Grand finalists’ injured captain Alessandro Diamanti has become the motivator-in-chief even while injury has ended his own season with Western United, writes Nick D’Urbano.
He’s the Italian superstar, the marquee who’s ball-mastery, dazzling array of passing and sensational left-foot have made him one of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s must-see players.
But if Western United lift the A-League Men trophy on Saturday night, some of his most valuable work will have come away from the public eye, and nowhere near a football pitch.
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Injured since late February, Diamanti’s impact has been limited to off-field matters, acting as a captain from the sidelines due to a knee injury which has shelved him for the best part of three months.
Diamanti has been a lightning rod of positivity at their Tullamarine base, which comes as no surprise either given his mantra of ‘poi bo’ – an Italian expression meaning to live in the moment.
Despite his unwavering positivity, he admits it won’t be easy watching his team-mates go to battle in the decider against defending champions Melbourne City.
“It’s hard, it hurts,” Diamanti told KEEPUP. “When you get to my age you want to just enjoy training, enjoy the ball, enjoy every moment because I’m very close to finishing so you want to enjoy every minute.”
On February 20, Diamanti’s season came to a screeching halt when he suffered a knee injury in the second-half of Western’s 3-2 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
Initially, the Western captain was looking likely to return before season’s end, but the severity of the injury still remained a mystery to the club’s medical staff as he was unable to clear the final hurdle for a return to action.
A decision was eventually made to send the 38-year-old for an arthroscopy to determine whether he will be able to return for finals.
Unfortunately, it was too little, too late, with the results determining Diamanti would miss the remainder of the season and remain helpless – from a playing perspective – as his team-mates made a run at the Championship.
READ: WESTERN UNITED’S ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL
“Honestly, it was a mystery injury,” Diamanti said. “We wasted two months working out what was going on and then two weeks ago I had surgery and now, I have to do rehab to be ready for next season.
“It’s a pity because after three years I’m going to Italy and I have to do rehab and I can’t 100% enjoy my holiday because I deserve a holiday after three years!
“It’s unlucky, but in this job and in this game, these things can happen but I’m very lucky because it’s the first time I’ve had something more serious in a 23 year career so I’m a very lucky guy.
“But I’ll try to help from outside (the pitch). I always stick around the guys so I try, it’s not easy, it’s different, but I try to be useful.
“This is what I can do now. I was used to helping the guys on the pitch but at the moment I help from outside.”
And that’s what Diamanti has done ever since his injury. Despite admitting the knee injury has impacted him mentally, the former Bologna and West Ham attacker hasn’t shown it for a minute, not allowing his circumstances to bog him or his team-mates down but instead turning his focus to helping the team in whatever capacity.
“He drives it out on the training field,” Western head coach John Aloisi told KEEPUP. “He’s always heard and so that helps because sometimes even though they love coming in here sometimes you might be feeling a bit flat and when you hear someone laughing or joking around it gives you a lift.
“So he’s one of those guys who can give them a lift. Not only when he’s training or playing but also when he’s not.”
While most injured or non-selected players are usually perched high in the stands, the former Italy international is out there as an ‘extra’ assistant coach on most game-days at home – sitting just behind the bench barking out instructions.
From the first game he missed in his side’s 1-0 win over Sydney FC, to last weekend’s enthralling second-leg semi-final win over Melbourne Victory, Diamanti has been right there almost every step of the way.
Aloisi couldn’t speak any higher of him, along with fellow sidelined veteran Nikolai Topor-Stanley, throughout the two-legged semi-final tie with Victory – but in particular last Saturday during the second-leg.
“On the weekend, and in these big games you need that voice from someone who has had that experience and he, and Topor were unbelievable for the boys because they were just positive the whole way through,” Aloisi said.
“The coaches can’t be around for every single player. I come in and do my team talk and I might touch-base with a couple of players but they’re sitting in the changerooms with them, talking to them, relaxing them.
“So that helps and he’s been great, so has Topor. Even though they’re not playing, they’re playing their part.”
While Diamanti would’ve loved to be out there on the field, playing a role in his side’s enthralling 4-1 win over Victory, he didn’t let the bittersweetness of the occasion deter his mood.
He was among the first to run out on the pitch and embrace his team-mates along with the rest of the coaching staff when Dylan Wenzel-Halls slotted the sealer on Saturday.
As Aloisi gave his inspiring post-game address, a shirtless Diamanti stood behind him, who before the speech started was seen chanting “oh, John Aloisi” among the rest of his charges.
There he was, living and celebrating the moment, epitomising his ethos of poi bo.
Now, Diamanti hopes that before he jets home to Italy for a much-needed holiday, he can have another celebration, but this time of a greater ilk and with a tangible prize at the end of it – a shiny piece of silverware – which he will get to hoist if Western get the job done.
“Look, I’m excited for the guys,” Diamanti said. “I’m a little bit older, so I can manage these moments because after so many games I know how to manage the important games. Maybe on Saturday you can ask me that same question.
“I said to the guys, please, I want to lift the trophy before I go to Italy!”
At 38 years-old and in the final year of his contract, it remains to be seen whether we have seen the last of Diamanti donning Western’s green and black.
However, when asked whether he would like to return for a fourth season at the club, there was nothing 50/50 about his response.
“100%, yes.”
