Ross Aloisi (born 17 April 1973) is a former Australian soccer player and current assistant coach of Shanghai Port.[3] He was the captain of Adelaide United in the Hyundai A-League – a team he guided to a minor premiership, a pre-season cup and two Asian Champions League campaigns. After leaving Adelaide united due to being red carded in the 2006 A-league grand final, he played for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League, where he was appointed their inaugural captain. Now, after his retirement as a football player, (having also featured as an assistant coach for Adelaide United), he was most recently one of the assistant coaches of J1 League club Yokohama F. Marinos. Aloisi was offered a contract for the next season after winning the league but didn't accept it.

Ross Aloisi
Personal information
Full name Ross Aloisi
Date of birth (1973-04-17) 17 April 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth Adelaide, South Australia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
Adelaide City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1991 Adelaide City 42 (12)
1992 Modbury Jets 6 (0)
1993 Enfield City Falcons 4 (3)
1993 FC Boom 4 (0)
1993–1994 Melbourne SC 13 (4)
1994 Thomastown Devils[1][2] 4 (0)
1994–1997 West Adelaide Sharks 57 (8)
1997–1998 FC Aarau 34 (6)
1998–1999 FC Lorient 1 (0)
1999–2000 Grazer AK 20 (0)
2000–2002 Alzano 41 (0)
2002–2003 Pro Sesto 29 (3)
2003–2004 Adelaide United 26 (4)
2004 White City 9 (3)
2004 Selangor FC
2005–2007 Adelaide United 50 (3)
2007–2008 Wellington Phoenix 13 (2)
Total 353 (48)
International career
1989 Australia U-17
1994–1996 Australia U-23 14 (4)
1994–1998 Australia 3 (0)
Managerial career
2010–2013 West Adelaide
2013–2015 Adelaide United Women
2015–2019 Brisbane Roar (assistant)
2020–2022 Adelaide United (assistant)
2022 Yokohama F. Marinos (assistant)
2023 Brisbane Roar
2024– Shanghai Port (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 July 2014
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 May 2007

Club career

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Aloisi was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the older brother of former Socceroo John Aloisi. He signed with National Soccer League club Adelaide City, for whom he made 6 appearances in the 1990–91 as the team finished third before losing in the preliminary final.[4]

Aloisi continued with Adelaide City in 1991–92, and played 11 matches, scoring a goal in their preliminary final victory against South Melbourne FC as Adelaide went on to take the championship.[5] Between seasons, he played for the Modbury Jets (1992) and Enfield City (1993) in the South Australia Super League, and after a final stint with Adelaide City in 1992–93 he moved to Europe with K. Boom F.C. in Belgium. He played just four matches for the club before returning to Australia to play for Brunswick Juventus in the 1993–94 NSL season.

Aloisi scored 4 goals in 13 matches as the team finished 13th of the 14 teams.[6] The club merged with Box Hill Inter and the Bulleen Lions to become the Melbourne Zebras, and Aloisi made 8 appearances in 1994–95, scoring a goal in the Zebras' 2–0 victory over the Melbourne Knights in the Johnny Walker Cup.[7] He signed on with the West Adelaide Sharks for the 1995–96 NSL season. Aloisi made 31 appearances for 4 goals as West Adelaide missed the finals by a single point,[8] Aloisi played another 17 matches for West Adelaide, but again they missed the finals series, and he decided again to attempt to build a career overseas.

Europe

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Aloisi signed with Swiss club FC Aarau, and played 38 matches for them in the 1997–98 season for 6 goals, and a further 2 matches in 1998–99,[9] before moving to play for FC Lorient in France. Aloisi only played 1 match for FC Lorient over two seasons before moving on to Grazer AK in Austria's Bundesliga. Aloisi made 18 appearances for GAK in 1999–2000, and a further 2 in 2000–01, where the club reached the second round of the UEFA Cup. Moving to Italy, Aloisi made 41 appearances over two seasons for Alzano Virescit, before moving to Pro Sesto where he scored 3 goals in 29 matches in 2002–03.

Adelaide United

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With the formation of Adelaide United in the NSL, Aloisi was lured to finally return home to Australia, and he became an integral member of the team, playing 26 games and scoring 4 goals as the new club reached the preliminary final. The collapse of the NSL, however, saw Aloisi move to Malaysia to play for Selangor FC helping them to finish second in the newly formed Malaysian Premier League.[10] With the introduction of the A-League, Aloisi returned again to Australia and Adelaide United, signing with the team in November 2004. The retirement of 2003–04 captain Aurelio Vidmar saw Aloisi inducted as captain of the club for the first A-League season,[11] and he played 23 of Adelaide's 24 matches, scoring 2 goals as the team won the inaugural A-League Premiership. Aloisi shared the LifeFM Adelaide Player of the Year award with Angelo Costanzo,.[12]

2006–07 season

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In the 2006–07 A-League season, Aloisi captained Adelaide United in a successful campaign that saw the side reach the Grand Final against Melbourne Victory on 18 February 2007 in Melbourne. Controversy followed Aloisi's appearance in that game, with him earning a red card in the 34th minute, leaving his side 1 man down for the rest of the match. United lost the Grand Final 6–0, a then record losing margin and aggregate score in a match in the short history of the A-League. Two months later Aloisi was sacked. John Kosmina (coach) had been asked to resign (sacked) by the Adelaide United board the Thursday following the grand final.[13][14] Aloisi then left the club altogether and has promised in magazine interviews to one day "tell all".[15]

Aloisi's allegedly unamicable departure was cited by brother John as being a principal reason why he rejected United's offer to become their marquee player for the 2007/2008 season. John also noted that Ross' departure lessened his desire to play for United, as his previously stated desire to play for United was based upon the incentive of finishing his career playing alongside his brother.

Wellington Phoenix

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Aloisi was offered the role of captaining the new A-League franchise Wellington Phoenix, for the 2007–08 season.[16] He scored twice in his only season with the Phoenix, before retiring at the end of the season.

Following retirement, Ross Aloisi joined Fox Sports as a commentator. He is also a columnist for Soccer International magazine and co-owns a ceramics business with his brother.[citation needed]

He now also co-hosts a weekly internet television show about football with John Kosmina, Two Up Front[17] for AustraliaLiveTV.com.

International career

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At the age of 16 travelled to Scotland to play for Australia at the 1989 FIFA Under-16 World Championship. He made one appearance off the bench against the United States, playing 39 minutes in the 2–2 draw.[18]

It was in 1994 that Aloisi broke into the Australian national team, playing 12 matches (for 2 goals) for the under-23 side (the Olyroos),[19] and making his top-level debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait in a friendly in September that year.[20] He played a second match for Australia against Japan five days later, earning a yellow card in the 0–0 draw. Aloisi played two matches for the Olyroos in 1995,[21]

In early 1996, Aloisi participated in the Olyroos' qualifying campaign for the 1996 Summer Olympics, scoring 5 goals in 5 games as Australia finished on top of the Oceania group.[22] Aloisi appeared in the away leg of the qualifying play-off tie against Canada, which Australia won 7–2 on aggregate to qualify for the Games. He played in all three of Australia's Olympic matches, but the team were knocked out in the group stages after losses to France and Spain.[23]

In June 1998, Aloisi made his third appearance for the Australian national team, playing 16 minutes in a 7–0 friendly loss against Croatia.[24]

In mid-1999, he returned home briefly to play two matches for Australia in Melbourne, friendlies against English club Manchester United,.[25]

Managerial career

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West Adelaide

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Aloisi was appointed as coach of West Adelaide in 2010, two years after their revival. During his three years at the club, he got them promoted from the third division into the semi-professional top-tier South Australia National Premier League, including a 40-game undefeated streak.[26][27]

Adelaide United Women

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In August 2013, Aloisi entered women's soccer, and was appointed as the head coach of Adelaide United's women's team competing in the W-League.[28] Following a season of improvement with the club, he was also appointed by Football South Australia as the head of South Australia's women's program.[29]

Stints as assistant coach

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In July 2015, Aloisi joined A-League club Brisbane Roar as an assistant coach under his brother John.[30] In January 2019, 3 weeks after his brother, he left the club.[31]

In October 2020, Aloisi returned to Adelaide United, this time as the assistant coach for the A-League team.[32] He departed the club in March 2022 to join an Asian club.[33]

In April 2022, Aloisi joined Yokohama F. Marinos as an assistant coach, under fellow Australian and former team-mate Kevin Muscat.[34][35]

Brisbane Roar Men

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In May 2023, Aloisi returned to a position of head coach, signing as the head coach of Brisbane Roar's team in the A-League Men, where he had previously spent four years as an assistant coach under his brother John.[36] After just 9 games at the helm, Aloisi departed the Roar on December 24.

Managerial statistics

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All competitive league games (league and domestic cup) and international matches (including friendlies) are included.

As of 11 December 2023
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
West Adelaide   1 January 2010 30 June 2013 87 63 4 20 072.41
Adelaide United Women   1 July 2013 30 June 2015 24 6 5 13 025.00
Adelaide United Men   31 December 2021 8 January 2022 2 0 1 1 000.00
Brisbane Roar   1 July 2023 23 December 2023 12 8 2 2 066.67
Career Total 125 77 12 36 061.60

Honours

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With Adelaide United:

With Adelaide City:

References

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  1. ^ "Australian Player Database – AL".
  2. ^ "Ross Aloisi".
  3. ^ Monteverde, Marco (24 December 2023). "Ross Aloisi leaves Brisbane Roar to link with Kevin Muscat at Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port". news.com.au.
  4. ^ "1990–91 end of season Table". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  5. ^ "1991–92 Season Playoff Matches". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  6. ^ "1993–94 Season Final Table". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  7. ^ "1994–95 Season Cup Matches". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  8. ^ "1995–96 A-League Table". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  9. ^ "www.arowa.ch – Ross Aloisi" (in German). Archived from the original on 27 February 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  10. ^ "Malaysia – Premier League – 2004". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  11. ^ "Adelaide United FC Captain Announced". Archived from the original on 28 August 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  12. ^ "Carl Veart takes Champions award". Archived from the original on 25 August 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  13. ^ Four Four Two magazine online Archived 28 March 2009 at the Wayback MachineRetrieved 24 July 2007
  14. ^ "Reds Shocked By Aloisi Axe", Four Four Two magazine online[permanent dead link] Retrieved 24 July 2007
  15. ^ Maddaford, Terry (13 July 2007). "Soccer: Ross the boss ready to roll". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  16. ^ "Aloisi named captain of Phoenix". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 June 2007.
  17. ^ "Two Up Front". AustraliaLiveTV.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Match Report – Australia – USA". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  19. ^ "Olyroos 1994 Matches". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  20. ^ "International Matches 1994". RSSSF. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  21. ^ "Olyroos 1995 Matches". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  22. ^ "1996 Olympic Qualifying Tournament – Oceania". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  23. ^ "Olyroos 1996 Matches". OzSoccer. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  24. ^ "International Matches 1998 – Intercontinental". RSSSF. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  25. ^ "International Matches 1999 – Other". RSSSF. Retrieved 21 May 2006.
  26. ^ "West Adelaide back where they belong". Keep Up. 5 September 2013.
  27. ^ "Ross Aloisi appointed as Veart's assistant". Adelaide United. 6 October 2020. Aloisi also coached local South Australian National Premier League outfit West Adelaide from 2010 to 2013, leading them from the third division to the top-flight of semi-professional football in the state courtesy of a remarkable undefeated streak that stretched for more than 40 games.
  28. ^ Migliaccio, Val (22 August 2013). "Ross Aloisi appointed coach of Adelaide United's W-League team". The Advertiser.
  29. ^ "Ross Aloisi heads SA women's program". The Women's Game. 2 April 2014.
  30. ^ Rugari, Vince (28 July 2015). "Aloisi brothers united on Brisbane Roar coaches bench". Stuff.
  31. ^ "Second Aloisi exits Roar". FTBL. 18 January 2019.
  32. ^ Radbourne-Pugh, Lucas (6 October 2020). "Aloisi named Adelaide's A-League assistant coach". FTBL.
  33. ^ "Aloisi lands overseas role with Asian powerhouse". Adelaide United. 22 March 2022.
  34. ^ "ロス アロイージ氏 アシスタントコーチ就任のお知らせ" [Ross Aloisi Appointed Assistant Coach] (in Japanese). Yokohama F. Marinos. 8 April 2022.
  35. ^ Austin, Jack (3 June 2022). "The 'strange experience' awaiting Australia's latest J.League export". Optus Sport.
  36. ^ Wenzel, Murray (2 May 2023). "Ross Aloisi to take over reins at Brisbane Roar". The West Australian.
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