John Aloisi

John Aloisi

Aloisi signing for Sydney FC in 2008
Personal information
Full name John Aloisi
Date of birth (1976-02-05) 5 February 1976
Place of birth Adelaide, Australia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Brisbane Roar (manager)
Youth career
AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991 Adelaide City 20 (8)
1991–1992 Adelaide City Force 1 (0)
1992–1993 Standard Liège 0 (0)
1993–1995 Antwerp 35 (7)
1995–1997 Cremonese 48 (4)
1997–1998 Portsmouth 60 (26)
1998–2001 Coventry City 41 (10)
2001–2005 Osasuna 121 (29)
2005–2007 Alavés 58 (16)
2007–2008 Central Coast Mariners 15 (7)
2008–2010 Sydney FC 40 (12)
2010–2011 Melbourne Heart 20 (8)
Total 459 (127)
National team
1992 Australia U20 6 (1)
2004 Australia U23 7 (3)
1997–2008 Australia 55 (27)
Teams managed
2011–2012 Melbourne Heart (youth)
2012–2013 Melbourne Heart
2015 Melbourne Victory (youth)
2015– Brisbane Roar

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


John Aloisi (born 5 February 1976) is a retired Australian football (soccer) player and the manager of A-League club Brisbane Roar. In a professional career that spanned 20 seasons, with league totals of 459 games and 127 goals, he was the first Australian ever to play and score in La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A.

He returned to his country in 2007, with four seasons in the A-League. Aloisi was an integral member of the Australia national team for more than one decade, and represented the nation at the 2006 World Cup, being an essential figure in the qualifying stages.[1] He also appeared for the Socceroos in two Confederations Cups. Aloisi was described as a goal poacher who was able to "hold the ball up well and create opportunities for his teammates."[2]

Club career

Early years and England

Born in Adelaide, Aloisi arrived in Europe aged only 16, signing with Standard Liège from Adelaide City. He did not appear in any official games for the club, and also played sparingly for his next team, fellow top division outfit Royal Antwerp FC.

In November 1995, Aloisi moved countries and signed for Italian side US Cremonese. On the 25th, only two minutes after being on the pitch, he scored in a 2–1 home win against Calcio Padova, becoming the youngest foreign player to ever score in a Serie A match.[3] Ultimately, the Lombardy team suffered two consecutive relegations, and he left the club.

Aloisi arrived in English football early in the 1997–98 season, signing for Portsmouth in the Division One, under the chairmanship of Australia national football team manager Terry Venables. He scored 12 goals in his first season in England as Pompey narrowly avoided relegation, bettering that total to 13 in the following campaign.

On 17 December 1998, Aloisi moved to the Premier League with Coventry City, who paid £650,000 for his services. He made his Sky Blues debut in a 1–1 home draw against Derby County, appearing as a late substitute; also coming from the bench, he netted in the next match, 1–1 against Tottenham Hotspur.

Aloisi's next notable performance came almost 12 months later, in a historic 4–1 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park. He scored twice in Coventry's first ever away victory in the league against their Midlands rivals. Starting in the next game, against Charlton Athletic, he was sent off for punching Danny Mills, receiving a considerable ban; both Portsmouth and Coventry combined, he finished the season with 18 goals.

Aloisi never really got a proper run at Coventry during his spell, as the team was constantly threatened with relegation, which befell at the end of the 2000–01 season after a 34-year top flight stay, with the player scoring just three times (he did net a hat-trick against Preston North End for the season's Football League Cup – 4–1 home win, 7–2 on aggregate[4]). In June, he was allowed to leave Highfield Road, and came close to signing for Crystal Palace,[5] but nothing came of it.

Spain

In 2001, Aloisi moved to Spain, joining Pamplona's CA Osasuna. He scored nine goals in 30 games in his first season in La Liga, being regularly used during his four-year spell in Navarre. On 11 April 2004, he played the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 away win against Real Madrid[6][7] and, on 11 June of the following year, he netted in the Copa del Rey final, equalising in an eventual 1–2 extra time loss against Real Betis.

After a move to Panathinaikos F.C. collapsed,[8] Aloisi signed for another Spanish outfit, Deportivo Alavés, on a free transfer. Even though he scored a career-best (in Spain) ten goals in 2005–06, the Basque suffered top flight relegation.

Return to Australia

On 20 October 2007, it was announced that Aloisi had signed with the Central Coast Mariners FC for the remainder of the season.[9] The team was able to not include his wages in the salary cap due to a loop hole relating to injured players.[10] He made his debut in the A-League on the 28th against Sydney FC, in a 2–3 defeat.[11]

On 3 March 2008, after failing to re-sign with the Mariners, Aloisi penned a two-year deal with Sydney FC, for an undisclosed fee reported to be $1.4 million a season,[12] making him the highest-paid player based in Australia in any of the four football codes. He made his debut as a second-half substitute against Perth Glory FC at the Sydney Football Stadium, and scored his first goal for Sydney in a 2–0 upset win over archrivals Melbourne Victory FC.

On 18 February 2009, 33-year-old Aloisi was linked with a loan move to Shanghai Shenhua F.C. in China. He soon decided against the deal, opting instead to spend the entire pre-season with Sydney FC, under the club's new coach Vítězslav Lavička.[13] He scored twice in a friendly with the Newcastle United Jets FC,[14] and eventually started repaying the faith the team had in him by scoring a double in a 3–2 win against North Queensland Fury FC in Townsville, in the first game of the season; he finished the campaign – winning both the minor and the major championships – as the first Sydney player ever to reach double digits in a single season.

On 29 March 2010, Melbourne Heart FC signed Aloisi on a free transfer.[15] He impressed at the new club and scored eight goals, including three against rivals Melbourne Victory, both the first goal ever in a Melbourne derby, and a brace which equalised the game at 2–2 after the Heart had been 2–0 down. On 12 February 2011, he played the final game of his career against former team Sydney FC, in the last round of the A-League season, scoring and being replaced by in the 83rd minute by Kristian Sarkies, to a standing ovation from the home crowd.[16]

International career

Aloisi taking the penalty that secured the victory over Uruguay and Australia's place in the 2006 World Cup.

Aloisi made his debut for the Australian national team in 1997. Also in that year, he was selected to the FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring in a 3–1 group stage win against Mexico for the eventual runners-up.

After representing Australia at the 2004 Summer Olympics as one of the three overage players, scoring three goals in an eventual quarterfinal exit,[17] Aloisi finished second in the scoring charts at the 2005 Confederations Cup, netting braces against Germany and Argentina as the Socceroos did not manage one single point in three games.

On 16 November 2005, Aloisi scored the decisive penalty against Uruguay in the 2006 FIFA World Cup playoffs, after a 1–1 aggregate tie. That goal meant Australia qualified to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974.[1] He was selected in the squad for the final stages in Germany and, on 12 June, came off the bench to score the third goal in a 3–1 group stage victory against Japan, thus becoming only the second Australian in history to score a goal at the World Cup finals, after teammate Tim Cahill.[18]

On 21 July 2007, Aloisi scored in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup's quarterfinal match against Japan (1–1), in an eventual penalty shootout exit in Australia's first ever participation in that tournament.[19] It would be the last of his 27 international goals, second-best behind Damian Mori at the time of his retirement.

After his return to the A-League, Aloisi ceased to be recalled by the national team. In early 2008, his penalty kick against Uruguay which took the Socceroos to the 2006 World Cup was voted by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as one of three greatest moments in Australian sporting history.[20]

Coaching career

Melbourne Heart

After retiring, Aloisi started his coaching career, being appointed youth manager at Melbourne Heart.[21] On 8 May 2012, it was announced that he had accepted a three-year contract to be the manager of Melbourne Heart.[22] On 5 October 2012, he got his first win as manager as Melbourne Heart beat rivals Melbourne Victory 2–1. Aloisi struggled in his first season as head coach, with Melbourne Heart coming ninth in the 2012–13 season and winning only one away game all season. The 2013-14 season did not start any better with the Heart managing 0 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses from 10 starts. On 28 December 2013, Aloisi was sacked as the manager of Melbourne Heart following the club's seventeenth competitive match without a win.

Melbourne Victory

On 9 February 2015, Aloisi joined Melbourne Victory FC as the development coach of its National Youth League and National Premier League sides.[23][24]

Brisbane Roar

On 26 May 2015, Aloisi was named manager of Brisbane Roar.[25]

Statistics

[26]

Club

Club Season Domestic League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Adelaide City 1991–92 National Soccer League 2080000208
Adelaide City Force 10000010
Adelaide City total 21 8 0 0 0 0 21 8
Standard Liège 1992–93 Belgian Pro League 00101020
Standard Liège total 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0
Antwerp 1993–94 Belgian Pro League 1011000111
1994–95 2562200278
Antwerp total 35 7 3 2 0 0 38 9
Cremonese 1995–96 Serie A 2221200234
1996–97 Serie B 2623100293
Cremonese total 48 4 4 3 0 0 52 7
Portsmouth 1997–98 First Division 381230004112
1998–99 221443002617
Portsmouth total 60 26 7 3 0 0 67 29
Coventry City 1998–99 Premier League 1652000185
1999–2000 72000072
2000–01 1833300216
Coventry City total 41 10 5 3 0 0 46 13
Osasuna 2001–02 La Liga 30922003211
2002–03 3281000338
2003–04 33624003510
2004–05 2663200298
Osasuna total 121 29 8 8 0 0 129 37
Alavés 2005–06 La Liga 331011003411
2006–07 Segunda División 2561000266
Alavés total 58 16 2 1 0 0 60 17
CC Mariners 2007–08 A-League 1570000157
CC Mariners total 15 7 0 0 0 0 15 7
Sydney 2008–09 A-League 1623200194
2009–10 241000002410
Sydney total 40 12 3 2 0 0 43 14
Melbourne Heart 2010–11 A-League 2080000208
Melbourne Heart total 20 8 0 0 0 0 20 8
Australia total 96 35 3 2 0 0 99 37
Belgium total 35 7 4 2 1 0 40 9
Italy total 48 4 4 3 0 0 52 7
England total 101 36 12 6 0 0 113 42
Spain total 179 45 10 9 0 0 189 54
Career total 459 127 33 22 1 0 493 149

International

Australia national team
YearAppsGoals
1997117
199810
199900
200021
2001107
200200
200320
200452
200585
2006104
200751
200810
Total5527

International goals

Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 11 June 1997 Parramatta Stadium, Sydney, Australia  Solomon Islands 3–0 13–0 1998 FIFA World Cup Qualification
2 5–0
3 10–0
4 11–0
5 12–0
6 28 June 1997 North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand  New Zealand 1–0 3–0 1998 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7 12 December 1997 King Fahd II Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  Mexico 2–0 3–1 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup
8 4 October 2000 Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Kuwait 1–0 1–0 Friendly
9 9 April 2001 Coffs Harbour International Stadium, Coffs Harbour, Australia  Tonga 3–0 22–0 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification
10 6–0
11 8–0
12 10–0
13 11–0
14 14–0
15 24 June 2001 Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia  New Zealand 3–1 4–1 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification
16 4 June 2004 Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia  Vanuatu 1–0 3–0 2004 OFC Nations Cup
17 3–0
18 15 June 2005 Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany  Germany 2–2 3–4 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
19 3–4
20 18 June 2005 Frankenstadion, Nürnberg, Germany  Argentina 1–3 2–4 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
21 2–3
22 9 October 2005 Craven Cottage, London, England  Jamaica 4–0 5–0 Friendly
23 7 June 2006 Donaustadion, Ulm, Germany  Liechtenstein 3–1 3–1 Friendly
24 12 June 2006 Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany  Japan 3–1 3–1 2006 FIFA World Cup
25 11 October 2006 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia  Bahrain 1–0 2–0 2007 AFC Asian Cup Qualification
26 14 November 2006 Loftus Road, London, England  Ghana 1–0 1–1 Friendly
27 21 July 2007 Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hà Nội, Vietnam  Japan 1–0 1–1 2007 AFC Asian Cup

Managerial statistics

As of 15 November 2013.
Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Melbourne Heart Youth Australia 23 October 2011 4 March 2012 18 7 5 6 38.89
Melbourne Heart Australia 8 May 2012 28 December 2013 39 8 7 24 20.51
Brisbane Roar Australia 26 May 2015 10 5 3 2 50.00
Total 59 17 12 30 28.81

Honours

Club

Country

Individual

Personal

Aloisi's older brother Ross, was also a professional footballer Aloisi appeared on the cover of the Australian version of Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

References

  1. 1 2 Australia reach World Cup finals; BBC Sport, 16 November 2005
  2. ↑ "Player Profiles". Yahoo!7 Sport. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Dall' Australia con furore: John Aloisi regala i primi 3 punti alla Cremonese (From Australia with furor: John Aloisi gives Cremonese first three points); Corriere della Sera, 27 November 1995 (Italian)
  4. ↑ Coventry 4–1 Preston; BBC Sport, 27 September 2000
  5. ↑ Coventry City biography; at FootballHeroes
  6. ↑ Real Madrid 0–3 Osasuna; ESPNsoccernet, 11 April 2004
  7. ↑ Small talk: John Aloisi; The Guardian, 16 April 2004
  8. ↑ Aloisi fails Panathinaikos test; BBC Sport, 5 July 2005
  9. ↑ Aloisi's A-League adventure; ESPNsoccernet, 19 November 2007
  10. ↑ Aloisi: Now's the right time; Australian FourFourTwo, 20 October 2007
  11. ↑ Brosque double sinks Mariners; A-League official website, 28 October 2007
  12. ↑ Sydney unveil new signings; Fox Sports, 3 March 2008
  13. ↑ Aloisi wary of Chinese burn-out; Fox Sports, 25 February 2009
  14. ↑ Aloisi double sinks Jets; The World Game, 12 July 2009
  15. ↑ Heart signs John Aloisi; The Age, 29 March 2010
  16. ↑ John Aloisi on target in Melbourne Heart farewell; Herald Sun, 12 February 2011
  17. ↑ John Aloisi – FIFA competition record
  18. ↑ Australia 3–1 Japan; BBC Sport, 12 June 2006
  19. ↑ Japan and Iraq reach semi-finals; BBC Sport, 21 July 2007
  20. ↑ John Aloisi's shot of confidence; Herald Sun, 2 February 2008
  21. ↑ John Aloisi and Josip Skoko look to coaching after ending careers as senior players; The Australian, 14 February 2011
  22. ↑ "Heart plumps for Aloisi". The World Game. 8 May 2012.
  23. ↑ "Melbourne Victory appoints John Aloisi to new role". Melbourne Victory FC. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  24. ↑ "Aloisi joins Melbourne Victory as youth coach". FourFourTwo. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "John Aloisi Brisbane Roar: former Melbourne Heart boss to take reins of A-League club". foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  26. ↑ John Aloisi at National-Football-Teams.com
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