After winning consecutive Isuzu UTE A-League Championships with two different teams, Western United’s Ben Garuccio speaks to KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani about the achievement.
Before Saturday’s Grand Final, only five players in A-League Men history had won back-to-back Championships on different teams:
- Sebastian Ryall (Melbourne Victory 2008-09 and Sydney FC 2009-10)
- Nick Fitzgerald (Brisbane Roar 2011-12 and Central Coast Mariners (2012-13)
- Besart Berisha (Brisbane Roar 2013-14 and Melbourne Victory 2014-15)
- Mitchell Austin (Melbourne Victory 2017-18 and Sydney FC 2018-19)
- Marco Tilio (Sydney FC 2019-20 and Melbourne City 20202-21)
Ben Garuccio joined that exclusive club, becoming just the sixth player to achieve the feat after helping Western United defy the odds to dethrone his former club Melbourne City 2-0 at AAMI Park.
Twelve months earlier, Garuccio was part of the City squad that delivered a first Championship to the club. This time around, he was wearing black and green as Western were crowned kings of Australia for the first time in their short history.
When it was put to Garuccio by KEEPUP that he was the sixth player in ALM history to win consecutive championships with two different teams, the 26-year-old excitedly replied: “Oh yeah?!
“It’s not something I really knew. I’m sure it’s not in a lot of player’s minds when they move on from a club where they’ve won it to go to another club and expect to win it the next year.
“I know this year we didn’t have much of a chance from the people on the outside. At certain points in the year, we struggled a little bit. Lost our form that we sort of had at the start of the season.
“But I think the best thing about the whole group is that we were able to come back after that and put out those performances in finals, in the biggest games of the year.
“I think that’s the hardest thing to do and the hardest thing to find in football is a team that can have that kind of character and we were able to do it.”
In 2020-21, Garuccio lifted the A-League Men Championship as City celebrated their victory over Sydney FC at AAMI Park.
But Garuccio didn’t play in the Grand Final. This season, however, was a lot different.
Garuccio established himself as an integral member of John Aloisi’s history-making squad, starting all 28 of his ALM appearances, compared to nine the season prior.
He also scored twice, including that viral ‘scorpion goal’ which made worldwide headlines and was crowned Isuzu UTE A-League Goal of the Season.
And for Garuccio, it all comes down to appreciation.
“I think the biggest difference for me this year compared to last year is that feeling of really being appreciated by the people who around you every day,” Garuccio said.
“That’s something from probably the moment I walked into Melbourne City I didn’t really feel too much towards me.
“I’m not saying a player should walk into a club and everyone should be bending over backwards for them. It’s not like that. But it’s the sense of when you’re working so hard every day, giving up so much making so many sacrifices and working so hard, the people around you are at least seeing what you’re doing and sort of giving you the credit you deserve.
“That’s what I felt a lot of this season from the boys in the change rooms, the coaches, all the way through to the chairman and CEO. When you speak with them, they just appreciate us all so much.
“For me, that makes my life easy because if I’m appreciated, I’m going to run through a brick wall for these guys. Essentially I’ll end up playing better because of it and I think that was the case with so many of our players this season.”
Saturday’s showpiece event in Melbourne also capped a memorable season for John Aloisi.
From coaching cast-off in the wilderness, to fairytale redemption after three years without a job.
Aloisi celebrated his first ALM Championship as a coach, while leading Western to a first title in their third season of existence.
“I was so happy for him,” Garuccio said. “John was so close with Brisbane Roar and then all of a sudden, you’re out of the game for so long.
“When you look at him and what you admire so much, this is someone who’s arguably had the biggest moment ever in Australian history.
“He has lived dream himself, yet he comes into training every single day, he puts so much into the role he has. He works so hard. There’s never a stone left unturned. The preparation for games is unbelievable.
“He just loves football and wants to give back. I think the coaching staff have done a fantastic job this year. You don’t get to this point without a great coaching staff.”
