regular first XI player in the Hyundai A-League," van ‘t Schip said.

"He is an excellent professional who works very hard, which is the sort of player that we are hoping to bring to the club.

"He can play in a number of positions, can score goals and is very athletic, so he will give us some extra flexibility within the squad.

"If he can continue to work hard and improve, he will complement the established players we have already managed to sign in Kristian, Matt and Dean."

Hoffman, a product of the New South Wales Institute of Sport, made his A-League debut at the age of 18 and played an important role in Newcastle Jets' 2007 championship campaign, making 15 appearances on his way to a winner’s medal.

His second season was derailed by a severe knee injury, but he bounced back in fine fashion during Newcastle’s Asian Champions League campaign earlier this year.

Hoffman, 20, scored the winning goal in the Jets' final group game against Korean giants Ulsan Hyundai to secure the club’s passage to the knockout stages of the tournament.

He continued his form to the A-League season, finding the back of the net twice in six appearances to earn selection to the Young Socceroos squad for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt, starting in the games against Brazil and Czech Republic."