John Aloisi’s move to Melbourne Heart has been driven by the striker’s desire to set up a coaching future for himself.
Heart, who will join the Hyundai A-League at the start of the upcoming season, confirmed on Monday that Aloisi has signed for one year, undoubtedly the fledgling club’s highest-profile signing to date.
But the key to the deal is that it builds a pathway to a coaching career for the Socceroos legend, who will take up a key role with the Heart’s inaugural National Youth League team in season 2011/12.
While he has achieved an incredible amount as a player, including becoming a title-winner with Sydney FC in recent weeks, the 34-year-old is excited about starting a new chapter of his career.
“I’m looking forward to it, firstly as a player, playing and scoring goals and hopefully winning the championship, because that’s gonna be our goal. Also getting into coaching. That will be a great step for me. That’s what I’ve wanted to do, I’m lucky that the club sees that, I’m happy to be here. Hopefully end up as a good coach one day,” he said.
“I can learn off the coaching staff here, John van ‘t Schip, who has a great deal of experience, Jesper Olsen and Ante Milicic. I can’t wait to work with them all.”
Aloisi, who said that this year will be his final as a player, revealed that Melbourne Heart had approached him last year and that it was an offer which was very hard to refuse.
“Melbourne Heart made it easy for me. They wanted me back in October, they spoke to me back then. They told me what they wanted for me, not only as a player, I wanted to get into coaching and they saw me heading in the same direction. At the end it was quite easy,” he said.
“The main attraction is to be part of a huge club and I think this is going to be a massive club. To get involved in coaching and to be in the sporting capital of Australia, if not the world. Everyone knows that Melbourne is No.1 for sport, I want to be involved in that and especially with a new club, we would build something here and I’m excited to start off with a new club, I feel like I’m part of building the club.”
Aloisi’s move ends his two-year association with Sydney FC. It was a roller coaster ride with the Sky Blues as injury reduced his contribution to a minimal level in the first year. But he went from villain to hero among ‘The Cove’ this season, scoring a club record 10 goals, including the sealer in the 2-0 win against Melbourne in the final round which saw Sydney claim its first-ever premiership.
He didn-t partake in the Grand Final having injured his hamstring in the preliminary final, but feels he leaves the club in the best possible manner.
“It-s always hard to leave friends at a club, at Sydney FC I had a lot of friends. We won everything possible this year and it was a good time to end on a high,” he said.
Aloisi’s ambitions for his new club are as lofty as they were for the Sky Blues, saying he expects the new side to compete for the premiership in its first year.
“I think we have to try and win. I want to try and win things still. As a player, then as a coach, to learn from the best. I think that this year we are going to try and win it. I’m not going to come out and say that we are going to go undefeated, that’s a bit tough,” he said.
“To win it, I think we-ve got a great possibility, with the players that we are getting together, that we should be talking about winning. That’s what Melbourne people want, and I’m no different I’m going to win.”
