Kalezic, who has taken the reins for the 2015-2016 season, will lean heavily on the goal power and presence of Australia striker Juric, the grit of Griffiths and the technical adroitness of De Silva, as he crafts a team which he believes can finish in the top 10 of the Eredivisie.
Kalezic thinks the trio, who have arrived after a whirlwind three weeks of transfer activity, can all go to another level, and he believes headline signing Juric has arrived at the right club at the right time in his career.
The pair share Croatian heritage, and the Switzerland-raised Kalezic has no doubt the striker, who netted 12 goals in 34 appearances for Western Sydney Wanderers, will deliver once he has regained his match fitness after three months without a club.
“He speaks my language, which is nice and he had a great season last year with Western Sydney and is also an AFC Champions League winner,” Kalezic said.
“He has developed himself in the last two or three years to a level where he can make a difference in this competition. In this period of his career, this club and this league is a good choice for him, and also for us.”
Kalezic received a glowing reference on Juric, 24, from former Football Federation Australia technical director turned Sydney FC director, Han Berger.
Juric's last taste of top flight football was as an 87th minute substitute in Australia's 2-1 FIFA World Cup win over Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek in mid-June.
It is not ideal with the Eredivisie already underway, and Kalezic said it may take a few weeks for the front man to get to full fitness.
“It may take a three weeks or so to prepare him for the league, he needs a little time before we see the best of him," Kalezic said.
“He has been training alone up to now and we will give him an individual program and also a program with the team to bring him up to speed.”
“He has ability to keep and hold up the ball, which is important for us and he can also make and score goals and get behind the defenders.
“He can be very dangerous for us and I expect that. It will take time for him to build an understanding with his teammates. I feel we can develop him and help take him to the next level.”
The same goes for former Perth Glory midfield general Griffiths, 27, who has started the first two games of the season, a 3-1 win of Heracles and a 3-1 loss to Vitesse.
Kalezic is keen to use Griffiths's experience in the heart of what is a young team.
“I was looking for a defensive midfielder with good experience because my team is very young and most of them have not played at this level before,” Kalezic said.
“He has leadership qualities and we have seen that already. He has a strong presence, which we need because Dutch players often lack that physicality.
“I like his mentality and his work rate, he is smart and intelligent and his technical skills are good enough for the level of Roda JC.
“He also needs time to adapt to a new competition which is very technical where attractive football and skill are very important.
“Like Tomi, he has hardly played also in the pre-season other than two games on trial at Birmingham city.
“He was brought to us just like Tomi by (Melbourne-based player agent) Dragan Jevtic, and I thank him for that.”
While Jevtic brokered the Griffiths and Juric deals, emerging playmaker De Silva, 18, has arrived on loan from AS Roma. He joined the Italian giant on a five-year contract from Perth Glory for $1.5 million.
Kalezic is planning to give the youngster every chance to flourish.
“We are glad to have the opportunity to sign the biggest young talent of Australia,” he said.
“We believe he can fulfil his potential here and his style of game and technical skill and that is very good for the Dutch competition.
“Like the others, he will need time also because he has never played at this level before.
“We want to give him every possibility to reach the next step and I am looking forward to working with him and giving him a chance in the first team.
“But of course, in the beginning it will be good for him to play some games for the second team while training with the first.”
Kalezic sees stability rather than a warp speed surge towards the summit this season, and for Roda JC it is all about consolidation.
Roda JC was relegated from the top tier two seasons ago, but they bounced straight back into the top division.
“We are a top 10 ten team for sure. This is a club with a good history but it made some mistakes in the past few years and dropped to the second league for the first time in its history and we are now on the way back after winning promotion through the play offs," Kalezic said.
“I believe now is the right moment to work with this team, make good signings and help us stay in the league. It’s not about making huge steps but making healthy steps straight away. It’s all about a long term vision.”
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

