Western United assistant coach Vince Ierardo has departed the Isuzu UTE A-League outfit to join Kevin Muscat’s Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League.
Ierado leaves Western to link up with Australian great Muscat, who has taken charge of the Chinese Super League champions and has already brought in former Brisbane Roar head coach Ross Aloisi to assist him.
An inaugural member of Western’s football department, the club have promoted within to help fill the void.
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A-Leagues legend Andrew Durante and Diogo Ferreira have both been elevated to the role of A-League Men assistant and development coach.
“Vince has been an integral part of our football department since our inaugural season and I would like to thank him for his years of commitment and excellence in our program,” Western United general manager of football Mal Impiombato of Ierado.
“As a professional, his expertise helped us to two finals campaigns and an Isuzu UTE A-League Championship, and he has also had a fantastic impact on the next generation of Western United players through our Academy.
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“But more importantly, Vince’s strength as a person has made our club a better place and helped shape a thriving and positive club culture.
“You will be hard pressed to find a more universally respected football professional than Vince, and we thank him for his outstanding contribution and wish him every success in his future endeavours.”
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Ierado added: “Reflecting on my time at Western United, I can’t emphasise enough how much the club, the people and its values mean to me.
“Being an inaugural staff member for a brand new club and contributing to the club’s foundation is an experience I’ll cherish forever. Winning the championship together with the coaches, the staff, players and supporters is something I’ll never forget.
“In my tenure here, both as a coach and as an individual, I’ve undergone significant development. Departing from this fantastic family club is bittersweet, but there is excitement, of course, as I firmly believe that I’m prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Durante has been working across Western’s first-team and academy environments, while former A-Leagues player Ferreira has impressed, having initially joined the club as Under-23s assistant coach in 2022 before taking charge last year.
