Ross Aloisi

Football player infobox
playername = Ross Aloisi
fullname = Ross Aloisi


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|4|17
cityofbirth = Adelaide
countryofbirth = Australia
height = height|m=1.78
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Central Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs = Adelaide City
years = 1990–1993
1992–1993
1993–1994
1994–1997
1997–1998
1998–1999
1999–2000
2000–2002
2002–2003
2003–2004
2004
2005–2007
2007–2008
clubs = Adelaide City
K Boom FC
Brunswick Juventus
Adelaide Sharks
FC Aarau
FC Lorient
Grazer AK
Alzano
Pro Sesto
Adelaide United
Selangor FC
Adelaide United
Wellington Phoenix
caps(goals) = 24 (1)
04 (0)
13 (4)
57 (8)
34 (6)
01 (0)
20 (0)
41 (0)
29 (3)
26 (4)
50 (3)
13 (2)
nationalyears = 1989
1994–1996
1994–1998
nationalteam = Australia U-17
Australia U-23
Australia
nationalcaps(goals) =
12 (2)
05 (0)
pcupdate = 30 August 2007
ntupdate = 15 May 2007

Ross Aloisi (born April 17, 1973 in Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian 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.

Club career

Aloisi was born in Adelaide, older brother of current 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. [cite web| title=1990–91 end of season Table| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSL/9091/NSLTable.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006]

NSL

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. [cite web| title=1991–92 Season Playoff Matches| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSL/9192/Playoff.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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. [cite web| title=1993–94 Season Final Table| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSL/9394/NSLTable.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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. [cite web| title=1994–95 Season Cup Matches| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSL/9495/NSLCup.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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, [cite web| title=1995–96 A-League Table| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSL/9596/ALTable.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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 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, [cite web| title=www.arowa.ch – Ross Aloisi| url=http://arowa.ch/index.php?page=SPIELER&spielerid=ALOIS&PHPSESSID=d91e2fd6ebe7f77ceb2afb716adc62d0| language=German| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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

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. [cite web| title=Malaysia – Premier League – 2004| url=http://www.soccerway.com/national/malaysia/premier-league/2004| work=Soccerway.com| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] . 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, [cite web| title=Adelaide United FC Captain Announced| url=http://www.adelaideunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=218| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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, [cite web|title=Carl Veart takes Champions award| url=http://www.adelaideunited.com.au/default.aspx?s=newsdisplay&id=3642| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] .

2006-07 season

In the 2006/2007 A-League season, Aloisi captained Adelaide United in a successful campaign that saw the side reach the Grand Final against Melbourne Victory on February 18, 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 record losing margin and aggregate score in a match in the short A-League history. Two months later Aloisi had been sacked. John Kosmina (coach) had been asked to resign (sacked) by the Adelaide United board the Thursday following the grand final. [ [http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/77817,aloisi-looks-to-aleague-future.aspx Four Four Two magazine online] "Retrieved on July 24, 2007"] [ [http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/77744,reds-shocked-by-aloisi-axe.aspx "Reds Shocked By Aloisi Axe", Four Four Two magazine online] "Retrieved on July 24, 2007"] . Aloisi then left the club altogether and has promised in magazine interviews to one day "tell all" [ [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=86&objectid=10451190 "Ross the boss ready to roll", NZ Herald, July 13, 2007] "Retrieved July 24,2007"] .

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

Aloisi was offered the role of captaining the new A-League franchise Wellington Phoenix, for the 2007/2008 season [ [http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/83890,ross-the-boss.aspx "Ross the Boss", Four Four Two magazine online] Retrieved on July 24, 2007] .

International career

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. [cite web| title=Match Report – Australia - USA| url=http://www.fifa.com/en/comp/report/0,3647,U17-1989-22-31215-AUS-USA,00.html| work=FIFA.com| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006]

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), [cite web| title=Olyroos 1994 Matches| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Olympics/1994.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] and making his top-level debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait in a friendly in September that year. [cite web| title=International Matches 1994| url=http://www.rsssf.com/intldetails/1994ic3.html| work=RSSSF| accessdate=May 21|accessyear=2006] 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, [cite web| title=Olyroos 1995 Matches| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Olympics/1995.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006]

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. [cite web| title=1996 Olympic Qualifying Tournament – Oceania| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Olympics/1996Qual.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] 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. [cite web| title=Olyroos 1996 Matches| url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Olympics/1996.html| work=OzSoccer| accessdate=May 21|accessyear=2006]

In June 1998, Aloisi made his third appearance for the Australian national team, playing 16 minutes in a 7-0 friendly loss against Croatia. [cite web| title=International Matches 1998 – Intercontinental| url=http://www.rsssf.com/intldetails/1998ic.html| work=RSSSF| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006]

In mid-1999, he returned home briefly to play two matches for Australia in Melbourne, friendlies against English club Manchester United, [cite web| title=International Matches 1999 – Other| url=http://www.rsssf.com/intldetails/1999oth.html| work=RSSSF| accessdate=May 21| accessyear=2006] taking his tally to five appearances for the Socceroos.

Honours

With Adelaide United:
* A-League Premiership: 2005-2006With Adelaide City:
* NSL Championship: 1991-1992
* flagicon|Australia NSL Cup: 1991-1992

References

External links

* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/A/ALM.html Oz Football profile]