It’s the redemption story that has gripped the Isuzu UTE A-League. From the coaching wilderness to champion and John Aloisi is ready to extend his contract with Western United.
Aloisi completed a remarkable redemption arc after three years without a job – guiding Western to their A-League Men Championship thanks to Saturday’s 2-0 win over Melbourne City at AAMI Park.
It was Western’s first appearance in a Grand Final and the fledging club delivered by upstaging and dethroning City, becoming the first club since Ange Postecoglou’s Brisbane Roar in 2011 to reign supreme in their maiden decider.
Western turned to Socceroos great Aloisi, who had been out of work since his role with the Roar in 2018, at the start of the campaign.
After proving his doubters wrong, Aloisi – who joined on a two-season deal – has told Western: “Show me the money”.
“I don’t know (if there’s an extension coming), you’d have to ask Jason (Sourasis), our chairman that,” he said.
“Of course (I’d like to sign an extension). It depends, if everything’s alright, I’d love to.”
Western have received plenty of criticism for their small supporter base, lack of a consistent home ground and the dragged-out process of building their own stadium and training base.
Their fans made plenty of noise in AAMI Park’s north end as Aloisi led the expansion club to a breakthrough championship in just their third season on Saturday night.
It was an achievement he believes could drive them forward.
“It definitely helps. It definitely helps attract players, it definitely helps attract fans,” Aloisi said.
“We know that we’re on this journey and we’re going to have a training facility, we’re going to have a stadium.
“But what I loved about the players that we signed this year, it wasn’t because they didn’t have anywhere else to go – it was because they wanted to create history.
“I’m sure now it might be even easier because people will see that we mean business.
“We’re not here to make numbers up. We’re here to win. And that’s the mentality we had all season.”
Western gambled on Aloisi, 46, who hadn’t coached since departing the Roar three years ago.
In the wake of open-heart surgery in 2019, Aloisi reaffirmed his determination to return to the top level.
“I was sitting in my hospital bed nearly three years ago and it was more, ‘I want to coach. I need to coach because I know I’ve got a lot more left in me and a lot more to achieve and I believe that’,” he said.
“I was just waiting for the right opportunity and someone to give me the that opportunity to coach.
“It’s satisfying on a personal basis, but it’s more satisfying because I see all the hard work that goes into a new club.
“It’s not easy, but this helps success on the pitch helps, it helps you grow quicker. You saw how many fans we had there tonight. That’s great.
“Sometimes we’re playing in Ballarat in front of, I don’t know, 500 people so to win this will help us grow as a football club.”
