More A League Grand Final Drama
Posted by Jasper Reed in A-League, Adelaide | 26 February 2007
The fallout from the A league Grand Final continues. John Kosmina has resigned as Adelaide United head coach, and Ross Aloisi has been sacked as captain, after a highly charged board meeting.
Kosmina jumped before he was pushed. Sources close to the club had told me that the board were looking for a reason to get rid of their controversial figurehead and the embarrassing loss, both of the game and self-control by players and Kosmina himself, forced the issue to a head.
Aloisi will be replaced as captain by defender Angelo Costanzo, with fellow defender Michael Valkanis his deputy. Meanwhile Valkanis has been handed a 3 game suspension for his ‘foul and abusive language’ during the Grand Final, with Aloisi and Carl Veart heavily fined. Whilst Aloisi has vowed to play on next season, fellow Kosmina favourite Veart’s future is undecided, with the club also announcing the signing of international striker Paul Agostino from 1860 Munich. Midfielder Greg Owens has also walked out on the club for ‘personal’ reasons.
Kosmina leaves after 3 years in the job, with the team finishing no worse that 3rd in each season, qualifying for the Asian Champions League twice and winning this year’s pre season cup. Even this level of consistency could not hide the deepening rift between himself and club owner Nick Bianco, with the businessman publicly admonishing the coach since the Grand Final debacle. He is replaced by assistant Aurelio Vidmar for this year’s Asian Champions League, which starts next week.
So the life expectancy of an A League coach takes another hit. Of the 8 teams only 2, Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory, have yet to change their coach. Sydney, Perth, New Zealand and Newcastle have had 3 coaches, whilst Adelaide and Queensland have changed bosses once.
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