Ross Aloisi
Encyclopedia
Ross Aloisi is a former Australia
n football (soccer)
player who was known for being the captain of Adelaide United
in the Hyundai A-League
- a team he guided to a minor premiership, a pre-season cup and earning entry into 2 Asian Champions League campaigns. After leaving Adelaide United in controversial circumstances, he decided to play for Wellington Phoenix FC
in the A-League
where he was appointed their inaugural captain.
Ross hosts a show on internet TV broadcasting station Australia Live TV
with John Kosmina
, streaming live from Chapel Lane Stuidos in Adelaide Thursdays 6-7pm CST and podcast on www.australialivetv.com
He is also a regular contributor to the new FFA website powered by Optus.
. 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.
as Adelaide went on to take the championship. 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. 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. He signed on with the 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, 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.
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, 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.
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
. 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, 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
,.
, 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. Aloisi then left the club altogether and has promised in magazine interviews to one day "tell all".
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.
franchise Wellington Phoenix, for the 2007/2008 season
. 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 successful ceramics business with his brother.
He now also co-hosts a weekly Internet Television show ll about soccer/football with John Kosmina
, Two Up Front for AustraliaLiveTV.com.
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.
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), and making his top-level debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait
in a friendly in September that year. 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,
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. 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
.
In June 1998, Aloisi made his third appearance for the Australian national team, playing 16 minutes in a 7-0 friendly loss against Croatia
.
In mid-1999, he returned home briefly to play two matches for Australia in Melbourne
, friendlies against English club Manchester United,.
With Adelaide City
: NSL Championship: 1991-1992 NSL Cup: 1991-1992
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football (soccer)
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 who was known for being the captain of 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 Hyundai 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...
- a team he guided to a minor premiership, a pre-season cup and earning entry into 2 Asian Champions League campaigns. After leaving Adelaide United in controversial circumstances, he decided to play for Wellington Phoenix FC
Wellington Phoenix FC
Wellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League. Ricki Herbert has been the coach since the club's inception to the A-League in July 2007. The current club captain 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...
where he was appointed their inaugural captain.
Ross hosts a show on internet TV broadcasting station Australia Live TV
Australia Live TV
Australia Live TV is an Australia based online television network run from Chapel Lane Studios in Hindmarsh, South Australia, Adelaide The company started with one sports Internet television show KG and the General but now hosts several shows -Programming:...
with John Kosmina
John Kosmina
Alexander John Kosmina , known as John Kosmina, is a former Australian football player and manager of Polish Australian ethnicity. He was most recently the manager of Sydney FC...
, streaming live from Chapel Lane Stuidos in Adelaide Thursdays 6-7pm CST and podcast on www.australialivetv.com
He is also a regular contributor to the new FFA website powered by Optus.
Club career
Aloisi was born in Adelaide, the older brother of former Socceroo John AloisiJohn Aloisi
John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
. He signed with National Soccer League
National 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...
club Adelaide City
Adelaide 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...
, for whom he made 6 appearances in the 1990–91 as the team finished third before losing in the preliminary final.
NSL
Aloisi continued with Adelaide City in 1991–92, and played 11 matches, scoring a goal in their preliminary final victory against South Melbourne FCSouth 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...
as Adelaide went on to take the championship. Between seasons, he played for the Modbury Jets
Modbury Jets
The Modbury Jets are a football club in Adelaide, South Australia, they field both Senior and Junior teams. Seniors play home matches at Jet Park in Modbury, north of Adelaide and the Juniors play at Burragah Reserve, Modbury.-History:...
(1992) and Enfield City
Enfield City Falcons
The Enfield City Falcons are a football club from Adelaide, South Australia. Enfield play in the FFSA South Australian Premier League...
(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.
K. Boom F.C.
K. Boom F.C. was a Belgian football club founded in 1913 as Boom Football Club in the town of Boom near Antwerp. It received the matricule n°58.They last played in the Belgian First Division in the 1992/1993 season....
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He played just four matches for the club before returning to Australia to play for Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles...
in the 1993–94 NSL season.
Aloisi scored 4 goals in 13 matches as the team finished 13th of the 14 teams. The club merged with Box Hill Inter
Box Hill Inter
Box Hill United Football Club is an Australian association football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill.- History :Box Hill entered the Victorian Division 4 in 1925. In their first season they lost one game and drew once to became champion and win promotion to division 3 for the 1926...
and the Bulleen Lions to become the Melbourne Zebras
Bulleen Zebras
Whittlesea Zebras is an Australian association football club based in Epping, Melbourne. The Zebras play in the Victorian Premier League....
, and Aloisi made 8 appearances in 1994–95, scoring a goal in the Zebras' 2–0 victory over the Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
in the Johnny Walker Cup. He signed on with the 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, 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
Aloisi signed with SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
club FC Aarau
FC Aarau
FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. They play in the Swiss Challenge League.-History:FC Aarau was formed on 26 May 1902 by workers from a local brewery. The early days of the club were a success and they won the Swiss championship in 1911/12 and then again in 1913/14...
, and played 38 matches for them in the 1997–98 season for 6 goals, and a further 2 matches in 1998–99, before moving to play for FC Lorient
FC Lorient
Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient. The club was founded in 1926 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Lorient plays its home matches at the Stade du Moustoir located within the city. The team is managed by Christian...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Aloisi only played 1 match for FC Lorient over two seasons before moving on to Grazer AK
Grazer AK
Grazer AK, founded 18 August 1902 as Grazer Athletik-Sport Klub , is an Austrian sports club, from the city of Graz in the federal state of Styria . The football section is one of the most traditional Austrian clubs, most successful in the decade 1995 – 2005...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's Bundesliga
Austrian Bundesliga
The Austrian Football Bundesliga is the highest-ranking national league club competition in Austrian football. It is the competition which decides the Austrian national football champions, as well the country's entrants for the various European cups run by UEFA.The Austrian Bundesliga, which began...
. 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
UEFA Cup 2000-01
In perhaps the most bizarre European final ever, the 2000–01 UEFA Cup was won by Liverpool in a dramatic golden goal final against Deportivo Alavés for their third title in the competition. It completed a unique cup treble for the club, as they also won the FA Cup and the League Cup that season...
. Moving to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Aloisi made 41 appearances over two seasons for Alzano Virescit, before moving to Pro Sesto
A.C. Pro Sesto
Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Nuova Pro Sesto is an Italian association football club, based in Sesto San Giovanni, Lombardy. The club was founded in 1913. Pro Sesto currently plays in Promozione, having last been in Serie B in 1950. The team's colors are white and blue...
where he scored 3 goals in 29 matches in 2002–03.
Adelaide United
With the formation of Adelaide UnitedAdelaide 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 NSL
National 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...
, 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
Selangor FA
The Football Association of Selangor , commonly referred to as FAS or simply Selangor, competes in Malaysian football competitions representing the state of Selangor Darul Ehsan. The team is based in Shah Alam city. They are currently playing in Malaysian Super League, the top-flight of Malaysian...
helping them to finish second in the newly-formed Malaysian Premier League
Malaysian Premier League
Malaysia Premier League is the second-tier football league in Malaysia. The league is currently named Astro Premier League Malaysia...
. With the introduction of the A-League, Aloisi returned again to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Adelaide United, signing with the team in November 2004. The retirement of 2003–04 captain Aurelio Vidmar
Aurelio Vidmar
Aurelio Vidmar is an Australian football player and former captain of the Australian national team. He is currently not tied to any A-league club...
saw Aloisi inducted as captain of the club for the first A-League season, 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
Angelo Costanzo
Angelo Costanzo is an Australian football player.He is instantly recognizable by his trademark long hair, which has earned him the nickname "The Divine Ponytail" among Adelaide and Newcastle fans.-Club career:In 1994 at 18 years of age he won the SA player of the year award at Salisbury United,...
,.
2006-07 season
In the 2006/2007 A-League seasonA-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...
, Aloisi captained Adelaide United in a successful campaign that saw the side reach the Grand Final
A-League Grand Final 2007
-Finals series:The 2007 A-League Grand Final took place at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, on 18 February 2007. The match was contested by premiers Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United...
against Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
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. Aloisi then left the club altogether and has promised in magazine interviews to one day "tell all".
Aloisi's allegedly unamicable departure was cited by brother John
John Aloisi
John Aloisi is a retired Australian football player who played as a striker, and the current youth team manager at Melbourne Heart....
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
Aloisi was offered the role of captaining the new A-LeagueA-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...
franchise Wellington Phoenix, for the 2007/2008 season
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...
. 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 successful ceramics business with his brother.
He now also co-hosts a weekly Internet Television show ll about soccer/football with John Kosmina
John Kosmina
Alexander John Kosmina , known as John Kosmina, is a former Australian football player and manager of Polish Australian ethnicity. He was most recently the manager of Sydney FC...
, Two Up Front for AustraliaLiveTV.com.
International career
At the age of 16 travelled to ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to play for Australia at the 1989 FIFA Under-16 World Championship. He made one appearance off the bench against the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, playing 39 minutes in the 2–2 draw.
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), and making his top-level debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait
Kuwait national football team
The Kuwait National Football Team is the national team of Kuwait and is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. They made one World Cup Finals appearance, in 1982, managing a draw with Czechoslovakia but losing to England and France. During the match against France, France scored a goal...
in a friendly in September that year. He played a second match for Australia against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
five days later, earning a yellow card in the 0–0 draw. Aloisi played two matches for the Olyroos in 1995,
In early 1996, Aloisi participated in the Olyroos' qualifying campaign for the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, scoring 5 goals in 5 games as Australia finished on top of the Oceania
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
group. Aloisi appeared in the away leg of the qualifying play-off tie against Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
, 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
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
and Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
In June 1998, Aloisi made his third appearance for the Australian national team, playing 16 minutes in a 7-0 friendly loss against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
.
In mid-1999, he returned home briefly to play two matches for Australia in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, friendlies against English club Manchester United,.
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 Adelaide City
Adelaide 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...
: NSL Championship: 1991-1992 NSL Cup: 1991-1992