John Aloisi

[jw1739]

IMO we should ease off a bit.

 

Listen to what Sidwell said - he and everyone else at MHFC has played a part in what has happened. Everyone has some culpability in this. IMO that's acknowledgement of past incorrect decisions.

 

It's not as if MHFC is a big operation where the workers never get to see the Executive let alone the Board. The guy who's been chopped was working with pretty well everyone except the Board on a daily basis. As Sidwell indicated, there's a real person and his family involved here.

 

We may be critical of the delay before action was taken, but it has now been taken. The coach has gone, plus his assistant. An interim coach will be appointed for the rest of this season. That's steps 1 and 2. Steps 3 onwards will follow in due course.

[RoyalHeart]

So happy with this news. Congrats to the supporters/Yarraside who fought for this through banners, protests etc. Things like this as we have seen do make a difference. King Malta you have been doing the round on Fox Sports News again this morning!

 

And a big fuck you to Adele K Thomas and Luke Sammut 

 

Glad I hung around drunk after the Wellington game with the Capo and Bozza and some others to make our feelings heard. 

[Tommykins]

Abusing other supporters for staying positive, even when they really should have wavered is a dumb move, mate.

[RoyalHeart]

Abusing other supporters for staying positive, even when they really should have wavered is a dumb move, mate.

 

I'm not abusing other supporters for being positive. I am abusing them because they claim to have a 'right to an opinion' which they are completely entitled to but they then have a go at Yarraside/other fans for having the opinion that JA should be sacked and voicing that opinion which completely contradicts what they originally said, mate.

Edited December 29, 2013 by RoyalHeart

[KSK_47]

Just listened to the presser and yet again the club are sending mixed messages. 

 

RE- JA, its all pretty much been said before. Sad but had to happen. Interesting that Sidwell once again said that Aloisi was hired on advice they were given at the time. I would love to find out what this advice was and who gave it to them. The guy who sold the Springfield monorail perhaps? If they are going make massive decisions based on advice that was clearly so terrible even a bunch of people on an internet forum could see it was a mistake, why should we trust that they wont make huge mistakes like this again. Or was it advice given to them by an accountant?

 

RE- The board/sale of the club. Unbelievable! So we have very wealthy investors who have no issue funding ANY requirements? Right. So we dont require proper advertising campaigns? We dont require a proper marquee player who is not on his last legs and that people are actually excited to come and see? We dont require an experienced coach with a proven track record? We dont require a proper HQ? I could go on but you get the point. Where is this apparent wealth? We were even told that the club cant afford to pay someone to edit an audio file of the clubs song but we are supposed to believe them when they say we have wealthy investors willing to fund our requirements? (perhaps they dont see investing insignificant amounts of money to help develop fan culture as important or a requirment) Does he think we dont remember all the stuff that has been said over the years? Minimal investment, maximum profit is all the board are interested in and are just wanting to offload asap as far as I can see and the only way I will ever believe that isnt true is if I am SHOWN otherwise not told.

[Peter]

Perhaps a "Sell Up Sidwell" banner might drive the message home?

[KSK_47]

Perhaps a "Sell Up Sidwell" banner might drive the message home?

 

Pretty sure he is more than  happy to do so and has been planning to for quite some time now

[mulhollanddrive]

Would you trust this board to appoint the next manager?  Sale will be in everyones interest.

 

How funny would it be if we started talking about posession football, youth promotion and community grass roots again.  It's like the last 2 years never happened, twice.

Edited December 29, 2013 by mulhollanddrive

[belaguttman]

Perhaps a "Sell Up Sidwell" banner might drive the message home?

Graet message although the deal may be done by the next home game

[Tony999]

I can't believe JA was still going stay LOL I mean he does love the club but this was more stalking!

[Peter]

The banner idea is more of a hurry up and get a move on, otherwise the next owner might have a bit more spare cash than he first thought with the lower purchase price type of thing.

As mulhollanddrive pointed out, we don't want anymore Maycon for Sibon type football decisions being made.

[jw1739]

The banner idea is more of a hurry up and get a move on, otherwise the next owner might have a bit more spare cash than he first thought with the lower purchase price type of thing.

As mulhollanddrive pointed out, we don't want anymore Maycon for Sibon type football decisions being made.

I think you and others should listen to what Peter Sidwell actually said.

[KSK_47]

I listened to what he said and what I understood it to be is that the entire club have completely fucked up on a monumental scale. And if anyone wants to buy in they will be happy to let them in providing they will stop them making the same Rediculous mistakes.

How am I supposed to take anything anyone at the club says seriously after this?

Edited December 29, 2013 by KSK_47

[Peter]

Sidwell said that things conspired against JA and said JA was professional at all times and will make a great coach. Sidwell also said that success is measured on the field. Yet this is the chairman of the same board that sold Hammil, Good, Balbalj, Behich &co. from under JA and gave us the NQR of squads last season after taking our membership money. The rot set in and now it is only mathematically possible to salvage our season, although it is in all reality already shot.

Sidwell was diplomatic, but if our key objective was really success on the park then the current state of affairs would not have eventuated and/or action would have been taken earlier to arrest the decline which was obvious to all.

I do agree with Sidwell that JA is one of our "favourite sons", and hopefully he will be remembered well and not just for his results as coach.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Peter

[KSK_47]

Basically just saying whatever works best to patch things over. Sick of talk.

[jw1739]

Sidwell said that things conspired against JA and said JA was professional at all times and will make a great coach. Sidwell also said that success is measured on the field. Yet this is the chairman of the same board that sold Hammil, Good, Balbalj, Behich &co. from under JA and gave us the NQR of squads last season after taking our membership money. The rot set in and now it is only mathematically possible to salvage our season, although it is in all reality already shot.

Sidwell was diplomatic, but if our key objective was really success on the park then the current state of affairs would not have eventuated and/or action would have been taken earlier to arrest the decline which was obvious to all.

I do agree with Sidwell that JA is one of our "favourite sons", and hopefully he will be remembered well and not just for his results as coach.

Peter, the players you mention, to my knowledge all had buy-out clauses in their contracts. That is, if that $ value was offered and they wanted to go, then the club had to release them.

I realise that we differ on some aspects of this issue, but it's pretty standard practice for there to be get-out clauses in contracts. These players merely exercised them. No-one can be "blamed" for that.

At the start of this season most people on here were quite satisfied with the squad. Not all, but most were. We thought it had depth and would be competitive. But JA had a poor game plan, and IMO most of us would agree that there have been a lot of underperformances from the players. A lot.

As far as I'm concerned this disastrous chapter in our history is over, and I'm moving on.

[Kiro Kompiro]

Re: player get out clauses.  A-League clubs are historically very bad at keeping their players, simply because they let players hold all the aces.  Often players are let go even if there are no get out clauses, or if the player simply wants to go because they get an offer for better money.  Better that than have a disgruntled player on your books.  Well, no.

 

Football clubs are multi-million dollar operations.  fans buy memberships on the basis of certain players being at the club.  Clubs need to set an example to players that a deal is a deal. Put decent prices on their players heads.  If a player sulks, make him rot in the reserves, or the bench.  See where his career goes after two years training on his own.  Ask Jonathan Bru.  Once they see this happen to one player, the message gets through pretty quickly.

[KSK_47]

 

As far as I'm concerned this disastrous chapter in our history is over, and I'm moving on.

 

 

I understand what you are getting at, but dont forget the people who wrote this disastrous chapter still have their jobs and are running our club.

[Kiro Kompiro]

 

 

As far as I'm concerned this disastrous chapter in our history is over, and I'm moving on.

 

 

I understand what you are getting at, but dont forget the people who wrote this disastrous chapter still have their jobs and are running our club.

 

 

They'e not football people, they've learned a harsh and expensive lesson.

[AntiScum]

Close the thread the letters J & A have been removed from the alphabet .... ch*pters closed time to move forw*rd :-)

[Peter]

 

Sidwell said that things conspired against JA and said JA was professional at all times and will make a great coach. Sidwell also said that success is measured on the field. Yet this is the chairman of the same board that sold Hammil, Good, Balbalj, Behich &co. from under JA and gave us the NQR of squads last season after taking our membership money. The rot set in and now it is only mathematically possible to salvage our season, although it is in all reality already shot.

Sidwell was diplomatic, but if our key objective was really success on the park then the current state of affairs would not have eventuated and/or action would have been taken earlier to arrest the decline which was obvious to all.

I do agree with Sidwell that JA is one of our "favourite sons", and hopefully he will be remembered well and not just for his results as coach.

Peter, the players you mention, to my knowledge all had buy-out clauses in their contracts. That is, if that $ value was offered and they wanted to go, then the club had to release them.

I realise that we differ on some aspects of this issue, but it's pretty standard practice for there to be get-out clauses in contracts. These players merely exercised them. No-one can be "blamed" for that.

At the start of this season most people on here were quite satisfied with the squad. Not all, but most were. We thought it had depth and would be competitive. But JA had a poor game plan, and IMO most of us would agree that there have been a lot of underperformances from the players. A lot.

As far as I'm concerned this disastrous chapter in our history is over, and I'm moving on.

 

John, In fairness you are correct about the buy out clauses although the club had used Hammil and Behich as two that the club were building our side around.

The current squad is good enough and I have made my position on JA clear some time ago. I hope he does well into the future.

As for your last point, there is no option but to move forward. I am hoping Sidwell's emotions in his interview were heart felt and not just verging on crocodile tears. The closeness of the staff at Melbourne Heart seems to lead to a lack of objective and critical thinking. It is good that staff seem to back one another, but as with the appointment of JVS's son (who may or may not have been the best candidate for the job), it appears Heart is very much a "who you know" as opposed to a "what you know" type of environment. Going into business with a friend is seldom recommended.

I hope the board has learnt from this experience and if they do not sell up, use the experience to guide us well into the future.

[MHFCROB24]

What's the word on foxe? he still staying or he out too?

[Caddy]

What's the word on foxe? he still staying or he out too?

He resigned

[Torn Asunder]

Aloisi a test case for young A-League coaches

 

30 Dec 2013 | 08:57-Craig Foster

 

 

The nice, rare thing about the departure of John Aloisi from Melbourne Heart is that all parties have acted with integrity - something we cannot always say in this game.

 

 

The decision to appoint a relatively inexperienced young coach was always a risky one, and Heart must have identified from his work with the youth team that John was an outstanding talent.

 

He may eventually prove to be, since a failure at one club is nothing more than a step on the ladder of experience that every great coach must endure. Having made what was a controversial decision at the time to appoint Aloisi, Heart stuck to it.

 

Heart stuck to it doggedly, fairly and admirably, during the most testing of times.

 

The run of results has been nothing short of disastrous, and yet both parties emerged from a tumultuous weekend with their credit in tact. Even the axing was carried out with sensitivity.

 

 

John has endured the most difficult baptism any young coach could anticipate yet conducted himself with dignity, resisted apportioning blame elsewhere (particularly to his players) and took responsibility throughout.

 

This is one reason why he maintained the support of the majority of fans and the cub, not to mention a large part of the community.

 

If it is true that competition exposes character then John’s has again been proven to be one of great resilience under the most intense pressure, as he proved when playing.

 

Having lost to Wellington Phoenix and languishing six points adrift, there was simply no other solution for the club.

 

We can discuss the playing group, the Kewell signing, the Engelaar injury and all manor of issues, nevertheless even John will reflect later that he was given more time than most coaches ever are or will be, and that the club had really no other option in the circumstances. All any coach can request is enough faith and patience to allow him or her to overcome the inevitable shifts in fortune. John was afforded every chance.

 

Professional football is not a contest of character or style, of conduct or sentimentality, but one of points. After a certain amount of time to adapt and prepare a playing model, it is a measure of points gained, and they were not.

With Heart cut adrift, there comes a point when the best interests of not just the club, but the overall competitiveness of league becomes paramount. Tough decisions have to be made.

 

My own feeling is that under such pressure it would be very difficult for John to find time to learn and evolve in the job and the best thing he can do now is take time to reflect, extract the unanswered questions and head abroad to find the answers.

 

John was also provided with greater patience from many others, me included, for the simple reason that a young local coach has a different test to imported coaches.

 

The A-League exists principally to train Australian coaches and players, and imports are only valuable to the extent that they raise the standard to support this end.

 

Overseas coaches are necessary to raise the bar and challenge the locals to improve, which they have, but those who cannot do so are of no use and damaging the game by removing the opportunity for an Australian.

 

Unfortunately, this has too often been the case in the past nine years.

 

Once appointed, my hope was that John would succeed. It is imperative, now that they are undertaking a full education, that our coaching talents are given an opportunity. There is perhaps another lesson to emerge that is of greater importance, the need for full preparation before taking on an A-League head coach role.

 

Tony Popovic spent years as assistant under Vitezslav Lavicka, then went abroad, before stepping up. Kevin Muscat has spent time under different coaches and, if we go further back, it was not until Graham Arnold spent time under Guus Hiddink that he was able to evolve into a quality technician.

 

The lesson is that, like any professional role, a thorough apprenticeship must be carried out to ensure the candidate is prepared for the challenges ahead. This can be in an assisting role (though it is often best here to have a dedicated assistant without the desire for the top role), or can be with a youth or premier league team.

 

For John’s part, he emerges with his reputation as a man of rare character intact and, should he remain in coaching long term and use the experience to learn and evolve, will eventually get it right. He is simply too determined not to.

 

[n i k o]

What's the word on foxe? he still staying or he out too?

He resigned

My biggest concern was he would stay on and would be stand in coach. Thank god he quit.

[Jestr]

One thing to take out of Craig foster's article as the key ingredient for a successful coach is

"THE APPRENTICESHIP"

Do the hard yards John, you're only 38 with one colossal life lesson now behind you.

whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

All the best in the future.

[tigerou812]

"John has endured the most difficult baptism any young coach could anticipate yet conducted himself with dignity, resisted apportioning blame elsewhere (particularly to his players) and took responsibility throughout."

 

Mr Foster must have seen different things than we did. Never rated JA. We can blame the board for giving him the job but he could have said at any time that he was not ready. I would have given him more respect if he put his hand up and said at this time I'm not good enough and I need more experience. The man was driven by his ego. I am glad he is gone and I couldn't care less about his goal or anything else he did. 

[mstam]

Craig Foster is just another mate of the clique in our game fuelled by SBS and his cronies, Aloisi being one of them.

 

- Based on this article is this consistent with why he publicly tried to humiliate Ange Posti when in charge of U20's, wasn't he a young australian coach at the time?

 

- Similarly do you notice how he rarely mentions Mike Mulvey and the great work he is doing, is this because he wasn't a Socceroo?

 

We the Australian football public deserve better than hearing the constant tripe and agenda driven media that keeps coming out from these idiots!

[MHFCROB24]

Loved his passion for the club, Just not his football smarts as a coach.

[Murfy1]

Couldn't be happier. I've been out of Melbourne for a few days and disconnected from the internet and media (the last thing I read about Heart was Lynch's article in the Sunday Age titled 'Give John Aloisi more time, urges Wellington coach Ernie Merrick').

 

Great way to start the new year, hearing about JA going and JVS being appointed.

[Murfy1]

Agree with some of the write ups about this change:

 

 

John Aloisi had big budget but poor decisions cost him his job, David Davutovic writes

 

David Davutovic   Herald Sun   29 December 2013

 

[...]

 

But Aloisi had the ultimate say on player signings and was armed with the biggest budget in the club's history.

 

Aloisi hadn't had time to develop his own philosophy and personal relationships and his man-management and game-day coaching were his downfalls, and his inability or slowness to react during games ultimately cost him his job.

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/john-aloisi-had-big-budget-but-poor-decisions-cost-him-his-job-david-davutovic-writes/story-fnk6rlg0-1226791546364

 

Opinion: Melbourne Heart finally get it right by sacking John Aloisi

 

 

30/12/2013 6:45:00 PM

 

Marooned at the bottom of the A-League, the club's administration have done the right thing by getting rid of their lame-duck head coach

 

OPINION
By Guy Hand

John Aloisi's exit was a lot like his coaching tenure.

Winners were few. Squandered opportunities. Plenty of explaining to do.

Blood on their hands or not, Melbourne Heart's decision to sack Aloisi was merciful and right. He will one day be thankful the tough call was made.

To continue on would have rendered him completely unemployable as an A-League coach or assistant in the future. Now, he still has one.

This was a ship which wasn't going to turn around. The penny doesn't just drop for teams that don't win in 17 matches, carrying a coach with a 62 per cent losing percentage. That is an iceberg struck, water pouring in.

Aloisi's post-match explanations of defeat after defeat had become repetitive and desperate. To the public, he'd become a dead man walking. Do you seriously reckon he still had the players?

It brought to mind John Cusack in the 1980s movie Say Anything. Straining to hold his ghetto blaster above his head, a song from the heart at full pelt, pledging his undying commitment.

Depending on your view, it was either wonderfully romantic or creepily stalker-like and needed ending.

Heart's hierarchy finally decided the latter was the better. It was a choice far better than their initial appointment of Aloisi over Ante Milicic - now an assistant at high-flying Western Sydney Wanderers.

Speaking to any number of Heart players in their first two seasons, one thing became very clear - the esteem that Milicic was held in by the squad and the below-the-line work he did with players to improve their game.

Finding someone to say a good word about Tezza was never difficult.

Not that Aloisi - who was elevated from the youth team job - wasn't a decent bloke either. It just wasn't to be at the Heart, and probably never was the right fit considering his inexperience compared with the better-credentialed Milicic.

Aloisi will coach again. Along with his strong pedigree in the game, he is a decent man. Anyone who has spent time with him says he does possess the tactical nous required. Getting the message across proved his undoing at Heart. At the very least, he is now far wiser than 18 months ago about what the job entails.

A little Ange Postecoglou-style time in the media - and you can be sure SBS for one will be in touch - may help widen his horizons, crystallise his vision, and help him better sell his message when his time comes again.

 

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-au/news/4026/opinion/2013/12/30/4510718/opinion-melbourne-heart-finally-get-it-right-by-sacking-john

Edited January 1, 2014 by Murfy1

[Watdog]

I have not read all the posts on this subject, and I am not a regular user/viewer of this site.

JA was sacked for his poor results, he did himself no favours by sticking to the same players who continually let him down. I was very optimistic that he may come good but that was not the case. It also true in these cases that when a club is being sold or in the process the future owners of the club want to be able to install there own manager. The dirty work is done by the current owners a neutral manager is installed. I would be very surprised if a new manager is not installed at the beginning of next season, unless of course he managers a miracle and we play finals.

[Caddy]

I have not read all the posts on this subject, and I am not a regular user/viewer of this site.

JA was sacked for his poor results, he did himself no favours by sticking to the same players who continually let him down. I was very optimistic that he may come good but that was not the case. It also true in these cases that when a club is being sold or in the process the future owners of the club want to be able to install there own manager. The dirty work is done by the current owners a neutral manager is installed. I would be very surprised if a new manager is not installed at the beginning of next season, unless of course he managers a miracle and we play finals.

 

That's pretty much how the concensus here felt. JVS I think doesn't want to manage next season anyway.

[Murfy1]

John Aloisi's difficult tenure at Melbourne Heart shouldn't spell the end of his coaching career

 

David Davutovic   Herald Sun   January 4, 2014

 

JOHN Aloisi is one of 46 coaches to have sat on the A-League's plastic chairs in nine seasons and there's little doubt he can be the sixth to come back after being sacked.

 

Ernie Merrick, John Kosmina, Miron Bleiberg, Frank Farina and Branko Culina all got second chances after they were dumped by their original clubs.

 

Aloisi's coaching record is poor and by the end of his tenure it was clear that the players had lost belief in his message.

 

But it would be foolish to rule a line through him as a future A-League coach and this raises the issue of how we culturally perceive coaches.

 

Former Italy, Juventus and Chelsea striker and later Blues manager Gianluca Vialli compared English and Italian football in his book: 'The Italian Job'. In comparing English and Italian football cultures he compared how sacked coaches were viewed and in Italy they're regarded better for every experience while in England reputations are usually tarnished, often permanently.

 

Perhaps it explains why Fabio Capello's extensive CV includes AC Milan (two stints), Roma and Juventus and a Giovanni Trapattoni has coached well into his '70s while the talented Terry Venables had a modest resume that included Tottenham, ending at Leeds United.

 

Australia adopts the British culture in this sense and Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou's battle to return to management after seven years with Australia's youth teams is a case in point.

Aloisi turns 38 in February, so he has plenty of time, and he showed plenty of promise during his 20 months in charge.

 

While Heart's last win was almost 11 months ago it left them fifth on the table in what was the highest calibre A-League season to date during a campaign in which he lost Aziz Behich and Michael Marrone.

 

What happened since Aloisi needs to scrutinise, as Heart collapsed to narrowly avoid the wooden spoon while starting woefully this season.

 

After belatedly wielding the axe in his debut season his tactical and selection predictability cost him as players were no longer on edge, knowing they wouldn't be punished for making mistakes.

 

While he staked too much on injury-prone veterans and former teammates Vince Grella and Harry Kewell.

 

But he showed plenty of positives including courage in dropping former teammate and best and fairest Clint Bolton and a remarkable poise under intense pressure when others would've crumbled.

 

Aloisi is one of the few people who could fall back on a media or corporate speaking career but having completed his UEFA A coaching badges in 2013, one presumes he will continue with the Pro License.

 

Most importantly he needs to continue his apprenticeship somewhere, ideally working as an assistant to a quality senior coach.

 

Aloisi is intelligent and hard working and will make a top assistant, but continuing his apprenticeship will enable him to solidify his philosophy and find his voice as a coach having jumped into the hot seat too soon.

 

If Aloisi is ambitious this negative experience could provide the spark for him to go on and forge a decent coaching career.

 

While many have lamented the churn rate of A-League coaches, Aloisi's instance is a good lesson for budding young coaches not to put their hand up until they've had a good grounding.

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/john-aloisis-difficult-tenure-at-melbourne-heart-shouldnt-spell-the-end-of-his-coaching-career/story-e6frf7jo-1226794955084

Edited January 4, 2014 by Murfy1

[n i k o]

I hope he can make something of himself as a football coach, but still pissed off his inexperience came at the expense of this club.

[Heart_fan]

^^ I agree.

 

We have gone backwards very fast over the past 2 seasons, when we should have taken the next step.

 

I hope he does get a assistant role somewhere and builds on that. He seems like a good guy, but unfortunately was put in a job far above his head.

[jw1739]

It's these types of articles that are making me lean towards our next coach being from overseas. This cosy little Australian football clique where everyone deserves to re-ignite their coaching career is beginning to piss me completely off. I'm beginning to think that an overseas man, bringing no baggage to the club and no friendships with the media clique, would be far better for us. Reporting might then be more objective rather than subjective.

 

I can think of no reason why JA should ever be considered as an A-League coach again. He brought MHFC almost to the point of disintegration. I can't be bothered looking up the statistics again, but his record is one of the poorest 3-4 coaches in the league's history.

 

I also don't understand the continued obsession with Milicic. He was, and is still, an assistant coach. Yes, WSW are successful, but I'd say that is more to do with Popovich than Milicic. Of course Milicic was a better qualified candidate for the Heart job than Aloisi, but I see nothing that says he would have been more successful (except that it would have been harder to be worse).

 

Of course the Heart players said how good Milicic was. They were saying the same things about Aloisi two weeks ago.

 

Of course JA was a decent bloke. He tried hard, and I'm sure he worked hard to turn things around. But the results show that he was an unsuccessful coach. He threw away two of our founding values, recruited unwisely, made poor on-field choices, persisted with an ugly and unproductive style of football, and brought the club to its knees. 

[Caddy]

I want someone like Gombau. You can see the evolution of Adelaide every week, and I'm jealous.

Overseas coach pls. They've got a fair while to do their due diligence.

[Jestr]

Did JA really try hard???

What did he try?

Club was sinking, results poorest in the league and he did nothing.

No changes in tactics.

No changes in personnel on field.

No consequences for poor play, week in week out.

Long balls to a dwarf, totally ineffective

Relaying on the old guard.

No clear perspective to develop or at least intergrade younger players.

More games we lost, harder he held on to his loosing strategy.

Get him into a commentary role somewhere, he does it well.

Keep him away from coaching

[Kiro Kompiro]

Overseas coaches get crucified very quickly by the media.

 

 Look at Gombau, who clearly has made massive inroads in getting his limited talent pool to play a very modern possession-based game, but was under enormous pressure 3 weeks ago, not unlike Coolen got. 

 

OTOH Aloisi had ONE, just one, mildly challenging question, and that was politely asked by Bozza over a disastrous 8 months where he showed zero progress.