John Aloisi

[belaguttman]

I did a bit of work at a well known AFL club who also has a salary cap and the research done clearly showed there was distinct correlation between the clubs who can spend the most being the most successful. This was made as a priority by the club I was at and evidence today three years later is that this club had substantially added finances to all areas of its operation particularly the football side of things and are now bearing fruit also.

Where is the evidence we have cried poor? For real? It seems like it's in our constitution. The way we portray ourselves also shows an image of being a poorer club.

As said the image needs to change and the board need to get their act into gear IF they want this club to be successful.

John Aloisi can be a great manager, but needs support and backing.

There's a whole chapter on this in Soccernomics, well worth a read.

[marteaux]

[mulhollanddrive]

What's our method to become successful? 

 

Aloisi admitted he'll play ugly football to get results, our board will reduce spending to break even. 

 

Who wants to be part of that philosophy compared to what we were orignally told 3 years ago.

[Sash]

I think JA's limitations as an inexperienced coach have been evident for much of the season. Things like an inability to make effective tactical or personell changes during the course of a match.

 

But I think the biggest problem we've had this season has largely been out of his control. And that's the lack of a settled squad. To be a top side, you need a stable and settled playing group. So I think he deserves some latitude for the comings and goings which seem to have marked this season, and all three seasons so far really. 

 

Right back: Marrone, who was having an average season anyway leaves for China meaning a NYL player fills in. Walker has done well however, and is one of the season's bright spots.

 

Centre halves: Gerhardt has been a rock, which makes last night's omission a mystery. Colosimo cost us points earlier, then did alright, but still misses games with injury/suspension. Vrankovic has been pretty good but is developing. Gray nothing. Hammil and Good gone.

 

Left back: Aziz leaves mid season, replaced by a kid, Hoffman(!), and Coyne. Nothing settled since Aziz and it's just a patch up job until next year.

 

Defensive midfield: Recruited Gerhardt, but he settles into a CB. Grella played for 15 minutes. Thommo tries his guts out, but for most of his career at Heart, he's been shoe horned into positions which aren't his natural position. Doesn't really have the quality to be the DM Aloisi needs. Germano injured in pre season and much of the early season. Hoffman not good enough. Finally recruit Meeuwis, who has managed no more than a half yet. For the area of the park that was identified as the key before the season, it's also been a patch-up job all year.

 

Attacking mid: Fred is still a very good player IMO, but has spent almost all season injured or coming back from injury. Kalmar has had two excellent games but needs the team playing well around him to be effective. Garcia was great in this position I thought, but has been moved to the right wing.

 

Right wing: Dugandzic injured almost for the whole season.

 

No 9: Tadic, first season, up and down, injured at times. Babalj gone, then back, but out of form. Macallister a workhorse but that's about it.

 

Left: Williams has been injury free I think, and has improved this season.

 

Golgol, injured here and there.

 

The point is, sides like WSW and Central Coast have mostly had settled line-ups and it's reflected in consistency of performance. The last thing you think about us is consistency.

 

Anyway, this isn't to suggest Aloisi hasn't made mistakes. I think he will get another season to show if he can learn and improve. And if he can bed down the squad he needs and can keep key players on the pitch regularly, he should do better. But I do think the board screwed up in taking so long to make the coaching decision, and then picking the wrong guy. This year was so important in the development of the club that I think it was crazy to take a punt on such an inexperienced coach. But that's history now. The club is committed to developing our own coach and should also be commended for their committment in supporting JA. I think he can become a good coach and really hope we start to see the benefits next year.

[belaguttman]

What's our method to become successful? 

 

Aloisi admitted he'll play ugly football to get results, our board will reduce spending to break even. 

 

Who wants to be part of that philosophy compared to what we were orignally told 3 years ago.

we need to spend some money to recruit 2 key positions: an organising CB and a midfield playmaker. One of them needs to be an on-field leader. We need a sport psychologist who understands group theory and can work with the playing group and coaching staff. The Board has said that they will spend money on a suitable marquee to attract fans. The new TV deal starts next season, the clubs will have more money, FFA will help with a suitable marquee. 

 

Off field we need to set clear goals, is it player development or immediate success? We need a clearly articulated football philosophy and the football department and players need to be accountable to the Board for it.

[natalie182]

Here's an article from The Age:

Heart's veterans playing for futures

A number of senior Melbourne Heart players who come off contract at the end of this A-League season could be playing for their futures over the final weeks of the campaign as coach John Aloisi demands his older men stand up and be counted.

The team's lack of fight in its two recent losses - to Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand and at home to Adelaide United on Monday night - has left the club with only a slim finals chance.

It will probably need to take nine points from its final three matches - at home to league leaders Western Sydney and away to second-placed Central Coast, as well as finals-chasing Brisbane - to make certain of a play-off place, which on current form looks well beyond the team.

The club is understood to be relatively pleased with its financial position, if not its league position.

A board meeting on Monday is believed to have heard that, as a result of sales of its most promising young players earlier this season, it could break even this year and prove to its investors that it could operate as a sustainable business even with its low supporter base - if it keeps producing players it can sell on to foreign clubs.

But it has also accepted that such a business model is largely inimical to on-field success, and that it will have to invest further in experienced players and marketing and business development resources if it is to strengthen its position on the pitch and grow its small supporter base off the field.

Heart works to the salary cap ($2.4 million) but does not pay any extra, unlike most A-League sides which fund overseas and domestic marquee players and use other permitted strategies to lift their clubs' wages bills.

Players such as veteran defender Simon Colosimo (who turned 34 last January), Brazilian marquee man Fred (who turns 34 before the start of next season) and utility Matt Thompson (30), the first A-League player to reach 200 games (the milestone he marked in the loss to Adelaide) all come out of contract at the end of this season.

Veteran goalkeeper Clint Bolton, who has lost his place in the starting line-up, is another, while Richard Garcia (31), the former Premier League winger with Hull City, is also at the end of the one-season deal he signed when returning from Europe.

Of all those, the club would probably like to retain Garcia - depending on his salary demands - and perhaps Thompson, although he would be asked to take a pay cut if he wanted to stay.

Bolton may retire, while Fred's injury record ensures that he might be a very marginal proposition in the future. Jamie Coyne, the ex-Perth Glory defender, and Dutch midfielder Marcel Meeuwis were both signed as stop-gap players to provide cover and it is unlikely that they figure in Aloisi's long-term plans.

Heart retains some good youngsters - especially fullback Jeremy Walker - but it needs to get more out of its experienced men, starting this week.

[AlexDaGroza]

I think JA's limitations as an inexperienced coach have been evident for much of the season. Things like an inability to make effective tactical or personell changes during the course of a match.

But I think the biggest problem we've had this season has largely been out of his control. And that's the lack of a settled squad. To be a top side, you need a stable and settled playing group. So I think he deserves some latitude for the comings and goings which seem to have marked this season, and all three seasons so far really.

Right back: Marrone, who was having an average season anyway leaves for China meaning a NYL player fills in. Walker has done well however, and is one of the season's bright spots.

Centre halves: Gerhardt has been a rock, which makes last night's omission a mystery. Colosimo cost us points earlier, then did alright, but still misses games with injury/suspension. Vrankovic has been pretty good but is developing. Gray nothing. Hammil and Good gone.

Left back: Aziz leaves mid season, replaced by a kid, Hoffman(!), and Coyne. Nothing settled since Aziz and it's just a patch up job until next year.

Defensive midfield: Recruited Gerhardt, but he settles into a CB. Grella played for 15 minutes. Thommo tries his guts out, but for most of his career at Heart, he's been shoe horned into positions which aren't his natural position. Doesn't really have the quality to be the DM Aloisi needs. Germano injured in pre season and much of the early season. Hoffman not good enough. Finally recruit Meeuwis, who has managed no more than a half yet. For the area of the park that was identified as the key before the season, it's also been a patch-up job all year.

Attacking mid: Fred is still a very good player IMO, but has spent almost all season injured or coming back from injury. Kalmar has had two excellent games but needs the team playing well around him to be effective. Garcia was great in this position I thought, but has been moved to the right wing.

Right wing: Dugandzic injured almost for the whole season.

No 9: Tadic, first season, up and down, injured at times. Babalj gone, then back, but out of form. Macallister a workhorse but that's about it.

Left: Williams has been injury free I think, and has improved this season.

Golgol, injured here and there.

The point is, sides like WSW and Central Coast have mostly had settled line-ups and it's reflected in consistency of performance. The last thing you think about us is consistency.

Anyway, this isn't to suggest Aloisi hasn't made mistakes. I think he will get another season to show if he can learn and improve. And if he can bed down the squad he needs and can keep key players on the pitch regularly, he should do better. But I do think the board screwed up in taking so long to make the coaching decision, and then picking the wrong guy. This year was so important in the development of the club that I think it was crazy to take a punt on such an inexperienced coach. But that's history now. The club is committed to developing our own coach and should also be commended for their committment in supporting JA. I think he can become a good coach and really hope we start to see the benefits next year.

Totally agree. Another thing which grinds my gears is the fact that this squad doesnt seem to have a player who can flick the switch and fire up the team. I mean look at sydney fc with del piero still producing magic even when the rest of the players around him where throwing up rubbish. Pretty much every team in this league has a player that almost "carries" the team on their back. Youve got your rojas, mcbreen, brockie, vidiosic etc. and yet heart dont seem to have that one player who can snap back a goal from no where. As a fan, as soon as i see the club down a single goal i feel like theres no point watching anymore because the squad we have wont lift. And we dont seem to have the individual talent and flair in a single player to do that either.

[Melburnian]

I did a bit of work at a well known AFL club who also has a salary cap and the research done clearly showed there was distinct correlation between the clubs who can spend the most being the most successful. This was made as a priority by the club I was at and evidence today three years later is that this club had substantially added finances to all areas of its operation particularly the football side of things and are now bearing fruit also.

Where is the evidence we have cried poor? For real? It seems like it's in our constitution. The way we portray ourselves also shows an image of being a poorer club.

As said the image needs to change and the board need to get their act into gear IF they want this club to be successful.

John Aloisi can be a great manager, but needs support and backing.

 

Spend more money you say?

Perhaps we could start by getting more "value for money" off the football pitch so we don't have things like that wonderful radio ad that hit SEN happen again...

Perhaps then the club will be willing to spend more in these areas as well, which is much needed.

 

Well it's part of what I mean.

 

We need more resources in the football side of things - coaches, better players, scouts, development, fitness staff, medical staff. But also Administration side of things. We can't have one person doing the job of 10 people. It's not fair on the individual and us. 

[HEARTinator]

Sports psychology seems topical at the moment and it got a run on radio this arvo when discussions turned to the Aussie cricket team. A point was made about the importance of having the right culture/mentality in a team. This is one area that we haven't done well this year with our L-plate coach. Compare that to WSW where the players have bought into a team ethic and it shows on the pitch where everyone is busting their guts -even castoffs like Haliti and Bridgy look like gun players FFS! Hopefully we can deflate their tyres this week

Edited March 12, 2013 by HEARTinator

[fiz.heart]

Its not about money, or the philosophy, or the injuries, or the player ins and outs. I honestly believe its all down to the coaching staff.

Look how Popovic, Ange P and Arnold motivate their teams each week. WSW conjured up a team of mostly aleague rejects in a few months and now they are top of the league. The tards have only 2 good players (Rojas and Archie) and they are 3rd. CCM keep losing valuable players to overseas clubs and are supposedly just as 'poor' as us and they are 2nd! The difference is that their respective coaches are able to MOTIVATE their players week in week out for 90mins straight no matter the circumstances. JA and even JVS failed in this particular important area.

 

I honestly believe our fan base could've been as big as MV's by now if only our on-field performances weren't half as bad as they have been these past 3 seasons. MV were a laughing stock when we entered the comp. No doubt they would've felt threatened by us. But then the tards went out and did something about it and hired Ange P and now are reaping the benefits of that coaching appointment. They are nothing without him.

 

It's too late now to give JA more time to grow in the role of being a head coach as the fans are losing faith. Our current playing list really isnt that bad (minus a few names) IMO they just need someone that will give them a kick up the arse and a bit of tactical smarts wont go astray either.

[Kiro Kompiro]

@fiz.heart.

 

Its not just about motivation.

 

Popovic, Arnold and Postecoglou are the 3 most technical coaches the A-league has seen.  They know the way they want  their team to play, they know how they want the team to be organised on the pitch, the players understand their roles, they know which players they want based on their on pitch abilities to play to the game plan, and they know who they don't want.  And they will act-within contractual limitations and funds.

 

And look at how Edwards is stamping his mark at Glory: completely cnanged their style and put their Player of the Season award winner and current honourary Muscat Thug Award holder Burns on the bench, along with his partner in crime with the greek name.  

 

I expect Wanderers to be better next season, and Victree will have a mini-clean out to let Postecoglou pick his squad mostly free from Merrick and Cole's signings.  If Arnold stays at CCM they will be thereabouts again (although i expect he wants to do well in the ACL and coach in Asia).  Glory will improve as well.

 

Until Arnold and Postecoglou showed the way, the coach was never considered THAT signficant in Australia.  Most teams relied on small differences in player quality.  Victree's board even bought players without a coach!

 

Nowadays the coach is the first thing the club HAS to get right.  Have we?

[Red or Dead]

No, we have not.

[Saints43]

I'll stop there.

 

Graham 'Two sugars' Arnold has had three years to put together a squad. His tactic is to switch play endlessly - like some crab like Crazy Gang. And has a 35 year old central defender having his career best season as a striker to rely on.

 

Will win as many a-league titles as JA will this year.

 

Arnold .... (one of the) most technical coaches the A-league has seen.  

[tachycardia]

I always try to take the long term view. I honestly would have preferred JvS stayed, but that is another issue, and with Aloisi in charge, you have to at least give him a second season to see what he does.

 

The problem is that we need results quickly, for off field reasons as much as on, because we don't have an established fan base.

 

If you bring in a new manager, firstly who? And secondly, will we not have to go through yet another season of adjustment?

[Torn Asunder]

I have no doubt JA will be given more time. I only hope he continues to learn, improve and build confidence in himself as the manager, which in turn will permeate throughout the club.

At the end of the day a manager has the ability to make or break a club. To see a world class manager and all they can bring to the role, I suggest to those who have not seen it, DL and watch the recent tv doco on Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers introduction in his role as gaffer.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Torn Asunder

[belaguttman]

The manager is important, but all the evidence points to the quality of the playing list being much more important. This is what we have to improve. We need players who can pass accurately and read the game well enough to understand movement off the ball.

[jw1739]

The manager is important, but all the evidence points to the quality of the playing list being much more important. This is what we have to improve. We need players who can pass accurately and read the game well enough to understand movement off the ball.

Not sure that this is the whole story BG.

 

The manager sets the overall playing direction, playing formation and style, is in charge of selections, determines tactics, management of the bench, etc. etc. He must also be a leader, a good man manager, and when needs be a strong disciplinarian. That's a bit more important than you imply?

 

Given that JA is staying and will be with us next season, IMO there are a number of key changes that need to be made. First, as it is an extremely tough ask to manage people you were once mates with. So IMO those players coming out of contract who were part of the Aloisi playing group need to be released.

 

Step two is that we need a captain with pretty much the same skills as the manager. He is the on-field right arm of the manager, and he has to lead the team by example. He also needs to know how to relate to the officials on the field, which is a delicate balance of skills.

 

Step three is that, unless the captain fills this role as well, we need someone to boss and organize the defence.

 

Step four is to recruit to a plan, because it's no good signing players and then trying to fit them into something for which they are not naturally suitable. IMO certain aspects of our recruitment before and during this season look pretty ad hoc.

 

Lastly, it may be contentious (something to keep us going until October!) but I'm not a fan of this 4-3-3 formation we use and the emphasis on the wing-backs as an attacking weapon - often our main attacking weapon. It might look good when it works, but too often when the attack breaks down we are caught undermanned at the back on the counter-attack. I would much prefer to see us with a less adventurous back line, playing the ball out quickly along the ground through the midfield, and feeding our front men that way. IMO we have virtually abandoned the style that JvS started with - he used his wingers to get width rather than the full-backs.

 

In summary I think 4-3-3 exposes us at the back, and leaves us short at the front, and I would much prefer us to be closer to 4-2-4 than 4-3-3.

[mulhollanddrive]

The 2 things I want to see improve from JA:

 

- Say something that shows you know tactics.  Telling a team to fight more, play with more intensity, win more tough balls, not get physically intimdated.  That's generic stuff you hear from amatuers.

 

- Play a game style that isn't just long balls under pressure and running quickly on the counter.  The league has evolved from that.

 

JVS took more than a year to be able to do that, I hope JA shows he can too.

[Heart of Melbourne]

Aloisi out now

[Heart of Melbourne]

Aloisi out now

[Heart of Melbourne]

Fuck this. Aloisi is a joke

[HeartFc]

What a cunt. Turning this club into rabble. Fuck off Aloisi.

[Luke]

Get the fuck out of our club you c**t

[kingofhearts]

Johnny time to go,

Johnny, johnny time to go

[Heart of Melbourne]

Fuck this. Aloisi is a joke

[AntiScum]

If this A grade circus monkey is still at the club by the end of the year ill rip up my membership (along with my mates) and never watch a game of Football again. MUNN YOU PAY PEANUTS YOU GET MONKEYS!!!!!!

[Heart of Melbourne]

Top post antiscum

[Heart of Melbourne]

Top post antiscum

[Dylan]

Fold aloisi, fold munn fold jd empty the ice from the wheelie bins

[HeartFc]

Leaving Eli out on a rainy day?? Wtf.

I don't care if the cunt has been shit lately it's must win game. You don't leave out the biggest cunt in the team on a day where skill and speed is less important. We missed having a big target up front. Poor Tadic couldn't win shit. Didn't help that the service was fooking shyte.

[Heart of Melbourne]

Tadic out

Thompson out

Colosimo out

JD out aloisi out

NOW

[Heart of Melbourne]

And Scott Munn NOW

[Bobbobbobmarley]

Absolute Joke, Aloisi Out.

[HeartFc]

Tadic out

Thompson out

Colosimo out

JD out aloisi out

NOW

Tadic? Na wtf. Cunts class not his fault his playing with a bunch spastics.

[Heart of Melbourne]

And Scott Munn NOW

[mstam]

Close the doors!

 

No way in hell I am paying for another membership next season with Aloisi and his pizza boy assistant on the side!

 

We have become a friggin joke!

[biancorosso7]

At the end of the day, Aloisi isn't the 11 guys on the pitch.

 

Is he the best coach? No. He doesn't need to be sacked but.

[marn11]

Don't think he has a lot to work with to be honest. I reckon about 5 of our players would cut it in any of this years top 4 squads.

[Luke]

I honestly think Scott Munn is the cancer of this club

[Parrot]

Don't think he has a lot to work with to be honest. I reckon about 5 of our players would cut it in any of this years top 4 squads.

 

Hmmnnn .... Look what has happened to Babalj. Not even played yesterday. He was one of our stars last year. Look at Leigh Broxham at Victory - look how he has lifted under Ange Postecoglou. They either measure up or they are out at Victory. 

But not at Heart.

Certain players can play absolute shit week after week after week after week and still get game after game after game. Colosimo gets another red card after an irresponsible tackle.

Our recruiting has been absolute shit. 

The latest example - what are we doing signing an overseas player in the January transfer window who we now decide is not a regular starting 11 player? 

Two folks I see each week at Heart home games who have been members since Day One said they might not be back next year if Aloisi remains the Manager. 

 

We need a Manager who can get the best out of our players on a consistent basis. This has not happened. Bet you we wouldn't have been anywhere near this shit if we had Ange Postecoglou or Tony Popovic managing the side.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Parrot