Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi says form will count for nothing when the club locks horns with cross-city rivals Melbourne Victory in the opening game of the A-League season.
Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi says form will count for nothing when the club locks horns with cross-city rivals Melbourne Victory in the opening game of the A-League season.
Heart went through the 2011/12 season undefeated against Victory, a run that included a memorable 3-2 win in front of 26,579 fans at AAMI Park in December last year.
Both teams have experienced significant changes on and off the park, with Aloisi replacing John van ‘t Schip and Ange Postecoglou taking the reins at the two-time A-league champions.
And given the changes in personnel, former Socceroos striker Aloisi believes it is hard to draw anything from last year’s encounters ahead of their meeting at Etihad Stadium on October 5.
“Most of the clubs have changed and might play a different style but I think with derbies, they are all different anyway,” Aloisi said.
“I don’t think you can look at who is playing well or who is in great form because the derby is the derby and anything can happen.
“We will draw on players that have played in the derby that have that experience and know what it’s all about.
“And they can help those who haven’t played in it before along the way but other than that you can’t read into any results.”
Rookie coach Aloisi, who will take charge of his first Melbourne derby after signing a three-year deal to coach Heart in May, is aware of the bragging rights at stake but is determined to treat the match as any other, with three points up for grabs.
“Every game is important, it’s just nicer when you win the derby,” said the 36-year-old, who will be the youngest coach in the league next season.
“Because it’s all the same, three points in every game you play, but the derby has a special atmosphere and a lot more people watch it.
“But we just want to get off to a good start because we know the last two years we haven’t had a great start.
“I think we didn’t get off to a winning start until five games into the season, we want to make that earlier this year and we are hoping that we can start off with a win in round one.”
