Richie Alagich
Encyclopedia
Richie Alagich is a retired Australian football (soccer)
player. He was a right full back
mostly known for playing for Adelaide United
in the A-League
. Richie is the brother of Matilda, Dianne Alagich
.
, Adelaide
, South Australia
, Alagich played representative football for his home state from 1985 through to 1991. He started his professional football career with the Port Adelaide Lions
in the South Australia Super League in 1990 at the age of 16, continuing until 1993.
with West Adelaide SC
, having already represented Australia at schoolboys and under-20
levels. Although he was unable to help West Adelaide reach the finals series that season, 1993 also marked his debut with the Australian under-23
team (the "Olyroos"). Alagich played regularly with the Olyroos up until 1996, and helped them qualify for the 1996 Olympics
but did not play in the actual tournament where Australia were unable to progress past the group stage.
Domestically, the West Adelaide Sharks finished 5th to qualify for the NSL finals in 1994–95, with Alagich playing in both legs of their elimination final against Sydney United
, which the Sharks lost 2-1 on aggregate. The following season West Adelaide missed the finals by a single point, and did not qualify for another one up until the club folded prior to the 1999–2000 season.
, who had won the 1998–99 NSL Championship. South Melbourne finished first in the 1999 pre-season Tynan-Eyre Cup (held between Victorian NSL teams), but could not take part in the final of the tournament due to commitments to the 1999 Oceania Club Championship
. A win in the Oceania Club Championship put South Melbourne into the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, but they finished a disappointing 10th in the NSL before leaving for Brazil
. Alagich played in one match of the tournament, South Melbourne's 1-3 loss to Mexican team Necaxa
, and made only a further two substitute appearances for South Melbourne in 2000–2001 as they finished on top of the table before falling to the Wollongong Wolves
in the Grand Final.
for the 2001–02 season, playing in 24 matches as the Strikers made it through to the Minor Semifinals. He played a further 10 matches for Brisbane in 2002–03,
from the NSL and subsequent introduction of Adelaide United FC
gave Alagich the opportunity to return to his home city in 2003–04, and he played 28 matches and scored 3 goals for the club, including a crucial 105th-minute penalty to put Adelaide into the preliminary final. The season featured Alagich's 200th NSL game, in the finals series against his former club Brisbane and at the end of the year his NSL tally stood at 202 matches for 7 goals. His efforts in the team's inaugural season earned him both the Club Champion and Players' Player awards. The cancellation of the NSL for 2004–05 meant that Alagich was forced to return to South Australian state football, and he played the 2004 season with the Adelaide Raiders
.
When the A-League
started in 2005–06, Alagich re-signed for Adelaide United, and played in 23 of their 24 matches as they won the inaugural Premiership and fell one game short of the Grand Final. The single match Alagich missed was due to suspension after he had the dubious honour of being the first player to be shown a red card in an A-League match, due to a foul in Adelaide's round 3 win over Melbourne Victory
. Despite this, Alagich's solid season was recognised by Australian FourFourTwo
magazine, as he was selected at right back in their "A-League Dream Team" from the inaugural season.
2006–07
saw Alagich play 21 games for United including the preliminary final at Hindmarsh Stadium
against Newcastle Jets in which he scored in Adelaides penalty shootout win. He helped Adelaide reach the quarter finals of the 2008 Asian Champions League
in his last ever match with a 0-0 draw against Changchun Yatai
; a first for any Australian club before he retired from professional football on 22 May 2008 after playing over 100 games for Adelaide United over his four year spell.
1 - includes A-League
final series statistics
2 - includes FIFA Club World Cup
statistics; AFC Champions League
statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. 2008 ACL in 2008-09 A-League season etc.)
assistant coach working with Michael Barnett and has also been used as a scout during Adelaides successful Asian Champions League campaign looking at teams such as Japan's
Kashima Antlers
. His first year of coaching saw Adelaide United ladies finish last in the W-League after failing to win any of the last 7 games.
With South Melbourne
:
Personal honours:
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. He was a right full back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
mostly known for playing for Adelaide United
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
in the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. Richie is the brother of Matilda, Dianne Alagich
Dianne Alagich
Dianne Alagich is an Australian football player, who currently plays for Adelaide United in the W-League and the Australian national football team. She is a defender, who has been capped 86 times, scoring on three occasions. She is 169 cm tall and her weight is 62 kg...
.
Early career
Born in WoodvilleWoodville, South Australia
Woodville is a suburb of Adelaide, situated about 8 kilometres northwest of the Central Business District of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Charles Sturt. The postcode of Woodville is 5011...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Alagich played representative football for his home state from 1985 through to 1991. He started his professional football career with the Port Adelaide Lions
Port Adelaide Pirates
Port Adelaide Lion Soccer Club is a football club from Port Adelaide, South Australia. Pirates play in the FFSA South Australian Premier League. Its home ground is at John Hart Reserve, Ethelton.-History:...
in the South Australia Super League in 1990 at the age of 16, continuing until 1993.
West Adelaide
Alagich then moved into the National Soccer LeagueNational Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
with West Adelaide SC
West Adelaide SC
West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was...
, having already represented Australia at schoolboys and under-20
Australia national under-20 football team
The Australia national under-20 association football team, more commonly known as the Young Socceroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia in international Under 20 or youth football competitions....
levels. Although he was unable to help West Adelaide reach the finals series that season, 1993 also marked his debut with the Australian under-23
Australia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...
team (the "Olyroos"). Alagich played regularly with the Olyroos up until 1996, and helped them qualify for the 1996 Olympics
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
but did not play in the actual tournament where Australia were unable to progress past the group stage.
Domestically, the West Adelaide Sharks finished 5th to qualify for the NSL finals in 1994–95, with Alagich playing in both legs of their elimination final against Sydney United
Sydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
, which the Sharks lost 2-1 on aggregate. The following season West Adelaide missed the finals by a single point, and did not qualify for another one up until the club folded prior to the 1999–2000 season.
South Melbourne
The collapse of the Sharks forced Alagich to move to the South Melbourne LakersSouth Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
, who had won the 1998–99 NSL Championship. South Melbourne finished first in the 1999 pre-season Tynan-Eyre Cup (held between Victorian NSL teams), but could not take part in the final of the tournament due to commitments to the 1999 Oceania Club Championship
Oceania Club Championship 1999
The 1999 Oceania Club Championships was held in September 1999. The tournament was designed to decide the Oceania Football Confederation's entrant into the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship. The competition was held in Fiji .-Participants:...
. A win in the Oceania Club Championship put South Melbourne into the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, but they finished a disappointing 10th in the NSL before leaving for Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Alagich played in one match of the tournament, South Melbourne's 1-3 loss to Mexican team Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
, and made only a further two substitute appearances for South Melbourne in 2000–2001 as they finished on top of the table before falling to the Wollongong Wolves
Wollongong Wolves
The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial...
in the Grand Final.
Brisbane Strikers
Alagich then moved to the Brisbane StrikersBrisbane Strikers
The Brisbane Strikers are an Australian football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia who play in the Queensland State League.-National Soccer League:...
for the 2001–02 season, playing in 24 matches as the Strikers made it through to the Minor Semifinals. He played a further 10 matches for Brisbane in 2002–03,
Adelaide United
The withdrawal of Adelaide ForceAdelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
from the NSL and subsequent introduction of Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
gave Alagich the opportunity to return to his home city in 2003–04, and he played 28 matches and scored 3 goals for the club, including a crucial 105th-minute penalty to put Adelaide into the preliminary final. The season featured Alagich's 200th NSL game, in the finals series against his former club Brisbane and at the end of the year his NSL tally stood at 202 matches for 7 goals. His efforts in the team's inaugural season earned him both the Club Champion and Players' Player awards. The cancellation of the NSL for 2004–05 meant that Alagich was forced to return to South Australian state football, and he played the 2004 season with the Adelaide Raiders
Adelaide Raiders
Raiders is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia, that plays in the South Australian Super League. Its home ground is the Croatian Sports Centre in Gepps Cross, a northern suburb of Adelaide. It is a Croatian Australian-backed club and is also known by the name "Adelaide Croatia"...
.
When the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
started in 2005–06, Alagich re-signed for Adelaide United, and played in 23 of their 24 matches as they won the inaugural Premiership and fell one game short of the Grand Final. The single match Alagich missed was due to suspension after he had the dubious honour of being the first player to be shown a red card in an A-League match, due to a foul in Adelaide's round 3 win over Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
. Despite this, Alagich's solid season was recognised by Australian FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo (Australia)
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket Group's Australian operations. It takes its title and layout from the UK magazine of the same name.-History:...
magazine, as he was selected at right back in their "A-League Dream Team" from the inaugural season.
2006–07
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
saw Alagich play 21 games for United including the preliminary final at Hindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United....
against Newcastle Jets in which he scored in Adelaides penalty shootout win. He helped Adelaide reach the quarter finals of the 2008 Asian Champions League
AFC Champions League 2008
The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title...
in his last ever match with a 0-0 draw against Changchun Yatai
Changchun Yatai
Changchun Yatai is a Chinese football team. It was founded on June 6, 1996 by Jilin Yatai Group at Changchun, Jilin. Their manager is Shen Xiangfu....
; a first for any Australian club before he retired from professional football on 22 May 2008 after playing over 100 games for Adelaide United over his four year spell.
Club Statistics
(Correct as of 2 January 2009)| Club | Season | League1 | Cup | International2 | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Adelaide United | 2005–06 A-League 2005-06 The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005... |
23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| 2006–07 A-League 2006-07 The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup... |
21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 A-League 2007-08 The A-League 2007-08 season was the third season of the Australian A-League football competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League, and... |
21 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 A-League 2008-09 The 2008–09 A-League season was the fourth season of the Australasian A-League association football competition. Two new clubs, North Queensland Thunder and Gold Coast Galaxy had received tentative licences from the FFA but these were revoked for the 2008–09 season on 12 March 2008. Expansion... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 92 | 4 | |||||||
1 - includes A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
final series statistics
2 - includes FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
statistics; AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. 2008 ACL in 2008-09 A-League season etc.)
Coaching career
Alagich took up the role of Adelaide United W-LeagueW-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
assistant coach working with Michael Barnett and has also been used as a scout during Adelaides successful Asian Champions League campaign looking at teams such as Japan's
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers
are a Japanese professional association football club playing in the J. League Division 1. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island"....
. His first year of coaching saw Adelaide United ladies finish last in the W-League after failing to win any of the last 7 games.
Honours
With Adelaide United: A-League Premiership: 2005-2006A-League 2005-06
The 2005-06 season was the first season of the A-League, a domestic club competition for football in Australia. After over 12 months without a national professional club competition, the first match in the A-League was played on 26 August 2005...
With South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
:
- Oceania Club Championship: 1999Oceania Club Championship 1999The 1999 Oceania Club Championships was held in September 1999. The tournament was designed to decide the Oceania Football Confederation's entrant into the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship. The competition was held in Fiji .-Participants:...
Personal honours:
- Adelaide United Club Champion: 2003-2004Adelaide United season 2003-04Despite the mad rush to form the team, and starting five weeks into the season , the team lost just twice in its first 13 matches. Hectic catch up phases in November and December and February passed by with success...