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JOHN ALOISI On A-League Glory Days, THAT Penalty & Playing in PRIME La-Liga | EP 43

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This content is an in-depth interview with Australian football legend John Aloisi, discussing his formative years, extensive playing career across Europe and Australia, and his transition into coaching. It highlights the challenges, resilience, and lessons learned throughout his journey in professional football.

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ladies and gentlemen we are here at iron

bank for a very very special episode but

before we get into who we're talking to

to my left we have number 10 somewhere over

over

there somewhere over there next to him

CFO GD and we are joined

by the man himself socceroo Legend coach

of West United John ELO let's clap him

up this is huge this is huge was I

supposed to have a nickname as well when

I first I first came on the show as a

guest these guys did this weird

introduction I'm like what the [ __ ] have

I walked into and then yeah he had the

same reaction as me what did they call

you what what did they call you in your

playing days um Johnny was mainly just

Johnny yeah yeah simple Johnny simple

Johnny simple Johnny have too many

nicknames first of all I want thank

Western United John nick uh everyone at

the club M Mel uh Jason everyone that's

shown us around today that's had time

for us the players it's been absolutely

amazing the hospitality has been

incredible um but let's get into it um

John I want to start with your

childhood obviously you've got your

brother as well we we want to know what

it was like in Adelaide in the backyard

but growing up the competition talk to

us about your upbringing and sort of

what helped shape you become who you are

today from your childhood yeah a lot

really um because my first of all my dad

he loved sport um he played he arrived

in Australia at 9 years old and to sort

of uh integrate himself into the

Australian way with his brothers they

played Cricket in the summer and his

brothers played Aussie rules but he

played uh soccer football and uh so when

I started growing up my dad was already

coaching under 18 to adelade city and

then um ended up pushing on to coach n

for a lot of years in Adelaide and I had

my brother who was you know into sport

as well and playing uh football at an

early age so I had them to look up to

and um so every day we do something in

the backyard or play some sort of sport

whether it was Table Tennis whether it

was cricket whether it was soccer

whether it was um just you know taking

catches classic catches whatever it was

we'll be playing classic Aussie kids

summer yeah that's right and there was a

lot of Windows

broken there was a lot of fights um and

and it taught me to be first of all

resilient and strong and to have that

determination to be better than my

brother um because he was three years

older so he was always physically

stronger to a certain point and

then sorry sorry

Ros so I was I was really I'm grateful

that I had that upbringing that I had my

brother and my dad that were into sports

so much I want to talk about my sisters

as well because they had to put up with

all that you I had I had three sisters

and my mom that um used to drive us

everywhere but we we loveed that sport

so you were saying before off camera

that um you know Italian background how

ingrained in the culture were you how

like immersed in the culture were you

Adelaide big Italian culture there as

well similar to Melbourne what was that

did that play a massive part in your

upbringing or were you more like you

know what I'm Aussie and we do things

the Aussie way yeah we'll put it this

way on our street uh we're all Italians

y uh my grandmother lived next door uh

my Auntie and Uncle live next door on

this side 500 M down the road were my

other grandparents and uh and so we

really we were Italian growing up

Italian yeah Australian Italian year of

course we still had a lot of Australian

things that uh we grew up with and we

loved uh for instance you know the

cricket um but we uh you know Italian

culture and I would never shy away from

it it was it's something that I'm now

looking back I go oh how good was it

that we made the homemade tomato sauce

or how good was it that we made the

homemade salami or or the how spoil were

we with some of the food that we could

bring to school and you know sometimes

people used to tease us what's in that lunch

lunch

box but you know the Jud

which is like a mix of you know the

olive oil with the sort of vegetables in

there with the p with the cheese

The Bullying from here with that that's

ridiculous but you know what I I'm lucky

that I grew up with eating that sort of

food now that sort of food you're paying

20 odd bucks to get a panini yeah it's

ridiculous man I still do a bit of

you um

so fast forward into

you go overseas at 16 yeah yeah I went

to The Institute of sport first y so I I

played um I was with ATL City from 14 in

the National League side Squad y uh

training and then I made my debut at 15

um for adate City but the a lot of you

guys wouldn't know this cuz you're too

young but back then um ADL city were top

side oh yeah they had aelo vidmar Tony

vidmar um Milan Ivanovic these are

talking about national team players Alex

Tobin Robbie Zaba Ernie tapy calv um all

these players and so to even just be

training with them was was such a great

learning experience and had zor Matic so

I knew how to take uh a spray or two he

didn't shy away from it at all uh my

brother was there and my debut was

against Melbourne Knights old Melbourne

CA and it was back what year was this

what year this this is uh 92 92 so I'm

still at school I'm in year 11 uh Ross

Trevor College's school I went to in

Adelaide and so on the Sunday I think it

was the game was and um it was at Cooper

old high Marsh and there was about

15,000 people there and uh and the

creation community in ad is quite big so

it was a a big rivalry and um I came on

the last 10 minutes to go my brother

started the game got subbed off I went

on about 5 minutes later and the first

thing I did was pick up the ball and

just start running with it I was so

excited and you know no one could catch

me I was that you know not that I was

that fast but I just felt like I was

gliding and then the next tackle uh this

uh and I'll say his name he's he's

probably a good guy but at the time he

was quite hard uh toich Mark toich he he

he tackled me and I went to the ground

and you I fell down we leading at the

time and uh so I thought I'll stay on

the ground he pushed my face into the

ground and um so all of a sudden I

didn't know what happened but 10 seconds

later I see my brother there and I there

you go I go Ross what are you doing here

he goes I come to see if you're okay I

go what do you mean he goes there's

people that have jumped the fence three

of our supporters jumped the fence and

went to punch to and uh and so the next

day knowing that you know that football

soccer back in those days was never

front page it was front page

because didn't have my name that I made

my but when I walked into the school I

felt like a king but a a 15-year-old I

mean NL NL were you one of the were you

the youngest player or one one of the

youngest yeah that's period there one of

the youngest that's ever they can you

can you talk about maybe your process

from let's say 10 to 15 cuz they're I

mean puberty years and from what I'm

seeing now I mean obviously playing a

lot of young players but 15-year-old

playing first team football in a in a

men's changing room you know

environments where people are pushing

your face into the ground that's P NSL

era too really like that what was that

period like that 12 to 15 let's say I

was I was say at at say 10 11 12 I I

thought I was doing okay but I I was

probably um I think that I start to

really start to really improve was at

that between the age of 13 and 14

because there were players that were

playing um in my age group but they were

getting selected for State teams and I

wasn't and I'd been missed out on the

final card and so you know I would be

upset and my dad would goes well you

know what that means you need to train

harder you need to be better you need to

work more um so that all of a sudden

that was my mindset I need to work I

need to be better than than the others I

need to put in more hours um whether

that was playing you know in the

backyard my brother or doing stuff by

myself or during that period of 14 um we

had the old uh National Youth League

that used to play in the summer and and

my dad was the coach he didn't select me

because I wasn't quite there yet but I

trained All That Summer with the

National Youth League and then it

overlapped with the npl season and that

npl season um my dad was also the coach

but they were playing both teams at one

stage at the same time so he couldn't

use these players for both uh games so I

ended up having to play in the PE at 14

I come home I was kicking the ball at

the backyard and my dad goes you ready

for tomorrow and I go well what do you

mean he goes y you're starting tomorrow

and we're playing against um White City

which was called Big grab back then it

was a Serbian Club in adelay and I

started and and I played well and um

after the game zor mati our coach went

up to my dad and said um you have to

make sure you play your son from now on

he's uh he needs to play he's at a level

now that we need to to see him play week

in week out so at 14 I was playing npl

and and I think that having good

experienced people around and good

people Aurelia vidma he took me under

his wing at a very early age and you

know I used to stay after training talk

to him um do stretching back then who

did stretching after training but

Aurelio taught us that skill set and so

I'm again it's uh I was fortunate to be

around a lot of good people stretching

that were smoking cies well a few of

them were Johnny before we go into your

playing career can you just touch on cuz

we've spoken a lot about the development

Pathways and the shift over the last

sort of five six years and I feel like I

was one of the last to experience what

you experienced with the Institute and

sort of the State team feed programs

going in but now obviously you're seeing

the academy setup and yours arguably is

probably the best or one of the best in

the country because of how many playing

in the first team but what is your two

cents on the shift in model because

you've kind of seen both sides yeah look

I think that there was room back then

definitely for The Institute I can

understand why it's not there now

because we've got a an academy setup we

got three a league sides in Melbourne

that have got Academy setups and if you

set it up right you should be good

enough to still produce players and

there'll still be players that are

outside that Academy setup that are in

uh local clubs here that eventually

might come across Dylan Leonard good

example he was at Port Melbourne until

last year and we got him across last

season to play in our npl system it was

only 16 um so it doesn't mean that you

have to have had all those years in the

academy um but what the the shift that's

been good I think is that now these

Academy sides are playing in the npl and

are competing really well and so they're

getting ready now for that next step

which is a league um there was a period

there where there were no real Academy

sides um that if you know the the local

npl product you're training two nights a

week if you're playing under 18s is that

enough whereas we went to The Institute

of sport we're training every

day um so that's changed now with theems

and you look at you know we talk about

ours but you look at Melbourne City you

look at Melbourne Victory but also

Sydney FC wonders they're doing an

amazing job Adel got a different model

Adel has still got the NTC programs um

and I think that Adela have got it down

packed cuz they're the only Club in that

state so no going to go anywhere else

but at United um so they've been able to

produce the right players and the local

teams have got on board there the the

local n clubs are gone okay we know they

you're going to take out players when it

gets to a certain stage and we're

comfortable with that because we support

at doesn't seem to happen too much here

huh some push back well they're bringing

the they're bringing the NTC program

here aren't there which is like well

there's some teams that even threatened

to leave onto the a league squads in the

cies plays you mean yeah that's stupid

yeah it's crazy um right so playing

Korea moving to Europe at 16 to Belgium

right yeah well what was that culture

shock like yeah ad a to that was that

was tough was it Li first it was LE

first how did that come

about so did you want to ask oh I just

wanted to ask actually yeah it was funny

how it came about I was at Adela City

cuz I went to The Institute of sport

with I had a like I was there for about

eight months but what a group we had we

had vuka skoko crazy more we we had so

many amazing plays within that group um

but then I I went back to adelade City

at the age of 16 um and I thought I was

going to play more regular football I

wasn't but then there was a Serbian

player uh his name was Nea abovich and

um he goes don't even stay here he goes

go to Europe now and I'm going where am

I going to go who's going to get me

there he goes I got an agent and um

he'll be able to organize a trial for

you so went on trial um during the

season I went uh just after I think it

was just before Christmas time hardest

time uh yeah oh it was freezing I

remember the first training session it

was like - 7° I'm going how I can't feel

my feet it's not in

Beach you know what I mean what am I

supposed to do here my dad came over

with me and my dad's not the best

traveler at the best of times and after

two weeks they said they want to sign me

and U my dad goes look if you want to

have a career in football I think it's

best you stay he goes but I couldn't do

it were you still at school then I just

finished school okay yeah yeah your dad

said he couldn't do it in that situation

wow and you've just taken off because

that was my dream was you fly on your

own back there yeah I flew my way on my

own back and you had no obviously there

was no social media anything so you just

random in December in winter in Belgium

I didn't know like anything I hadn't

dressed I had like sumers shoes on I did

the same and got [ __ ]

over so you had to grow up pretty

quickly like I I couldn't uh they they

threw me into an apartment and um they

locked the door and whatever and the

next morning I was trying to open the

door I couldn't open the door what do I

do I'm going how am I do I have to climb

out the window and I was in the training

facility but it was my own apartment and

I and I was like they they were cooking

for me at the you know the facility

there so that was okay um

but no one spoke any English or they

didn't want to speak to you in English

it was French speaking but I was there

for six months then I moved to Raw antp

which was the Flemish part and a lot

easier um because they they English

speaking um is that right so the Flemish

Parts speak more English than the French

oh the French didn't speak English so

what was it like can I ask Johnny when

you got there in terms of the standard

of football that you were used to

playing and then you've you know gone to

Belgium was there a big difference from

what you were used to here um not at

that cuz I wasn't in the first team at

leer I was more in that that second team

um the standard was was good but it was

more the just the professionalism of

them and and the way that they can run

like we you know we thought that we

could run CU we we could you know us

Australians but they over there they

would like every um you know first day

back was was running in the forest and I

was like oh my God we need to go to the

forest again the [ __ ] 5K running the

forest that was our recovery 5K running

the forest

yeah and these new footballers have it

easy serious can you take us back to

maybe like I remember my first month in

those environments in another country

learning new language and different

types of personalities getting like

little things getting locked inside your

room little things that are like is it

worth it yeah starting to think is it

worth do you remember what your mindset

was those first let's say three two

weeks yeah oh the first couple of weeks

were defitely hard but I would say the

first few years for me were were tough

like I was still a kid from Adelaide

that with my mom used to make my bed and

cook for me and do everything for me so

all of a sudden all I moved away from

the Le went to antp and I had to

actually start to cook for myself didn't

know how to cook um and then the players

they you know what it's like they don't

care about you like you're there you

have to be better than them or else

you're not playing um then no one's

going to go oh are you feeling down

today or are you a little bit tired or

you a little bit sick the teames over

there if you want to get that was no

team you know what I mean that doesn't

happen contacting your parents and

family reverse charge reverse charge

what was the what was it um the one in

Australia ah yeah I don't know but every

time so yeah also had a girlfriend back

home that old call back and then then it

would always be reverse charge but half

my her wages definitely went on on the

telephone so people that forget there's

no internet there's no YouTube there's

no on the YouTube but there's no nothing

there's there's nothing social media

wise so ringing home was a big deal and

uh and so there was letters being

written I wasn't very good writer so um

I didn't write too many letters so it

was tough so that's why I say the first

2 and a half years were I'd sometimes

cry at night going what the hell you

know how am I going to get through

certain periods if you got injured or

you're not playing or lack of form who

do you turn to if you're a lack of

form I think that's the biggest thing

that people don't understand when you do

go overseas like obviously social media

now is so much easier to maintain in

contact with your friends and and family

where back them would have been so hard

and when you go get in those moments of

injuries or whatever would have been so

tough yeah it was tough again and and

this is the the lucky thing that I had

Aurelio vidma was playing in Belgium at

the time so every day off we had we

would catch up so we catch up for lunch

or or spend the whole day and and I

could sort of speak to him about the

difficulties and he would you know

understand because he had been through

it and his experiences so I remember

like to show that I was there and I was

going to compete uh there was a in anwe

there was this

younger uh he was from Belgium but it

was from that area didn't speak much

English he uh he was kicking me in

training I just booting the [ __ ] out of

me and I'm like this guy again he's

coming for me he's coming for me and

then he would say something to me in

that you know in Flemish and I didn't

understand and then I go you know what

I'm going to have to show that I belong

so next time he came for me as soon as I

saw him coming I just went whack and I

whacked him across the the lips and he's

bleeding and he's losing it and he comes

at me again I just go whack again and

then from then on he didn't say a word

to me didn't come near me and then the

other players respected me and I don't

say that you should do that but I had to

show that I'm not going to fear anyone

here every football has that story

that's a great point you make because I

feel like even when we were overseas and

undera at River it was so common that

new player comes in they come in first

day hide their clothes and they're

freaking out they're wondering where's

their stuff you know and it's such a

common thing in football when like a new

player comes in that they kind of get

like through that bully that stage and

then they need to get over that or stand

up for themselves and then it's like all

right he's on board yeah so going to

antp was that easier because you were a

bit more used to the

Belgium I know they're two different

regions but did you find it easier like

going there cuz You' settled in a bit

more yeah it was a little bit easier and

it was easier because I started to um

make my uh first you know team

appearances I was 17 came on the first

game scored so it sort of like gives you

a little bit of uh not only belief

within yourself but the rest of the

group the fans sort of go okay he's an

Australian but he can play and at the

time Australians were pretty well

respected in Belgium still frowned upon

because we're Aussies kangaroos they'

call us but we had a number of Aussies

that did well Eddie kovich Frank Fino

aelia vidmar Graham Arnold Paul oon so

we had a a pretty good name then were

you guys playing in Europe when you were

at ANW no yeah just started well we did

play in Europe we played against

Newcastle um that would have been a good

Newcastle team back then good Andy Cole

was there andy Cole wow yeah they had

some good players I didn't end up

playing in that game but our team was

quite strong in Belgium of that period

so again we could spend hours on on each

club and all that your next move

cremon how did you find that again what

was different between Italy and and

Belgium like what what was the

difference there Belgium football was

Big Italy football was life that stage C

was the biggest league in the world yep

um you know I thought I was going there

as an Italian you know because I an

Italian pass but I was still only class

as a foreigner so in every team you only

allowed three foreigners back then and I

I moved in uh around December January

something like that and my team were

well and truly in relegation so there

was 18 teams and four teams got

relegated so you're if you're pretty

much outside that top 10 you're in

relegation fight I think you were the

youngest foreign player in s up until

like recently uh I think to score the

quickest goal to yeah to score the

quickest goal in debut so I started

against um bar yeah and um and scored so

after a few minutes or or is it that one

was pet chenza anyway I scor I started

really well and so I thought okay you

know this is good but then I soon

realized when the results weren't going

well and I wasn't scoring the first want

to get the blame was the striker and the

Foreigner and you're

both and I didn't know how to deal with

it I was still only 19 and and I

struggled I I really did the time in

Italy I really struggled because in

Italy when you're doing well yeah you

can do what you want and go out and you

know even go for coffee and you know go

for ice cream or if you want to go for a

drink and have a good meal when you're

doing bad don't get don't set foot out

of that house in your region that you're

playing in because you will get abused

and um and so I didn't know how to take

that I'm getting like when you're going

into a restaurant and and the waiter's

looking you like you're an idiot or the

the chef doesn't want to serve you and

you go what I'm you're kidding wasn't

that bad but after someone explained to

me the reason why and I sort of get it

um Crona is a little town so cremon if

they played Si would have Juventus come

into town uh Milan into town and so

that's good for the economy good for

restaurants bars everything and when

you're getting relegated now you're

having you know a Regina coming into

town they're not traveling from Rego

Calabria up to so the economy dies a

little bit so that's their livelihood

that they're worried about as their

livelihood depends on incredible it

depends on you to score goals that's

right so they're going like and then we

got police escorted out of our own

stadium once with the with the Italian

defenses like that in that period That's

I mean renowned for some great games and

players as a striker young striker was

that like an initiation period and

brutal we played against a Milan so they

had at the back they had Bazi who

probably one of the alltime great

Italian Defenders Paulo Maldini Costa CA

um and then in in Midfield you know they

had like the best players you had bad

joichi boban you had all these players

but I remember playing against beri and

and I felt like yeah I'm on here and he

would just lead me into an area that

like I couldn't cause damage or that the

balls coming out to me he just little

nudg that I'll get off balance but it's

not enough to give a foul and and it was

like I've never like played in a game G

I had zero chance of scoring wow is it

the dark arts of what they do or is it

is it like a mental War it was just that

the the the Italian smart of having

knowing how to defend and at that time

Milan were virtually unplayable that in

terms they didn't concede chances didn't

concede goals um capillo was there at

that time they they had an an

unbelievable team and I was just like

wow they they they're very good I think

Maldini said if you have to like lunge

for a tackle you've already made a

mistake like if you have to go and slide

tackle someone you've made a mistake

your positioning is not good enough

that's how well they read it like

especially him like it was it didn't

even look like he was breaking a sweat

or getting out of first gear cuz he read

the game so well yeah he was so good

like physically he was a beast as well

so he had everything as as a so he

started off as a fullback and then he

played as a center Center back but he

had everything all the attributes you

need for a top top world-class Defender

he was tall he was strong uh lightning

quick technically very good and very

hard so he uh he's a winner and plus he

was good-look which Italian wasn't back

I feel like the whole team did you find

it easier after your experiences in in

Italy playing against some of those

defenses when you went to the UK I

actually yeah I not that I found it easy

you never find it easy but I I learned

that you in Italy you had to make two or

three movements to get away from a

Defender so then when you're doing it in

uh in a league that's probably not as

renowned for their defending it's easier

to find Space so the Italian like the

Italians even though I probably didn't

have the best of times there it actually

helped me develop my game right and what

about mentally John like it sounds like

you were just sort of thrown the deep

end with a lot of this stuff and you're

still quite young you know at all these

we're not even yeah we're not even like

kind of covering how young he is playing

at this level it's yeah it's quite

unbelievable that you're so young um and

you're gone overseas and you're having

these experiences what do you think it

was about I guess your

personality that you feel helped you

survive in those scenarios do did you

feel like more mature than your

counterparts your mates at home that

were your age outside of football or

yeah I felt more mature than than most

my friends that I grew up with because I

had a already life experience of of

living away from home people living in

different countries having to actually

you know and and sometimes people want

to uh do wrong by you so you have to you

have to get Street Smart pretty quickly

this is the other thing that I wanted to

say every you're kind of renowned for

being a very nice person which as a

footballer you know like everyone says

you need to be a bit of a I won't use

the did you have white line like bit bit

of Ross about you at all

yeah I reckon I have more of Ross about

me than what people think yeah I you had

to you had to especially growing up in

in the era that we were playing in there

was no V MH so like Defenders they would

like behind play step on your toe spit

on you do do whatever it took to put you

off your game so you had to be a little

bit a couple of times I got caught in

terms of I got a red card uh in Italy um

it was in CB against against Sana I

remember my um I had my wife she came to

the game cuz we got married really young

but she had family down near Naples and

um and I'm this guy's kicking me on the

corner and and I thought that you know

no one could see and I just went bang

that he's got me he got me a red card

comes out and I'm walking underneath the

stand and this is the main stand where

all their their Ultras were and getting

cigarette lighters coins pelted at me so

but I had to have a little bit of that

to survive what you know you know as um

it's a doggy dog world and and and we

had to to survive and to actually get

through certain situations you had to

have a little bit of a but I also know

that I went through some dark times as

well as a player when you're going

through this bad period in Italy you

don't know how to deal with it um media

is smashing you like like papers they

Mark you out of 10 you know some of your

teammates are getting seven eight and

you're getting a two you're like and it

shouldn't bother you but but it does

when you're that age I I guarantee yeah

I agree and then that all the local

radios are this he's rubbish he

shouldn't be playing we should get rid

of him and then you got the not that I'm

listening to it people telling me what they're

they're

saying I take get to heart when someone

says they disagree with my take on the

podcast let alone the whole Italian media

media

so it do that there how does pompy pompy

was a blessing because again like I I

was suffering a little bit in uh in

Italy and and also I felt that my form

was like going backwards and and

confidence is low so I needed to take a

step back to go forwards again and um at

the time Terry venal was our national

team coach and he was the chairman and

owner of Portsmouth and he goes why

don't you come to to pompy and um wait

did you say he was the manager of

England and the chairman of no manager

of Australia oh sorry yeah I was going

to say right Australia at the time but

he was also the chairman of Portsmouth that's

that's

crazy can you do that conf I mean it was

a conflict of interest definitely but

for me it was about playing football the socaro

socaro

coach Club get minut play so I I went to

Portsmouth and I started off again

really well and um scoring a lot of

goals the pompy fans were amazing yeah

loved it if they saw you trying and saw

that you gave your all they they're

backing you is what's the what's the

main fan there is his name Big John or

something there like it's big joh the

one that rings the bell yeah so that's

the one team I used to love so is that

different to Italy so in in England you

try in Portsmouth you try your best

right in in it it score you better score

you you could be having the worst game

your touch could be going there to the

door away but if you scored a goal you

done your job in zag style you know what

English people love workhorses they

don't care like they'll they might even

cheer harder if you crunch someone than

if you

score at the start like I'm I'm asking

the ball you know in certain areas cuz I

want to combine and and the guy puts one

in the channel you know turn around and

they going why aren't you running I'm

not going to get there did you find that

cuz you're I'd say you're a footballer

but actually you compliment like you

said this the other week on Paramount

about uh btic and Ibuki that they're the

plays that they can score at any moment

which you kind of will like that but in

in from a premier league standpoint did

you find stylistically that hard to

adjust to because it's very Route One in

some regards F I actually enjoyed

England in terms of it was pretty open

okay yeah so we there was back then

there was a lot of chances created okay

um so when I was at Portsmouth the the

first year like I said were doing well

and then all of a sudden we had a lot of

Australians there Craig was there Robbie

Enis and all that but then Terry venal

left and the new owner come came in and

also new coach manager and he got rid of

all the Australians and wanted to get

rid of me and I I had nowhere else to go

so um at the end of the offseason he

goes you're going to come back you're

going to be my seventh Choice Striker so

so you're really not going to play yeah

it was ridiculous I'm going to get all

these Strikers in and the young ones

from this one and I go okay I go I'll

come and do preseason this was the

championship back

so I ended up going back and doing

pre-season and um at first I was like do

a little bit of training then running on

the side by myself and then um you know

a trialist would come in and he wasn't

good enough so then I would join in and

then there would be a little bit like

that so then we started playing friendly

games and I'd get five minutes um come

on score a goal then get 10 minutes come

on score a goal I just had this like

hunger that I'm going to show him that I

deserve to be playing come to start of

the Season I'm playing I'm starting and

I scored 17 goals in all comps by

December and then I got sold to centry

well yeah it's it like I'm looking here

that's ridiculous 26 goals in 60 games

that's nearly per

goal that's crazy um I was 22 turning 23

that stage so but I'd already dealt with

setbacks yeah so I I that resilience

again you're building resilience and and

building people that you know again

don't believe in you how do you how do

you do it can you you can look for an

excuse yeah or you can go I just need to

fight through this and and again that

was so when he when he said your seventh

Choice you've gone I'm going to try

still yeah I I I had the opportunity to

go to other clubs that were low in the

championship but they were in my opinion

not good clubs so it was like going okay

I don't really want to go and no

disrespect to Stockport at the time but

I didn't want to go to Stockport those

was my options and I go I'm going to try

and play here and um prove that I should

be playing here um because I also I the

supporters were great they they they

really like embraced the way that I

played the game and and so I wanted to

do well there and so by that November we

ended up um uh that I got sold to centry

but it was funny um Alan B goes I will

get my agent to do he was the manager at

the time we'll get my agent to do the

deal to centry and I'm go what he's

getting a kick back

what the 90s

man so you went from being seventh

choice to the prim yeah which is that's

a title jome well

done was there a conversation with who

who was the coach that alen b alen when

you were leaving yeah you know what I

ended up you know I got along with him

after it was like I I didn't Ellen B won

a World Cup in '

66 um and he'd let us know quite a few

times watch

that English so but I didn't not I

didn't um hold a grudge I I just knew

that I had to play for him and I just do

what I had to do to play so let's let's

quickly touch on the Premier League

because I want to spend a while and

alsoa but um it says 98 to 2001 one so

you are dealing with absolute Peak

Arsenal and United in the same league

Chelsea was Chelsea coming coming they

had Z they had all

these yeah I think VII just retired at

that stage started to coach they they

had a top side like really good side um

man united just about to win the treble

y um arsenal were were virtually invincible

invincible

a yeah so it was a good period in terms

of the some of the sides in the Premier

League and um it started again it

started well but then uh I got injured

at the end of that no beginning of that

second season uh and I was out injured

for virtually a whole season and so

again this is going through the I didn't

know that I was going through depressive

States but I didn't want to wake up in

the morning I'm like oh and I don't know

I can't see the light at the end of the

tunnel yeah like just nothing my injur

is not getting any better um get back

break down get back break down were you

staying in Coventry or you staying in

like a bigger city no no I was staying

in a little town called lemington Spa a

beautiful Town Coventry is quite rough

um so we none none of the players lived in

centry just respect centry I love c as

well if you are injured that whole time

it's and you're living in a place where

there's not much to do not a mega City

but you know what it's even if there's

something to do your life is football so

you you're taking away something that

you love doing people go oh but you're

still getting paid yeah at the end of

the day I didn't care about you know I'm

getting paid I want to be playing uh and

uh and just like you have your difficult

moments when you're playing you know

lack of form or not selected or whatever

but there's nothing worse than being

injured there's definitely nothing worse

and then so to get over an injury is uh

already you have to have some sort of

and at the time uh again you you you're

looking for answers you're looking for

people to help you um okay can I set

little targets can I set little goals so

when I can get back how's my uh body

going to be when I get back so my I had

a problem with my hamstring that it

ended up changing my whole running gate

like and it was I went from a certain

style of running to another style all

together that I wasn't as explosive I

wasn't so then my game has to change a

little bit um but someone uh I can't

remember who told me they go instead of

just being down all the time because I

was why don't you go to games watch

games and plays in your position watch

uh a van nisty playing up up front watch

his movement watch um the best strikers

in the league what how are they moving

what what Shir cuz Shir at the time was

at Newcastle you know what has he do

that he's uh he does so well how does he

hold up the ball how does he run into

space how's he moving in the box and

then so when I got back I was like going

okay my game again had to change but it

improved in other

ways that's actually great advice

because I remember when I was at River

the technical director we would always

ask him what do we need to do how do I

get better and he would always say go

watch the first team see who plays in

your position because if you want to be

a lot of football everyone hates

injuries but imagine being injured in

the Prem League also in England it's

only football people talk about so you

can't really Escape it like everywhere

you look it's football football football

and I also learned how quickly someone

and people can figure out about you like

football fans are fickle so I I was like

playing and and and doing quite well and

and scoring some goals not always

starting but scoring goals and then all

of a sudden um not playing in the first

month you know you go to the game and

people are going oh hey John you know

good luck we'll see you on the park soon

to the second month couple less the

third month a couple less after a year

no one recognized you well it doesn't

help that you're fighting relegation as

well with the club add that on to it so

everyone's not in the best mood as it

already is who was the um just quickly

maybe before you jump on us who was the

best player you played against in the

Prem and favorite Stadium cuz the

atmospheres in England is for me always

crazy the atmospheres are unbelievable I

I loved going to Newcastle to yeah St

James like it was like you walk in and

you look up and and the fans are like

fanatical uh they're on top of you are

on top of you it's it's a such a good

Stadium did you bag on there no no I

didn't against Spurs though yeah that

was my first goal in the Premier League

against Spurs scoring a goal in the

Premier League that's I scored a few

goals against Spurs I don't know more um

I scored against United but at algr um

when Yap Stam was playing y Yap Stam was

like incredible I have to say there was

so many good players back then in the

Premier League but I wouldn't say that

there was like when I played in Spain

that you had like superstar that really

stood out and there was a couple there

in Spain but in the Premier League they

were good players Like Beckham could

like he cross a ball from anywhere and

you know that Dwight York and and Andy

Cole getting on the end of it and he had

Teddy sheringham that wasn't always

starting and then you had all the Ryan

gigs like that man united team was you

could name drop so many players actually

just you've just gone for the front line

of man united not even the league SKS

Roy Keane you know all these players

that you go they were they were

incredible players and

consistently great you know they weren't

just the so Dano was one of those

players that when we played against them

we getting beat and Dano came alive and

started doing flicks and tricks you go

you couldn't stop him like he was that

good but he wasn't like uh as consistent

as those worldclass players right crazy

so Coventry end up getting relegated um

how does how does the move to Spain come

there so much I want to touch on with

Spain but how cuz that's sort of like

did you know much about osasuna did you

know about the region it's p right yeah

P like did you know about the region did

you know where you were going or were

you like look they're playing La Liga

you've got strange places already at

this point of your I had no idea about

Osuna um I had no no idea about their

history I had no idea where it was um I

didn't know much about Spain at that

stage I always liked the Spanish league

watching it because it was so good

watching Barcelona Real Madrid Valencia

Depo Laruna at that time were were

amazing um Sevilla real Bettis they had

good good teams and good like plays

within those teams um but it came about

cuz I already played championship and I

go cuz Crystal Palace came in for me at

the end of that season Steve Bruce and

um and he go stuck around then

still and and and I remember him like he

picked up the phone he said look John I

know like Spain sounds great but you

know it's not as good as what everyone

makes it out to be you don't always get

paid on time and he had L good points

because there were certain clubs in

Spain that didn't always pay you on time

but I was like oh no I I want to try

Spanish football also my injuries played

a part so in England because we were

playing every 3 days I don't think my

body could cope with it then I was going

to Spain that were playing you know

Sunday to Sunday I was like okay I think

my body might cope with that a little

bit better how old were you at this time

like 26 or something yeah I would have

been 25 26 did you feel like when you

moved to Spain you were getting into

that space of like you know your game

you're there you're arriving like you I

felt that not only I I knew my game I

felt that I knew that I had to be

mentally strong in certain situations

and I had dealt with a lot in those

previous years that was I was ready for

a move to Spain cuz I didn't speak any

Spanish um my wife was pregnant at the

time um and we going to a country we got

zero idea about so Pamplona is um known

for the running of the balls but it's in

an area very much a busk area it's not

completely busk but half of it is I

didn't know what Basque

meant what does that mean it's the

northern Bas country country it's like

beautiful right yeah but at the time

there was still that ETA were were

bombing trains and and so there was

there was they wanted independence from

Spain that's right and there was a lot

going on and uh and I had no idea so

when I went there and I go oh you know

Spanish don't call me Spanish yeah oh

it's like like yeah the catalans are

also the same that I'm not Spanish I'm

cathan first yeah yeah so it was a you

know and so someone said to me never

religion even the last time I was in

Barcelona recently there was a thing

going on and it's it's still a thing to

this day with the Basque and with the

the Catalan region what was the beauty

of Spanish football cuz for me that's

when we were growing up around the time

you would have been at us Assa that was

getting played a lot in Australia so we

got to see a lot of it and it looked

like the funnest League or the most pure

football was it was that actually how it

felt playing there was it yeah so I felt

at the time um Spain was a mix between

uh Italy and England like it was not as

defensive minded is still you know

they're very very well structured like

the Italians but not as defensive minded

and um and attack-minded but probably

not as open as what the English were so

you had this great balance of you know

good football being played by most teams

and um and teams that are trying to play

you also had the pressures of the fans

but they weren't as brutal as i' would

say as the Italians in the sense that

you they still want to see good football

um so the Italians didn't care about the

football they just cared about the

results whereas the the the Spanish were

yeah we want to win but we want to see

you playing a certain way um and so the

Basque area and I'll say osasuna a

little bit they're a little bit of both

but they want to see you run and fight

and so if you're doing that a little bit

like the English um they they respect

you and and will support you and so I I

felt that was a good place plus it was a

very family orientated Club I loved

going into training I loved being around

the group I loved being around the

Spanish people so I felt more at home in

Spain than probably anywhere can I ask

you about the differences we watched I

don't know if you've seen it copper 90

documentary on one in a lifetime that

Argentina World Cup win few years ago

and they explained the reason why

Argentinian fans or football fans are

the way they are in terms of culturally

and societally what makes them like that

what were the and you said basically

Spain kind of sits in between England

and it Italy in terms of the way they

see football did you feel that

culturally with the people that that

reflected the way they liked their

football played yeah and the differences

definitely and it depends on where as

well m so if um you know depends on

which part of Spain you're playing in

there's certain parts that they just

want to be like they want flare um you

know probably more down south I don't

know if it's the you know down in

Seville the the the flamco like you know

the dancing all all that sort of stuff

whereas up up north of Spain they're

hard workers and they're known for their

hard work so you have to reflect that in

your game as well so you you'll see a

lot of the um the coaches that do well

up up north in the bus clubs are from

that area they're not from other parts

of Spain they they're from that area

yeah because they understand what the

supporters want what they're looking and

and it's the same you know you see a lot

of good bus coaches for instance that go

elsewhere and do well because they're

just hardworking people in general which

club in that region only signs players

with a bus it's Bill Bell yeah bill yeah

so are you you either to have this you

either have to have a grandparent who's

buque be born there or a parent from the

region I think they're like the three

markers for

they idea about the bu first yeah they

never been relegated they they've always

had they've always

had so Rio that is also a bus Club so

when I started going there they only

just started started signing Spanish

players so they had only signed Basque

and foreigners uh whereas athletic Bill

Bell haven't changed their way the whole

time but atic B what they do they got a

great Academy um but if they see a

player say osasuna that's uh that's

coming through jav Martinez who ended up

playing for Spain and play for Bayern

Munich he got sold he was there when I

was there I hadn't seen him play yet I I

don't even think I saw him train he got

sold for 7 million euro he was 16 years

old he went to athletic bbal and then

from there went to Bayern Munich and had

the career he had so but they would go

and Scout and get the best players from

everywhere around that region and pay

overs for him because they need to be

successful a but when they go into that

club they know what the club represents

and and is so they used to call it the

cathedral when we used to go play there

they've actually changed the stadium but

it was I've had some good moments there

and bad moments the I I'll talk about

the bad moment first we were 3-0 up and

uh we felt that we'd won this game there

was 30 minutes to go they scored one

goal and their crowd just went like talk

about atmospheres and they just went and

you just felt that the these guys grew

another level they they all of a sudden

they felt oh we're going to win this

game we're on their ass they beat us 4-3

I never walked off the pitch going what

the hell happen like it was just felt

like wave after wave after wave but

there was a fans that was driving him

home and and then another time with

osasuna we were there and it was to uh

save us from Rel ation that was my first

year that were there and OA fans hate

athletic B Bell fans because they say

you take all our young best players and

uh we scored in the I scored in the last

few minutes to equalize to keep us safe

what and uh and again like so that was

another bit of atmosphere that you go it

was at their Stadium but we had like

5,000 of our fans there it was amazing

after that saving a club from relegation

did you feel walking through the streets

did you feel that admiration

well that night out I

did I I do I do want to ask because that

that just on that point good point um

that era of like the galacticos and

Barcelona being who they are Spain was

the flashy the rich it was that that

scene were you were you partying a lot

were you shopping a lot was it was it

was it big cuz the clock's different

there too right so I don't know if

you're playing games later or earlier

but everything everything 10:00 at night

then there were some games at 5: in the

afternoon it just depends on which game

that you had um I wouldn't say that well

our team wasn't that flashy we we

weren't flashy we we couldn't afford to

be flashy to be H we had to keep our

feet on the ground um and also the the

area that we were in could do it it's

yeah you couldn't do it you're not

really it's not a flashy area it's a

hardworking um city and and region um

but the the galacticos like you look at

the Players they had and you know the

cars that they would have had and they

had all those well they were more than

footballers back then weren't they like

you beat them 3-0 yes you beat them

three was that at home or away away at

the bur wow and you came on as a sub no

I started that one you started that game

yeah I so just for those listening at

home this is who was

playing uh Beckham Figo zadan R Ronaldo

Roberto Carlos they started Ika Casia

start they all started how did that feel

walking out of there did you just feel

like we've just done a robbery here or

like no we deserve that no to be honest

we deserve the win um it was one of

those ones that their season had just

started there was five games left I

think after this game here and their

season was starting to like they

starting to hit a bit of trouble um they

were top and then they started to lose a

few games and then there was speculation

that the coach wasn't going to stay and

um it was Beckham's first year and and

all this stuff was going on and um and

we were on the rise we were like

challenging at that stage that we could

make Europa League and that we we're

pretty strong um and we ended up winning

3-0 and and after the game we were on

the bus back to Pamplona and we were go

my God we just beat Real Madrid like the

Burnell 3-0 so you know we asked the

coach oh can we stop and get some drinks

to bring on the bus we we're drinking

and having a good time we get into

Pamplona having a good time we lost the

games oh that proved the point don't get

carried away with your every footballer

that I've spoken to says a similar thing

of like oh you know when you played

against them were you star strike and

most footballers say n you just get on

with your job was there any surely was

there a little bit I guess you you've

been playing at the top for a while then

I know you're used to it no you're

you're not Star Struck what you will say

like there's certain moments in games

you go did he just do that yeah yeah

like ronal doo just he was receiving the

ball he had one of our Defenders like

charging at him he couldn't see him

because he's had his back to play and

he's just went Bo flicked the ball over

his head went around the other side and

received the ball and kept going and

you're going did he just do that like

that ronal was one of those players that

you go he was on on his day you go he

would do something you've never seen on

the football were you the only Aussie in

the La Liga at that point yeah at this

point also I think uh I don't know if

this is true so you can correct me but

were you the first Aussie to score in uh

all the top three leagues CDR premier

league and La Liga yeah

that's I don't think you can give a

trophy for that but that's got to be

like there's got to be like some sort

of bro that's clocking that's clocking

the game a bit you know I know we're

going to go into your coaching career a

bit later but like now you're talking to

young players and this thing of being

Star Struck and knowing in in the other

dressing room there's this player and

that player and this player what was

your mindset in that situation let's say

you're going out against Real Madrid did

you did you did you have a different

mindset at all did that enter your head

before you going out on par no we we

actually had the the reverse of that was

like you know what they're going to hate

playing against us because we we're

going to make life so hard to them so we

we know and we knew back in that that

period there that Real Madrid hated come

into our Stadium because our fans were

uh they were so like involved in the

game and hated Real Madrid like one of

the uh teams they hate most in La Liga

is Real Madrid they don't mind Barcelona

so much but the Real Madrid they just

hated now for whatever reason I think

it's some of it's political some of it's

a little bit because they were the showy

K yeah that's right so would go you know

what Beckham Roberto caros we don't care

like we and so I we weren't Star Struck

it was the mindset of we're going to

make this game that they're going to

hate and not want to come back here

again just just on your um your game as

a striker and particularly going through

this period up to this point what do you

think it was about your instinct or

yourself whatever you train to be able

to have that natural goal scoring cuz I

feel like when you don't have that it

pisses you off seeing someone just find

the back of the net but at the same time

they don't understand the actual mindset

that that person has to be able to do

that yeah I I think that the first of

all the mindset you have to have is that

can I receive the ball in in a position

that I can score so like if I'm making a

run uh to the near post and is the ball

going to arrive you know that on 4 m in

front of the near post that I can't

score so first of all then your timing

of your run is wrong um second of all is

like how can I see the ball see my

Defender so again so how can I lose my

Defender and I always talk about

Strikers going like even if it's a

through ball if you're in the the area

that you're making a run that you cannot

score um in that final third don't make

the run into that area cuz then all

you're doing is is and and when you're

playing against better Defenders they're

not going to follow you they just got

let them have it out there you're making

a run towards a corner flag for example

right away from goal and then other

things are like you know your body shape

when you're receiving the ball you um

the where you facing can I finish it

first time um because when you get to a

high level in the Box you you're not

really taking more than one touch it's

like I need to finish this um and so all

those things it comes with again who

you're playing with your teammates so I

knew certain players that loved crossing

the ball to the back post so I know when

they before they're going to cross I'll

try and lose my marker that I'll free up

space for myself at the back post

there'll be some others that will whip

the ball early near post so I knew that

I'll try and take my Defender away and

dart across him those certain like

little traits you don't learn from a

coach he likes very hard from so you're

thinking all the time like you're doing

a lot of thinking even if you're not

running you're always thinking where to

be at what time Instinct as I was going

to say so on instincts right cuz

instincts is almost it's unconscious

right your reaction is unconscious and

we always talk about switching off and

let's say the keeper saves it the

Defenders switch off and then the

striker there the instinct is there are

you doing anything that is conscious in

that situation to make yourself ready

for that rebound uh I'll probably not

yeah I am because uh again I I've

watched but I also got told so when a

player say for instance a left footer he

strikes the ball a lot of time when he

mishits the ball he's he's hitting it

across the goal so if if he Mish hits it

so I've scored a few goals that I'm here

he I know that he's not going to play me

the ball so I see that he's shooting

then automatically I'm just running that

area so if he hits it well the Keeper's

parrying it and I might get a tap him if

he Shanks it and and I've scored a few

of these and the and the the guy shots

run off like he set it up but if he

Shanks it I'm in a position to go and a

lot of Defenders aren't switched on for

that because they're looking still at

the ball they're not looking at that but

I found

that yes consciously but I had trained

that for so many years that every time

old follow in out of a 100 shots and you

might only get one or two rebounds or

three rebounds but if I didn't follow in

those those 100 I wouldn't score those

three goals you know so I heard a good

bit of commentary this morning um they

were talking about Nicholas Jackson's

form how he's getting all these chances

but he's just not finishing and they're

like some Strikers just need to realize

that as long as you're getting the

chances the goals will come if you're

not getting the chances there's a

problem with your game but if you're

getting the chances and you're in the

right positions then the goals will come

but like you just said you've got to

you've just got to be there when you're

not feeling good as well physically

you're not following up you're trying to

save a little bit of your legs or you're

not so yeah and and so when you're

feeling good physically you're going I

know that I I I'm going to get there or

I going to be there and when goals are

going in you just feel the balls coming

to you it's it's one of those ones that

it's it's hard to explain um unless you've played as a striker that you just

you've played as a striker that you just go I know I know the ball's coming in

go I know I know the ball's coming in this area I just I just know it but when

this area I just I just know it but when you're going through a bad period um

you're going through a bad period um it's like you you're making the run but

it's like you you're making the run but the ball's not falling for you there and

the ball's not falling for you there and then you stop sort of believing that

then you stop sort of believing that you're going to get on the end of it and

you're going to get on the end of it and all you need is that one little thing to

all you need is that one little thing to go for you again and it might be a goal

go for you again and it might be a goal that you finish in training that gives

that you finish in training that gives you confidence that okay I got my

you confidence that okay I got my confidence back now I got my timing back

confidence back now I got my timing back and then the game the next game you end

and then the game the next game you end up scoring what was the your longest

up scoring what was the your longest goal period oh and mentally how did you

goal period oh and mentally how did you yeah that was when I was younger I would

yeah that was when I was younger I would say did you even have many goal as

say did you even have many goal as periods yeah no I did of course I did

periods yeah no I did of course I did the honesty I think like Italy was a

the honesty I think like Italy was a long one I can't remember how many games

long one I can't remember how many games but that was long there was a period in

but that was long there was a period in Spain I went through um but I knew how

Spain I went through um but I knew how to deal with it a little bit better I

to deal with it a little bit better I got whistled booed by my own fans um but

got whistled booed by my own fans um but I knew that and my my coach was good my

I knew that and my my coach was good my coach kept on playing me he didn't he

coach kept on playing me he didn't he didn't leave me out he I know that you

didn't leave me out he I know that you can get through this and then all it

can get through this and then all it took was so I was getting a lot of sort

took was so I was getting a lot of sort of bad publicity at this stage and this

of bad publicity at this stage and this is already after having a good year the

is already after having a good year the year before but they can quickly turn on

year before but they can quickly turn on you um but then one journalist for some

you um but then one journalist for some reason like wrote a really good story

reason like wrote a really good story about me saying yeah but he's not

about me saying yeah but he's not scoring but he's giving us this and the

scoring but he's giving us this and the fans like went okay and then as soon as

fans like went okay and then as soon as the fan turned sort of my fortunes

the fan turned sort of my fortunes turned a little bit and I started

turned a little bit and I started scoring again it's funny how that can

scoring again it's funny how that can work football smart Nation it's almost

work football smart Nation it's almost like there's in my mind there's like

like there's in my mind there's like three games in going on in the game of

three games in going on in the game of football there's all the players then

football there's all the players then there's like the goalkeeper who's kind

there's like the goalkeeper who's kind of playing a different game and the

of playing a different game and the strikers are also kind of playing a

strikers are also kind of playing a different game where for example as a

different game where for example as a coach got if if my Striker is going

coach got if if my Striker is going through a goalless period I actually

through a goalless period I actually don't know how to relate to that

don't know how to relate to that experience and how to talk to him in

experience and how to talk to him in that situation and you'd be so valuable

that situation and you'd be so valuable now to your Strikers I've I've sort of

now to your Strikers I've I've sort of um there's certain times and I remember

um there's certain times and I remember doing this to Jame McLaren he wasn't too

doing this to Jame McLaren he wasn't too happy with me at that stage but I I'd

happy with me at that stage but I I'd gone through experiences I've gone

gone through experiences I've gone through a bit of a bad spell and um when

through a bit of a bad spell and um when I was in brisbon with Jamie he really

I was in brisbon with Jamie he really scored quite a few goals and but he went

scored quite a few goals and but he went I think about four or five games without

I think about four or five games without scoring and I could just see it Weighing

scoring and I could just see it Weighing on his shoulders in training wasn't

on his shoulders in training wasn't moving the same and so I decided to

moving the same and so I decided to leave him out and uh the next game but I

leave him out and uh the next game but I told him I said I'm leaving you out for

told him I said I'm leaving you out for this reason I'm going to take the

this reason I'm going to take the pressure away from you you're going to

pressure away from you you're going to come on and you're going to do well and

come on and you're going to do well and you and and I believe that you when you

you and and I believe that you when you come on you'll you'll want to score

come on you'll you'll want to score you'll feel that you're going to score

you'll feel that you're going to score but you're not starting the game that

but you're not starting the game that the pressure's on you and um and he did

the pressure's on you and um and he did he scored and and and I remember when I

he scored and and and I remember when I went up to him after the game he was

went up to him after the game he was still angry with

still angry with me I didn't mind because I go I got what

me I didn't mind because I go I got what I thought we would get from Jamie then

I thought we would get from Jamie then he went on a good run run again so I've

he went on a good run run again so I've been able to relate with Strikers

been able to relate with Strikers through difficult periods because I I've

through difficult periods because I I've been there as as a striker what was the

been there as as a striker what was the we haven't even touched on soccer or

we haven't even touched on soccer or coaching yet yeah I got it well I just

coaching yet yeah I got it well I just want to what was the is this one

podcast episode people going to turn off this

episode people going to turn off this honestly people yeah good time to say

honestly people yeah good time to say like comment subscribe but um we

like comment subscribe but um we probably know what the most important

probably know what the most important goal you scored in your but what was

goal you scored in your but what was what was your best goal like in your

what was your best goal like in your eyes and and like wi for the national

eyes and and like wi for the national team or no no just your your actually

team or no no just your your actually Club career well it could be what do you

Club career well it could be what do you and and what do you deem your best goal

and and what do you deem your best goal a striker CU it could be a t you know

a striker CU it could be a t you know what like I I've scored um a few goals

what like I I've scored um a few goals that surprised myself that I I go I'm

that surprised myself that I I go I'm I'm hitting a volley with my right foot

I'm hitting a volley with my right foot and and um left footed and one was

and and um left footed and one was against the Blackburn for centry and I

against the Blackburn for centry and I did a a stupid celebration but he what

did a a stupid celebration but he what was the celebration oh I was watching

was the celebration oh I was watching wrestling yes

wrestling yes yes smack down and I saw someone go like

yes smack down and I saw someone go like that that looks good that looks good

that that looks good that looks good that after a game and and you'll see a

that after a game and and you'll see a photo of me going like

photo of me going like that all my players are going what the

that all my players are going what the hell was that all about but I um it was

hell was that all about but I um it was a it was a cross at it was a [ __ ] cross

a it was a cross at it was a [ __ ] cross I can't remember who crossed me the ball

I can't remember who crossed me the ball but and it was against John Farland who

but and it was against John Farland who was at playing at Blackburn he was an

was at playing at Blackburn he was an Aussie goalkeeper and I went to control

Aussie goalkeeper and I went to control my left and because it was bobbly it

my left and because it was bobbly it sort of sat up and I was on an angle I

sort of sat up and I was on an angle I just went bang and I voied it into the

just went bang and I voied it into the opposite corner and I go wow that's

opposite corner and I go wow that's surpris and then and then there was

surpris and then and then there was another time I SW again with my right

another time I SW again with my right foot that I I was facing I was at the

foot that I I was facing I was at the edge of the box someone played me a ball

edge of the box someone played me a ball I controlled it but I was still facing

I controlled it but I was still facing sort of that way and I had to turn and I

sort of that way and I had to turn and I hit a volley my right foot and um and

hit a volley my right foot and um and again like it surprised me that I could

again like it surprised me that I could like time it that well but it's all

like time it that well but it's all about timing doesn't matter what foot

about timing doesn't matter what foot you are it's about how you the ball not

you are it's about how you the ball not how hard you hit it if you get the

how hard you hit it if you get the timing right as you know um against

timing right as you know um against Spurs I hit a good good

Spurs I hit a good good goal yeah we got to somehow pull some of

goal yeah we got to somehow pull some of these out man at some point because I

these out man at some point because I reckon he's got a lot of bangers man

reckon he's got a lot of bangers man yeah I was I was the other day I was on

yeah I was I was the other day I was on the La Liga YouTube uh like the La Liga

the La Liga YouTube uh like the La Liga YouTube page and they've got like a

YouTube page and they've got like a section just for your goals on there um

section just for your goals on there um and that's legendary there some

and that's legendary there some legendary bro like Ronald Doo J but but

legendary bro like Ronald Doo J but but I will say the ones that live with you

I will say the ones that live with you in terms of the the the most important

in terms of the the the most important goals like so I scored again like

goals like so I scored again like relegation um ones that were so

relegation um ones that were so important for the club at that stage and

important for the club at that stage and for your team um darbies like go like in

for your team um darbies like go like in local Derby what the best Derby You'

local Derby what the best Derby You' played in oh that's a great question

played in oh that's a great question that's yeah that's a good question

that's yeah that's a good question Melbourne Derby might be melbour Derby

Melbourne Derby might be melbour Derby but I Melbourne Derby was good like that

but I Melbourne Derby was good like that was that was that were early on that

was that was that were early on that were you were our villain that I I will

were you were our villain that I I will never forget that first

never forget that first derby and I'm like okay yep soccer is

derby and I'm like okay yep soccer is like absolute villain I was like this is

like absolute villain I was like this is crazy and looking back it was like one

crazy and looking back it was like one of the most Wild games ever yeah so that

of the most Wild games ever yeah so that that one there we won the first game and

that one there we won the first game and then Alex

then Alex Terror he was good player and then with

Terror he was good player and then with the next time we played you guys we lost

the next time we played you guys we lost at Amy par Robbie Cruz and I I think

at Amy par Robbie Cruz and I I think that I didn't even get a touch that game

that I didn't even get a touch that game and then the next one we were two- n

and then the next one we were two- n down at the it Marvel and um we ended up

down at the it Marvel and um we ended up coming back in and drawing two2 I scored

coming back in and drawing two2 I scored two yes but the actual darbies are

two yes but the actual darbies are always the ones that you go okay like I

always the ones that you go okay like I need to I don't know somehow you found

need to I don't know somehow you found something extra in Derbies and so I was

something extra in Derbies and so I was lucky enough to play I don't know if it

lucky enough to play I don't know if it was much of a derby for Aston Villa but

was much of a derby for Aston Villa but for centry it was a big game um and we

for centry it was a big game um and we won 4-1 at Villa Park was I think it was

won 4-1 at Villa Park was I think it was the first time in I don't know 60

the first time in I don't know 60 something years that we'd won there um

something years that we'd won there um scored two in that game um see how I'm

scored two in that game um see how I'm bringing up all the goals that I scor

bringing up all the goals that I scor yeah I love that this you're trained

yeah I love that this you're trained media

media trained yeah the Der they're the goals

trained yeah the Der they're the goals that you remember a lot in the special

that you remember a lot in the special game so the Spanish Cup Final for

game so the Spanish Cup Final for osasuna we were losing to real Bettis 1-

osasuna we were losing to real Bettis 1- nil I was on the bench came on and

nil I was on the bench came on and equalized in the last few minutes I

equalized in the last few minutes I think it was 84th or something and we

think it was 84th or something and we ended up losing an extra time but if I

ended up losing an extra time but if I go back to Spain tomorrow and go to

go back to Spain tomorrow and go to Pamplona they all talk about that

Pamplona they all talk about that because it was the first time we ever

because it was the first time we ever qualify for Spanish Cup Final any major

qualify for Spanish Cup Final any major trophy how did you deal with such a high

trophy how did you deal with such a high and then such a quick Drop Like scoring

and then such a quick Drop Like scoring an equalizer with five minutes to go and

an equalizer with five minutes to go and then losing an extra time yeah that was

then losing an extra time yeah that was hard but the fans like they stayed after

hard but the fans like they stayed after like that was my last game forer w w and

like that was my last game forer w w and the fans like there was say at the it

the fans like there was say at the it was the vincenta Calderon where um

was the vincenta Calderon where um Atletico Madrid used to play and there

Atletico Madrid used to play and there was half the stadium where real Bettis

was half the stadium where real Bettis and half the stadium were osasuna and um

and half the stadium were osasuna and um and they were just all in red and after

and they were just all in red and after the game they were just all stayed out

the game they were just all stayed out there and singing for us and singing and

there and singing for us and singing and and and I was like wow like so they're

and and I was like wow like so they're not upset they they just for them it was

not upset they they just for them it was an unbelievable day out it was it was

an unbelievable day out it was it was something that they never experienced in

something that they never experienced in their lifetime and a lot of them said

their lifetime and a lot of them said you made our life like and like I

you made our life like and like I remember going on the street went back

remember going on the street went back there uh 5 or 6 years ago and they kept

there uh 5 or 6 years ago and they kept on like I went to the stadium they was

on like I went to the stadium they was singing my name I was going like how

singing my name I was going like how they remember me you know that's awesome

they remember me you know that's awesome and it was from that goal that's amazing

and it was from that goal that's amazing and you lost like this is the passion

and you lost like this is the passion that like they they were just so happy

that like they they were just so happy to have that experience because they

to have that experience because they never make finals that's incredible can

never make finals that's incredible can you just touch on the cuz I don't know

you just touch on the cuz I don't know if you I don't know if I've told you

if you I don't know if I've told you this [ __ ] but I the first time I ever

this [ __ ] but I the first time I ever met ja cuz I'd love you to just touch on

met ja cuz I'd love you to just touch on the a league when you came back cuz you

the a league when you came back cuz you had a decent decent time with Central

had a decent decent time with Central Coast Sydney Melbourne Hart but there

Coast Sydney Melbourne Hart but there was a period when I was at the as the

was a period when I was at the as the joy went to a World Cup and so half the

joy went to a World Cup and so half the as went and the coach of the as was the

as went and the coach of the as was the coach of the joies so they told us older

coach of the joies so they told us older boys if you can get an A League club to

boys if you can get an A League club to go train with GO train with I don't know

go train with GO train with I don't know if you remember this yeah yeah I don't

if you remember this yeah yeah I don't know how I did probably two months out

know how I did probably two months out at Melbourne Hart and yeah and I was

at Melbourne Hart and yeah and I was like 16 or 17 and bro for me it might

like 16 or 17 and bro for me it might not have been a big deal for him but in

not have been a big deal for him but in that team was skoko

that team was skoko aloisi uh Gerald sibon Alex Terra Clint

aloisi uh Gerald sibon Alex Terra Clint Bol Matt Thompson Wayne try tell the

Bol Matt Thompson Wayne try tell the Sion story yeah I'll tell the Sion story

Sion story yeah I'll tell the Sion story this a funny but they were all at that

this a funny but they were all at that point in their career where they all

point in their career where they all knew their game like inside out to the

knew their game like inside out to the point where J might have been slowing

point where J might have been slowing down but he knew how to like win every

down but he knew how to like win every battle he knew how to score and I'm like

battle he knew how to score and I'm like trying to discover my game so for me I

trying to discover my game so for me I every day was like a mental Battle of

every day was like a mental Battle of like the level like Wayne shroy I don't

like the level like Wayne shroy I don't know if he ever gets credit but he'd hit

know if he ever gets credit but he'd hit balls and it was clean every single time

balls and it was clean every single time he hit the ball it was so nice to watch

he hit the ball it was so nice to watch like little things like that

like little things like that um and I'm rambling but to this point I

um and I'm rambling but to this point I don't know if you remember what game it

don't know if you remember what game it was Gerald Sion he got sent off and the

was Gerald Sion he got sent off and the second team had to go train it was day

second team had to go train it was day before a game with JVS and he took the

before a game with JVS and he took the first team the first 11 to go and

first team the first 11 to go and Gerald's gone over like trying to stay

Gerald's gone over like trying to stay with you guys cuz he's like looked over

with you guys cuz he's like looked over [ __ ] that and anyway tz's an Milich is

[ __ ] that and anyway tz's an Milich is calling out Gerald you got to come over

calling out Gerald you got to come over here come on come on anyway this is

here come on come on anyway this is where I was like [ __ ] there's lers in

where I was like [ __ ] there's lers in the levels he comes over and looks at me

the levels he comes over and looks at me Curtis good and I think I can't remember

Curtis good and I think I can't remember who else was there he just goes he goes

who else was there he just goes he goes ah one day you're here know he goes one

ah one day you're here know he goes one day you're at the sunal the next you're

here where I just thought [ __ ] but just on the a league back then what was your

on the a league back then what was your thoughts coming back the level how did

thoughts coming back the level how did you find it as like a bit of a

you find it as like a bit of a homecoming look the level was uh I think

homecoming look the level was uh I think it was just starting um I think I

it was just starting um I think I arrived in year three I think it was so

arrived in year three I think it was so you came early yeah I came early

you came early yeah I came early so the professionalism still wasn't

so the professionalism still wasn't quite there yet and then it started to

quite there yet and then it started to grow and you could see it and I and I

grow and you could see it and I and I sense the Improvement of like the league

sense the Improvement of like the league and the players in a short period got

and the players in a short period got like really good in a in a short period

like really good in a in a short period cuz I don't know if you remember back

cuz I don't know if you remember back then we didn't always get our foreigners

then we didn't always get our foreigners right there was a lot of times that our

right there was a lot of times that our foreigners were HIIT and Miss there was

foreigners were HIIT and Miss there was some that got it right and some that

some that got it right and some that didn't get it right whereas I think now

didn't get it right whereas I think now and for a long period there there's been

and for a long period there there's been majority of the time the foreigners are

majority of the time the foreigners are are good um because there's more

are good um because there's more research there's more data about them

research there's more data about them and whatever else but what I liked about

and whatever else but what I liked about it was that um you know we we're getting

it was that um you know we we're getting good crowds like the crowds were good

good crowds like the crowds were good back then and and there was a period

back then and and there was a period there that I would say probably till 15

there that I would say probably till 15 16 where you go wow like the football

16 where you go wow like the football was at a level the crowds were at of

was at a level the crowds were at of level um and and I think the peak of it

level um and and I think the peak of it was that period there yeah um and I'll

was that period there yeah um and I'll talk about the how I remember that the

talk about the how I remember that the peak was we played wonders in the

peak was we played wonders in the semi-final and we're three GRE up at

semi-final and we're three GRE up at Brisbane raw and we ended up losing 54

Brisbane raw and we ended up losing 54 an extra time classic that that noise at

an extra time classic that that noise at um pertek param stadium was unbelievable

um pertek param stadium was unbelievable it was you can compare it to anywhere in

it was you can compare it to anywhere in the world and go okay this is this is

the world and go okay this is this is football yeah um you know you go play

football yeah um you know you go play against Melbourne Victory or Melbourne

against Melbourne Victory or Melbourne heart Melbourne Victory you know the

heart Melbourne Victory you know the actual atmosphere at games we're getting

actual atmosphere at games we're getting my first game as a head coach was from

my first game as a head coach was from Melbourne Hart against angers Melbourne

Melbourne Hart against angers Melbourne Victory there's 55,000

Victory there's 55,000 people Marvel yeah this is what F said

people Marvel yeah this is what F said as well his first game he thought he

as well his first game he thought he didn't think Victory had a stadium his

didn't think Victory had a stadium his first game was a derby at Marvel it was

first game was a derby at Marvel it was unbelievable it was it was so good and

unbelievable it was it was so good and and you could see the level of younger

and you could see the level of younger players really improving rapidly as well

players really improving rapidly as well and that was because there was there was

and that was because there was there was a time where a lot of older players are

a time where a lot of older players are coming back and so there was probably no

coming back and so there was probably no in between so the younger players uh and

in between so the younger players uh and the older players they sort of had to

the older players they sort of had to try and bridge the gap pretty quickly

try and bridge the gap pretty quickly even though the younger players had way

even though the younger players had way more legs than the older ones but they

more legs than the older ones but they that that ended up could see got to a

that that ended up could see got to a stage that we we hit a real peak that

stage that we we hit a real peak that hatred back then from the fans and maybe

hatred back then from the fans and maybe hatred is a strong word that that

hatred is a strong word that that competitiveness I even remember I went

competitiveness I even remember I went to the melbour har Cedar and I was a

to the melbour har Cedar and I was a massive Victory fan um I say was cuz

massive Victory fan um I say was cuz I've C it a bit but I remember you did a

I've C it a bit but I remember you did a talk once at a primary school and I was

talk once at a primary school and I was trying to act cool and I'm like that's J

trying to act cool and I'm like that's J you know but I was like no well he's

you know but I was like no well he's Ming heart so like I can't associate I

Ming heart so like I can't associate I don't want to ask for a photo or

don't want to ask for a photo or whatever

whatever but back then that's what it was that's

but back then that's what it was that's what it was like and that's why I feel

what it was like and that's why I feel like the stadiums were were so packed

like the stadiums were were so packed even Mariners Mariners had some really

even Mariners Mariners had some really good outings so the the first year that

good outings so the the first year that I arrived back was with the Mariners

I arrived back was with the Mariners that we U we ended up playing Newcastle

that we U we ended up playing Newcastle Jets in the Grand Final at the aliance

Jets in the Grand Final at the aliance and it was Full House but with in the

and it was Full House but with in the semi-finals and even in the back end of

semi-finals and even in the back end of that season the the Central Coast

that season the the Central Coast Mariners Stadium is full like we're

Mariners Stadium is full like we're playing Newcastle Jets it's full stadium

playing Newcastle Jets it's full stadium and you're going like unbelievable

and you're going like unbelievable atmosphere as well and and all those

atmosphere as well and and all those games were were I thought were again

games were were I thought were again there was a bit of a hatred between

there was a bit of a hatred between central coast of Newcastle I think there

central coast of Newcastle I think there still is but probably a little bit less

still is but probably a little bit less gav's a Newcastle he's from Melbourne

gav's a Newcastle he's from Melbourne but he goes for Newcastle

but he goes for Newcastle okay my favorite player yeah we got

okay my favorite player yeah we got looker here son so it's um it's actually

looker here son so it's um it's actually I still think it's coming back I still

I still think it's coming back I still think that you know you saw the other

think that you know you saw the other night with um Adelaide Victory great

night with um Adelaide Victory great game that like each other no and and you

game that like each other no and and you know it it helps when you've got a

know it it helps when you've got a little bit of that you know uh K vit

little bit of that you know uh K vit from aday so he can really drive it home

from aday so he can really drive it home with his his team his group the

with his his team his group the supporters the whole and I know what

supporters the whole and I know what it's like in at ad would then all jump

it's like in at ad would then all jump on board you know the The Advertiser

on board you know the The Advertiser would just be yeah you know and so uh

would just be yeah you know and so uh Victor still have that as well against

Victor still have that as well against you know Adelaide and against Sydney um

you know Adelaide and against Sydney um and so I I think

and so I I think this year I've seen a real step again in

this year I've seen a real step again in the right direction definitely the

the right direction definitely the national team uh in some regards do you

national team uh in some regards do you feel like your Club career has been

feel like your Club career has been forgotten about because of your success

forgotten about because of your success with the national team the people give

with the national team the people give you like people kind of point to you for

you like people kind of point to you for the penalty kick for your goal against

the penalty kick for your goal against Japan for all those sort of moments or

Japan for all those sort of moments or is is that what sort of people look back

is is that what sort of people look back on you on with with I guess the highest

on you on with with I guess the highest regard oh in Australia yeah definitely

regard oh in Australia yeah definitely um because you have to remember at the

um because you have to remember at the time the premier League wasn't shown on

time the premier League wasn't shown on TV week in week out it was more

TV week in week out it was more highlights the La Liga wasn't shown on

highlights the La Liga wasn't shown on TV week in week out so I understand that

TV week in week out so I understand that they they got no problem with it um over

they they got no problem with it um over in Europe I'm probably more recognized

in Europe I'm probably more recognized for you know club uh I did at Club level

for you know club uh I did at Club level but here in Australia people will will

but here in Australia people will will remember me and it's again you could be

remember me and it's again you could be remembered for bad things yeah that's a

remembered for bad things yeah that's a good point J that's a good point you

good point J that's a good point you know and and it comes with it at times

know and and it comes with it at times because there'll be people that I

because there'll be people that I remember when I was going through a bad

remember when I was going through a bad time at Sydney FC and and it was a year

time at Sydney FC and and it was a year that I wasn't good I had bad injury I

that I wasn't good I had bad injury I was performing poorly and everyone was

was performing poorly and everyone was going he just scored a penalty anyway

going he just scored a penalty anyway like big deal he scored a penalty they

like big deal he scored a penalty they don't know what it took to get to that

don't know what it took to get to that point I know scored the penalty but um

point I know scored the penalty but um so it can come with you know pros and

so it can come with you know pros and cons but I I'm was

cons but I I'm was so like lucky to be involved in a team

so like lucky to be involved in a team that were hadn't qualified for so long

that were hadn't qualified for so long and that we were there that we knew knew

and that we were there that we knew knew and we believed we were going to qualify

and we believed we were going to qualify and it was the best group to qualify

and it was the best group to qualify with at that stage um that I was part of

with at that stage um that I was part of it on that goal I mean you've spoken

it on that goal I mean you've spoken about it countless times but what I

about it countless times but what I wanted to ask

wanted to ask was um we obviously all saw it it was a

was um we obviously all saw it it was a momentous occasion your goal led to me

momentous occasion your goal led to me becoming a football fan inadvertently

becoming a football fan inadvertently because before that I only watched AFL

because before that I only watched AFL and I swapped over when Australia made

and I swapped over when Australia made the World Cup in 2006 and you would have

the World Cup in 2006 and you would have done that for thousands of other

done that for thousands of other people we've seen a goal it's iconic

people we've seen a goal it's iconic it's one of the most classic moments in

it's one of the most classic moments in Australian sporting history I want to

Australian sporting history I want to know though when you got into your hotel

know though when you got into your hotel or whatever that night and closed the

or whatever that night and closed the door and you got into bed what was going

door and you got into bed what was going to your head like did you go to bed did

to your head like did you go to bed did you go to bed like what happened after

you go to bed like what happened after the game that maybe not many people know

the game that maybe not many people know about what you were feeling or you know

about what you were feeling or you know even also after that did you feel like

even also after that did you feel like you had to live up to it cuz it was such

you had to live up to it cuz it was such a big moment um after we I had to go

a big moment um after we I had to go back to Europe quite quickly because we

back to Europe quite quickly because we had our league was still going and and

had our league was still going and and my chairman was like getting angry that

my chairman was like getting angry that I was staying in Adelaide for cuz I went

I was staying in Adelaide for cuz I went back to Adelaide the next day um it was

back to Adelaide the next day um it was sort of funny cuz it's sort of like you

sort of funny cuz it's sort of like you live a moment but it sort of feels like

live a moment but it sort of feels like a surreal moment it doesn't feel like

a surreal moment it doesn't feel like you're part cuz you see it that many

you're part cuz you see it that many time like going back from the the hotel

time like going back from the the hotel the next day I can't remember the night

the next day I can't remember the night too much cuz I think I had a bit too

too much cuz I think I had a bit too much to drink so the next morning

much to drink so the next morning morning I'm going to the airport and um

morning I'm going to the airport and um and you know you're just looking

and you know you're just looking everywhere and there's just the

everywhere and there's just the television on uh the news whatever just

television on uh the news whatever just showing that then you you know you see

showing that then you you know you see people reading the paper it's just a

people reading the paper it's just a photo of that that night and you see

photo of that that night and you see going wow like we've just made Australia

going wow like we've just made Australia like and then you seeing people like

like and then you seeing people like celebrating you know um whether is the

celebrating you know um whether is the people at the the stadium and then

people at the the stadium and then people showing you footage of people

people showing you footage of people celebrating cuz back then they just

celebrating cuz back then they just started to be able to record

started to be able to record I'll never forget I my dad sent me to

I'll never forget I my dad sent me to school in the soccer jersey the next day

school in the soccer jersey the next day and he goes gab you're not wearing your

and he goes gab you're not wearing your primary school gear you going in the

primary school gear you going in the soccer jersey you must hear so many so

soccer jersey you must hear so many so much [ __ ] like that from yeah I imagine

much [ __ ] like that from yeah I imagine I remember taking penalties and doing

I remember taking penalties and doing the

the celebration so the the next um day I was

celebration so the the next um day I was on the flight with Tony vidmar going

on the flight with Tony vidmar going back to adake we going to spend a couple

back to adake we going to spend a couple of days there and um and the first time

of days there and um and the first time it really hit home what it meant to

it really hit home what it meant to everyone cuz I knew what it meant cuz

everyone cuz I knew what it meant cuz you you part of it we're all part of it

you you part of it we're all part of it that support the game um but a guy said

that support the game um but a guy said you made my dying father a happy man

you made my dying father a happy man [ __ ] and so I was just like wow that's

[ __ ] and so I was just like wow that's you know that's something that I didn't

you know that's something that I didn't expect um but felt again felt like it

expect um but felt again felt like it you know you don't play sport you don't

you know you don't play sport you don't really like when you're growing up you

really like when you're growing up you play sport because you love it and and

play sport because you love it and and you want to enjoy yourself and then when

you want to enjoy yourself and then when you get to a level you're sort of

you get to a level you're sort of playing because you want to reach a

playing because you want to reach a level but you don't feel the impact that

level but you don't feel the impact that it might have on people in their lives

it might have on people in their lives and if you're lucky enough to be part of

and if you're lucky enough to be part of something that has a positive impact um

something that has a positive impact um and I still to this day I was in the gym

and I still to this day I was in the gym I should go to the gym more but I was in

I should go to the gym more but I was in the gym the other day and I'm I'm

the gym the other day and I'm I'm running a bike and a guy comes up to me

running a bike and a guy comes up to me goes you're you're John aren't you and I

goes you're you're John aren't you and I said yeah and then I'm thinking just let

said yeah and then I'm thinking just let me ride my bike let let me go and then

me ride my bike let let me go and then he said I I just wanted to come up to

he said I I just wanted to come up to you because uh I was only 9 years old

you because uh I was only 9 years old when you scored that penalty

when you scored that penalty but that's the best moment I ever had

but that's the best moment I ever had with my mom I recall and and I was too

with my mom I recall and and I was too scared to ask if his mom's still alive

scared to ask if his mom's still alive or not because you know what was he

or not because you know what was he trying to and uh that moment there is

trying to and uh that moment there is whenever I think of that moment I think

whenever I think of that moment I think of my mom yeah and so there special

of my mom yeah and so there special things that you can that's probably yeah

things that you can that's probably yeah that's probably the most special when

that's probably the most special when you're hearing stuff from random people

you're hearing stuff from random people that how it affected their life forever

that how it affected their life forever rather than just qualifying for a while

rather than just qualifying for a while just and and on that because I as much

just and and on that because I as much as I love that you get the plotted for

as I love that you get the plotted for the penalty your goal scoring record for

the penalty your goal scoring record for the socceroos was actually probably not

the socceroos was actually probably not spoken about I think it was like almost

spoken about I think it was like almost a goal every two games um but no one

a goal every two games um but no one really speaks about how good the penalty

really speaks about how good the penalty was cuz they just went in but it was a

was cuz they just went in but it was a bro it was a [ __ ] top penalty keep

bro it was a [ __ ] top penalty keep like it was yeah there wasn't much room

like it was yeah there wasn't much room for error with with what he did I had

for error with with what he did I had the two thoughts that the the day before

the two thoughts that the the day before we practice penalties but then I ended

we practice penalties but then I ended up staying behind and practicing five

up staying behind and practicing five penalties that side did you put them all

penalties that side did you put them all in on the same side and I remember Lucas

in on the same side and I remember Lucas NE going why are you hit them all the

NE going why are you hit them all the same side and I said because I know if

same side and I said because I know if we're going to get a penalty shootout

we're going to get a penalty shootout we're getting one chance so I want to be

we're getting one chance so I want to be confident in my run up in the Striking

confident in my run up in the Striking of the ball and and it ended up being

of the ball and and it ended up being down that end um but it was in the

down that end um but it was in the leadup to the game I was thinking so my

leadup to the game I was thinking so my osasuna teammates they were both playing

osasuna teammates they were both playing uh Pablo G and CH Morales were were

uh Pablo G and CH Morales were were playing in this game and they know my

playing in this game and they know my strongest side is that side

strongest side is that side but they don't I have to go you know

but they don't I have to go you know what if I hit it well enough it's it's

what if I hit it well enough it's it's going to stay here and it's going to go

going to stay here and it's going to go in but if I change sides and I don't hit

in but if I change sides and I don't hit it as well as I would like and the

it as well as I would like and the goalkeeper goes that way so I just

goalkeeper goes that way so I just thought you know what I'm confident that

thought you know what I'm confident that I can hit it that side so I when I as

I can hit it that side so I when I as soon as I hit the ball I felt that I hit

soon as I hit the ball I felt that I hit it well and then I see it going into the

it well and then I see it going into the net but there's a delay from the noise

net but there's a delay from the noise from the crowd and I'm like going I

from the crowd and I'm like going I start running off and you see there's a

start running off and you see there's a photo of me like with a serious face and

photo of me like with a serious face and like is that

in Crazy before I go just make sure and then there was that half a second later

then there was that half a second later you just hear this eruption because you

you just hear this eruption because you think about it like I can see it's going

think about it like I can see it's going in but not everyone can see it's going

in but not everyone can see it's going in yet um and then yeah the rest when

in yet um and then yeah the rest when the the crowd erupted I went czy and is

the the crowd erupted I went czy and is that is that you putting yourself

that is that you putting yourself forward that I'm I'm taking this pen or

forward that I'm I'm taking this pen or is are people around you saying you take

is are people around you saying you take that pen no I put myself forward um

that pen no I put myself forward um there was I just had a feeling like and

there was I just had a feeling like and I I feel embarrassed talking about this

I I feel embarrassed talking about this a little bit because it seems like and

a little bit because it seems like and again for a football you have to have a

again for a football you have to have a little bit of an an ego I don't mean you

little bit of an an ego I don't mean you have to be disrespectful but you have to

have to be disrespectful but you have to have a little bit of confidence about

have a little bit of confidence about you and um and the year before not the

you and um and the year before not the year before four months before that the

year before four months before that the confederations cup um I think it was

confederations cup um I think it was that yeah I scored you were banging in

that yeah I scored you were banging in goals in thatal goal two against Germany

goals in thatal goal two against Germany two against Argentina and and I just

two against Argentina and and I just felt that I'm going to I'm going to

felt that I'm going to I'm going to score the winner and and for about a

score the winner and and for about a year or two before that I I kept on

year or two before that I I kept on saying it to my wife to my brother to my

saying it to my wife to my brother to my friends even like one night out with the

friends even like one night out with the Aussie team I told Mar vuka I'm going to

Aussie team I told Mar vuka I'm going to score the winning goal to get to the

score the winning goal to get to the World Cup and um so in the leadup to

World Cup and um so in the leadup to that game you know I was upset that I

that game you know I was upset that I wasn't starting and um and I remember

wasn't starting and um and I remember ringing my brother my brother goes

ringing my brother my brother goes remember what you've been saying

remember what you've been saying like you're going to score the winning

like you're going to score the winning goal so come on and score the winning

goal so come on and score the winning goal and so I just had this belief that

goal and so I just had this belief that somehow the ball was going to be there

somehow the ball was going to be there for me to score the winning goal and so

for me to score the winning goal and so when it was time to take penalties

when it was time to take penalties Graham Arnold asked everyone who wants

Graham Arnold asked everyone who wants to take penalty and straight up yeah I

to take penalty and straight up yeah I going take it he goes all right you'll

going take it he goes all right you'll get number one I said no no put me

get number one I said no no put me number five as we know number five

number five as we know number five doesn't necessarily mean you correct

doesn't necessarily mean you correct winning or the losing I just had this

winning or the losing I just had this feeling it would be so so you were you

feeling it would be so so you were you planted that seat yeah wow yeah so again

planted that seat yeah wow yeah so again I feel a little bit embarrassed cuz

I feel a little bit embarrassed cuz people might think this guy is full of

people might think this guy is full of himself but you know when you just got

himself but you know when you just got that belief that that will happen feel

that belief that that will happen feel like very mindset yeah it's very

like very mindset yeah it's very football mindset I understand completely

football mindset I understand completely bro was was there anyone else arguing

bro was was there anyone else arguing for that spot no and I didn't even I

for that spot no and I didn't even I didn't even know who was taking CU I

didn't even know who was taking CU I walked off straight away and started

walked off straight away and started like focusing on on the penalty and I

like focusing on on the penalty and I was like like just talking myself

was like like just talking myself through you know the Run UPS make sure

through you know the Run UPS make sure do the same that you did the day before

do the same that you did the day before and just trying to focus then we get to

and just trying to focus then we get to the halfway line and and you know we got

the halfway line and and you know we got our arms around each other and I got

our arms around each other and I got Lucas here and I go you taking a pen and

Lucas here and I go you taking a pen and he goes yeah and and he goes you I said

he goes yeah and and he goes you I said yeah I go I'm number five and and and he

yeah I go I'm number five and and and he looked at me he goes hero I go yeah hero

villain yeah and then then Tony Vima walked up to take one go who's ever seen

walked up to take one go who's ever seen Tony yeah and he took it with his left

Tony yeah and he took it with his left foot his right foot yeah yeah then Craig

foot his right foot yeah yeah then Craig Mo was on pens we had it was a weird

Mo was on pens we had it was a weird weird era CRA

weird era CRA was Craig Mo talk about the World Cup

was Craig Mo talk about the World Cup didn't he World Cup what do you know why

didn't he World Cup what do you know why he took him with his opposite foot

he took him with his opposite foot because he was at a lot of the time we

because he was at a lot of the time we started to play left back or left Center

started to play left back or left Center back so he started getting really

back so he started getting really comfortable with his left eveno vidmar

comfortable with his left eveno vidmar goes when Tony was stepping up he was

goes when Tony was stepping up he was going what the hell is he

going what the hell is he doing imine that Family household wait a

doing imine that Family household wait a second this the biggest game he got on

second this the biggest game he got on his opposite foot that's crazy did did

his opposite foot that's crazy did did that moment just a little quirky side

that moment just a little quirky side note did that moment get you on the

note did that moment get you on the cover of pro Evo 6 it did so how did you

cover of pro Evo 6 it did so how did you find out how did you find out that you

find out how did you find out that you were going to be on the cover of pro Evo

were going to be on the cover of pro Evo well the agent that I had at the time

well the agent that I had at the time asked me with does this money um are you

asked me with does this money um are you happy with this

happy with this deal I'm sure you would have what a game

deal I'm sure you would have what a game that was way that was a great game cuz

that was way that was a great game cuz you're on the a

you're on the a the that I think it was the Australian

the that I think it was the Australian version of it yeah Jake do you want to I

version of it yeah Jake do you want to I just yeah I just want to before we

just yeah I just want to before we finish up because J gone so long here

finish up because J gone so long here but um which we appreciate your time for

but um which we appreciate your time for but coaching

but coaching um pretty much to go into this season in

um pretty much to go into this season in in particular like you're probably I

in particular like you're probably I feel like people don't give you enough

feel like people don't give you enough credit for for your performances I mean

credit for for your performances I mean I know you've won a championship you've

I know you've won a championship you've been here for a while but what you're

been here for a while but what you're doing with a team this year I think is

doing with a team this year I think is really really special at what point did

really really special at what point did you know coaching was for you because I

you know coaching was for you because I know it's a big big change from a player

know it's a big big change from a player yeah I felt that towards the end of my

yeah I felt that towards the end of my career I become really interested in in

career I become really interested in in the coaching side um first it started in

the coaching side um first it started in Spain I had an assistant coach uh that I

Spain I had an assistant coach uh that I really liked and then I started to get

really liked and then I started to get interested in in the actual the the

interested in in the actual the the psychology of coaching what we liked as

psychology of coaching what we liked as players what we didn't like um what what

players what we didn't like um what what I felt uh was an environment that um I

I felt uh was an environment that um I was at my best you know could I do that

was at my best you know could I do that as a coach uh so but there was so many

as a coach uh so but there was so many different factors to it that I go it

different factors to it that I go it really interested me so I I started to

really interested me so I I started to do a little bit more study I started to

do a little bit more study I started to do my coaching Badges and then when you

do my coaching Badges and then when you start off coaching um it's completely

start off coaching um it's completely different yeah know it it is different

different yeah know it it is different it that you still have all the the the

it that you still have all the the the knowledge that you want to get out there

knowledge that you want to get out there it's how you get that knowledge out

it's how you get that knowledge out there it's how you simplify things it's

there it's how you simplify things it's how you have structures and all these

how you have structures and all these little details but then you you don't

little details but then you you don't know the actual other side of managing

know the actual other side of managing up uh you know thought managing your

up uh you know thought managing your playing group but also managing your

playing group but also managing your staff um also managing the media um the

staff um also managing the media um the supporters you know there's there's a

supporters you know there's there's a lot to it and then you still have to

lot to it and then you still have to have that mental strength of I know what

have that mental strength of I know what I want and how we're going to get there

I want and how we're going to get there because you're going to get questioned

because you're going to get questioned no matter what H when you're a coach you

no matter what H when you're a coach you have to understand that when you're

have to understand that when you're winning you've got good players when

winning you've got good players when you're losing it's the coach's fault

you're losing it's the coach's fault yeah so you have to actually know that

yeah so you have to actually know that that can be the case know that people

that can be the case know that people are going to dislike you um but you know

are going to dislike you um but you know again I I felt after that period at

again I I felt after that period at mbour har which I didn't have success

mbour har which I didn't have success there at all but I felt that I I knew

there at all but I felt that I I knew after that period that I could become a

after that period that I could become a coach and and I already had a bit of

coach and and I already had a bit of coaching experience but I knew that I

coaching experience but I knew that I didn't change who I was going through a

didn't change who I was going through a bad spill I didn't change my

bad spill I didn't change my relationship with players I was honest

relationship with players I was honest uh with the players the playing group

uh with the players the playing group um and and I and I kept my integrity and

um and and I and I kept my integrity and I I feel that's really important that as

I I feel that's really important that as a person as a coach that you have your

a person as a coach that you have your values and you stick by your values and

values and you stick by your values and what what about stylistically in terms

what what about stylistically in terms of philosophy or or formations or

of philosophy or or formations or tactics or anything like that at what

tactics or anything like that at what point do you allow any outside noise to

point do you allow any outside noise to influence your view on how whether you

influence your view on how whether you should change something like for example

should change something like for example and right now you know all that stuff

and right now you know all that stuff the I don't think you can allow outside

the I don't think you can allow outside noise to change your way I think you

noise to change your way I think you have to have a um your basic principles

have to have a um your basic principles have to be there um can you change

have to be there um can you change depending on your players yes I think

depending on your players yes I think you can be adaptable but that's you

you can be adaptable but that's you that's that has to know when to adapt

that's that has to know when to adapt and your your staff around you but if

and your your staff around you but if you start listening to outside noise

you start listening to outside noise then you're going to be sitting next to

then you're going to be sitting next to them pretty quickly because the outside

them pretty quickly because the outside noise do not understand what's going on

noise do not understand what's going on day to-day they they can't uh understand

day to-day they they can't uh understand what you're dealing with uh on a daily

what you're dealing with uh on a daily basis with certain players so we we get

basis with certain players so we we get so much information throwing us now

so much information throwing us now through you know players sleep um you

through you know players sleep um you know how they're feeling their nutrition

know how they're feeling their nutrition what's going on at their home lives the

what's going on at their home lives the you know what's going on within a club

you know what's going on within a club uh is are you able to spend money not

uh is are you able to spend money not spend money uh you have to bring through

spend money uh you have to bring through youth or you're going to get uh instant

youth or you're going to get uh instant success you know all that inside the

success you know all that inside the public can't understand that it's

public can't understand that it's impossible cuz you can't give them all

impossible cuz you can't give them all that information so when I make making a

that information so when I make making a sub people go why is he making that sub

sub people go why is he making that sub well because I need to know through the

well because I need to know through the the right channels and the people that

the right channels and the people that are giving me information this play if I

are giving me information this play if I play him um 90 minutes 90 minutes 90

play him um 90 minutes 90 minutes 90 minutes he's going to break down within

minutes he's going to break down within a week or two so we need to make sure

a week or two so we need to make sure that we load him correctly for whatever

that we load him correctly for whatever reason or it might be that his um you

reason or it might be that his um you know he had an illness during the week

know he had an illness during the week but you're not going to come out there

but you're not going to come out there and say that in the public and you

and say that in the public and you you've got to bear that brunt like

you've got to bear that brunt like there's so many times where as a fan I'm

there's so many times where as a fan I'm watching

watching thinking why the [ __ ] he done that

thinking why the [ __ ] he done that yeah but then I've got to I've

yeah but then I've got to I've got I've got to check myself and be like

got I've got to check myself and be like you know what what what do I know he's

you know what what what do I know he's spent he's spent seven days a week with

spent he's spent seven days a week with them he knows when they're going to

them he knows when they're going to sleep when they're taking a [ __ ] when

sleep when they're taking a [ __ ] when they're doing everything obviously has a

they're doing everything obviously has a reason for it so sometimes I got to

reason for it so sometimes I got to check myself like like even this morning

check myself like like even this morning I'm watching a game and I'm thinking

I'm watching a game and I'm thinking okay he hasn't made a sub

okay he hasn't made a sub yet I don't know why how would I know

yet I don't know why how would I know yeah this is why we need people to watch

yeah this is why we need people to watch him watch football but it's it's true

him watch football but it's it's true what you're saying and I understand you

what you're saying and I understand you know and I also what what helped me

know and I also what what helped me during that after that period at

during that after that period at Melbourne har was I went and worked on

Melbourne har was I went and worked on Fox Sports and so I was doing games so I

Fox Sports and so I was doing games so I understood now um the other side I'm

understood now um the other side I'm talking about the the the journalistic

talking about the the the journalistic side and and what they're looking at

side and and what they're looking at they look at One Moment In a game and

they look at One Moment In a game and they'll and because that's a big moment

they'll and because that's a big moment they will actually analyze that so they

they will actually analyze that so they they're going about oh this guy didn't

they're going about oh this guy didn't run back at this time yeah but the guy

run back at this time yeah but the guy might have been carrying an injury

might have been carrying an injury didn't run back that doesn't necessarily

didn't run back that doesn't necessarily mean that the team wasn't working hard

mean that the team wasn't working hard for each other but that's that moment

for each other but that's that moment they're going to pick up on and they're

they're going to pick up on and they're going to like take it magnify so yeah

going to like take it magnify so yeah magnify so I remember after games at

magnify so I remember after games at Melbourne hard I'm talking to the media

Melbourne hard I'm talking to the media and they're saying oh you were terrible

and they're saying oh you were terrible at this this and this and I'm like go

at this this and this and I'm like go what game were you watching like but

what game were you watching like but then then I realized they can't possibly

then then I realized they can't possibly watch the game like I'm watching it

watch the game like I'm watching it because I'm fully into analyzing every

because I'm fully into analyzing every little detail

little detail and so I then accepted that journalists

and so I then accepted that journalists are going to have their questioning and

are going to have their questioning and and when I'm answering a question it's

and when I'm answering a question it's not necessarily uh answering it to them

not necessarily uh answering it to them I'm answering it to that people that are

I'm answering it to that people that are watching can understand what I'm trying

watching can understand what I'm trying to get across that's fascinating like a

to get across that's fascinating like a footb you're great on camera I was

footb you're great on camera I was thinking that the other week I'm like

thinking that the other week I'm like yeah there you go like a football fan or

yeah there you go like a football fan or a journalist like you said they all they

a journalist like you said they all they see is exactly what's happening on the

see is exactly what's happening on the pitch nothing else they're not seeing

pitch nothing else they're not seeing what's going behind the scenes and

what's going behind the scenes and training they're not and the beauty

training they're not and the beauty of uh that bit of secrecy in football

of uh that bit of secrecy in football clubs imagine if everything was just in

clubs imagine if everything was just in the open like that it would it would be

the open like that it would it would be chaos well but you think as well I've

chaos well but you think as well I've got a a duty of care to my players as

got a a duty of care to my players as well you know I don't want to actually

well you know I don't want to actually come out and and public because you know

come out and and public because you know sometimes they go oh you know you're not

sometimes they go oh you know you're not hard enough on your players you don't

hard enough on your players you don't know you don't know what I'm I'm like

know you don't know what I'm I'm like I'll protect my players and then I'll

I'll protect my players and then I'll very rarely ever bring up an individual

very rarely ever bring up an individual in in a uh press conference I don't

in in a uh press conference I don't think I ever have in a terms a critical

think I ever have in a terms a critical way I brought up individuals in terms of

way I brought up individuals in terms of certain situations that that I feel that

certain situations that that I feel that that need to that everyone knows like

that need to that everyone knows like say about no botic you know we need to

say about no botic you know we need to protect him but I think it's his best

protect him but I think it's his best for his Pathway to do this um but that's

for his Pathway to do this um but that's me giving my opinion but I can't I would

me giving my opinion but I can't I would never give my opinion on you know say

never give my opinion on you know say someone U made a bad mistake and I'm

someone U made a bad mistake and I'm going to go go it's his fault like hold

going to go go it's his fault like hold on a second then I'm complet going to

on a second then I'm complet going to lose that player and maybe other players

lose that player and maybe other players around with it so again this I've seen

around with it so again this I've seen it happen I've seen coaches do it

it happen I've seen coaches do it everyone's got a different way my way is

everyone's got a different way my way is that I want us to feel comfortable in

that I want us to feel comfortable in this environment that we can speak

this environment that we can speak behind closed doors in a way that they

behind closed doors in a way that they can understand all right that wasn't

can understand all right that wasn't good enough or that effort wasn't enough

good enough or that effort wasn't enough there's those mad genius coaches that

there's those mad genius coaches that will do it and it'll be like only they

will do it and it'll be like only they could do it like only Mourinho could do

could do it like only Mourinho could do it or only whatever but then I've seen

it or only whatever but then I've seen it happen where

it happen where coaches have done it and you mean sacked

coaches have done it and you mean sacked the week after mourinho's done it and

the week after mourinho's done it and been sacked yeah there you go yeah but I

been sacked yeah there you go yeah but I was thinking of Troy de remember when he

was thinking of Troy de remember when he came out remember when he came out and

came out remember when he came out and said he was absolutely hor like he just

said he was absolutely hor like he just ripped into one player the whole

ripped into one player the whole interview lost his job the next week

interview lost his job the next week that's one way to lose it your job like

that's one way to lose it your job like so are you much of a spray at half time

so are you much of a spray at half time or do you like to keep it uh it depends

or do you like to keep it uh it depends on the situation depends on your group

on the situation depends on your group depends on you know certain individuals

depends on you know certain individuals it depends on a lot because I've

it depends on a lot because I've actually sprayed a group once uh so much

actually sprayed a group once uh so much at half time that I didn't get the

at half time that I didn't get the positive reaction I wanted so I go okay

positive reaction I wanted so I go okay I know now that I can't do that with

I know now that I can't do that with this sort of group and and then there's

this sort of group and and then there's other times that I've done it and I've

other times that I've done it and I've gone okay I've got a a reaction that I

gone okay I've got a a reaction that I wanted a lot of the time at half time

wanted a lot of the time at half time it's getting them to see certain things

it's getting them to see certain things that might be not going well and

that might be not going well and understand how we can fix it and giving

understand how we can fix it and giving them the belief cuz I I hate when and

them the belief cuz I I hate when and we've all been there when you you're

we've all been there when you you're hiding or you haven't being brave enough

hiding or you haven't being brave enough to play be brave like there sometimes we

to play be brave like there sometimes we get our press wrong cuz our press is

get our press wrong cuz our press is very aggressive and that we might get

very aggressive and that we might get caught out and get a one-on-one against

caught out and get a one-on-one against us yeah but we're we're pressing because

us yeah but we're we're pressing because we know that when we win the ball back

we know that when we win the ball back we're winning it in good areas so

we're winning it in good areas so sometimes we're going to be a little bit

sometimes we're going to be a little bit off I hate when a player goes and he's

off I hate when a player goes and he's half going no no no let's fully go

half going no no no let's fully go together yeah um and it's even like with

together yeah um and it's even like with the ball I don't like that when we beat

the ball I don't like that when we beat a line and we go backwards again no no

a line and we go backwards again no no no let's go forward let's go forward so

no let's go forward let's go forward so there things I'll bring up at Time come

there things I'll bring up at Time come on boys let's be more positive let's be

on boys let's be more positive let's be more Brave let's be like you know

more Brave let's be like you know certain games that this season there's

certain games that this season there's only been one or two that I didn't feel

only been one or two that I didn't feel well brave enough and I told him that

well brave enough and I told him that that's not us it can't be us where do

that's not us it can't be us where do you draw the line of um having standards

you draw the line of um having standards and uh giving them confidence that or

and uh giving them confidence that or Security in making mistakes and and

Security in making mistakes and and safety in no be brave I'll support you

safety in no be brave I'll support you even if you try something and you make a

even if you try something and you make a mistake and now you you've tried seven

mistake and now you you've tried seven times and you keep making mistakes and

times and you keep making mistakes and now at some point I need to smash you

now at some point I need to smash you how do you sort of it's a good it's a

how do you sort of it's a good it's a good point it depends on so I have clear

good point it depends on so I have clear principles of play and structures that I

principles of play and structures that I I feel that the players need to like say

I feel that the players need to like say with patterns of play or whatever it is

with patterns of play or whatever it is and so if they're trying to do something

and so if they're trying to do something but they're making that mistake now why

but they're making that mistake now why are they making it is it because they're

are they making it is it because they're not switched on is it because they

not switched on is it because they haven't prepared well um is it because

haven't prepared well um is it because they're just having an off day all right

they're just having an off day all right so if they're having an off day I always

so if they're having an off day I always say it to your teammate oh your

say it to your teammate oh your teammate's having an off day how you

teammate's having an off day how you going to help him through that you know

going to help him through that you know can you recover for him can you actually

can you recover for him can you actually end up being U like your reaction to a

end up being U like your reaction to a mistake because everyone can make a

mistake because everyone can make a mistake it's how you react to that

mistake it's how you react to that mistake are you're going to react by

mistake are you're going to react by hiding again or you're going to react by

hiding again or you're going to react by doing the same sort of thing but you

doing the same sort of thing but you know making sure CU sometimes as a

know making sure CU sometimes as a midfielder you go okay I've made a

midfielder you go okay I've made a mistake now playing the ball forward two

mistake now playing the ball forward two or three times the next one I'm just

or three times the next one I'm just going to make it stick I'm just going to

going to make it stick I'm just going to I'm going to make sure and then grow

I'm going to make sure and then grow myself back into the game um and so

myself back into the game um and so they're little details but we we want

they're little details but we we want standards we got our values we got our

standards we got our values we got our our you know our things that we drive

our you know our things that we drive every day um you know not only uh out on

every day um you know not only uh out on the pitch but off the pitch so we're big

the pitch but off the pitch so we're big on that if someone turns up to late to a

on that if someone turns up to late to a a meeting they have to have a pretty

a meeting they have to have a pretty good reason why they're turning up late

good reason why they're turning up late or meeting if someone's not preparing

or meeting if someone's not preparing right for training they have to have a

right for training they have to have a very good reason why I'm not preparing

very good reason why I'm not preparing right cuz I'm big on respect now you're

right cuz I'm big on respect now you're disrespecting first of all your

disrespecting first of all your teammates yourself the club and the game

teammates yourself the club and the game you know because this is our profession

you know because this is our profession so do everything right to get the best

so do everything right to get the best out of what you can do if you make a

out of what you can do if you make a mistake then I'm comfortable with it

mistake then I'm comfortable with it because we all make it I'm the first one

because we all make it I'm the first one that's still going to make mistakes but

that's still going to make mistakes but I I want the players know to know that

I I want the players know to know that they I'm okay with mistakes I'm not okay

they I'm okay with mistakes I'm not okay with you not preparing and not being

with you not preparing and not being ready

ready for the right attitude with the right

for the right attitude with the right attitude what what would you say now

attitude what what would you say now being playing both sides of the fence

being playing both sides of the fence which would you say is mentally more

which would you say is mentally more difficult as a coach or as a

difficult as a coach or as a player different completely different as

player different completely different as a player no matter what if you had a

a player no matter what if you had a good game and your team didn't win

good game and your team didn't win you're upset but doesn't weigh you down

you're upset but doesn't weigh you down nowhere near as much as I scored a

nowhere near as much as I scored a hatrick we lost

hatrick we lost 4-3 like as a coach you like when the

4-3 like as a coach you like when the team loses you you go okay it's it's on

team loses you you go okay it's it's on me yeah it's on me all right I need to

me yeah it's on me all right I need to go and figure out why we lost how we

go and figure out why we lost how we lost and how to make sure that next time

lost and how to make sure that next time I step foot into that club that the

I step foot into that club that the players know that uh we're on the right

players know that uh we're on the right track and how we can get in the right

track and how we can get in the right direction cuz they're looking at you

direction cuz they're looking at you first so as a player players aren't

first so as a player players aren't necessarily looking at other players

necessarily looking at other players they might it might rub off in them a

they might it might rub off in them a little bit you know if a player's

little bit you know if a player's feeling confident but they're looking at

feeling confident but they're looking at their coach or their leader or whoever

their coach or their leader or whoever it is to go all right this is what we

it is to go all right this is what we have to do to actually make this right

have to do to actually make this right yeah take the pressure off them and then

yeah take the pressure off them and then and and it's not easy sometimes when

and and it's not easy sometimes when you've lost three in a row you go okay I

you've lost three in a row you go okay I need to walk in the hardest thing is so

need to walk in the hardest thing is so when we lose a game if I've given the

when we lose a game if I've given the next day off I'm like so for instance

next day off I'm like so for instance the victory game but don't you were

the victory game but don't you were there at the victory game yeah one of

there at the victory game yeah one of the best games I've seen the one before

the best games I've seen the one before when I lost it yeah was wasn't one of

when I lost it yeah was wasn't one of the best K I see yeah so it was my

the best K I see yeah so it was my daughter's 21st that night oh no you

daughter's 21st that night oh no you beening and the fourth thing I'm so

beening and the fourth thing I'm so angry like and and it's just eating

angry like and and it's just eating you're like eating me up inside so I'm

you're like eating me up inside so I'm like going I'm trying to put on a brave

like going I'm trying to put on a brave F front for my daughter we didn't have a

F front for my daughter we didn't have a big party she had a big party the next

big party she had a big party the next week which was good but and but I'm

week which was good but and but I'm still burning so until that next day

still burning so until that next day that you go in and address your group it

that you go in and address your group it it it's eating you so you don't speak

it it's eating you so you don't speak after games especially in that I speak

after games especially in that I speak briefly yeah I'll touch on something but

briefly yeah I'll touch on something but I won't touch on a whole tactical or

I won't touch on a whole tactical or whatever cuz you know I I learned that

whatever cuz you know I I learned that your emotions can be pretty yeah so if

your emotions can be pretty yeah so if you're going to start to finger

you're going to start to finger point it can get have some apologies end

point it can get have some apologies end up being these finger

up being these finger points they're also for a player as well

points they're also for a player as well player's emotional after a game so it's

player's emotional after a game so it's better that a keep it as a as an even

better that a keep it as a as an even sort of yeah I can be angry but also go

sort of yeah I can be angry but also go okay we'll talk about the tactical side

okay we'll talk about the tactical side and whatever side after the next day and

and whatever side after the next day and until you address that then you're back

until you address that then you're back again to okay we're ready again like

again to okay we're ready again like we're ready to go again cuz the for for

we're ready to go again cuz the for for a day or whatever it's it's the worst

a day or whatever it's it's the worst feeling whereas as a player you you're

feeling whereas as a player you you're down but you know it was a different

down but you know it was a different sort of down hey J Jay's got like pod

sort of down hey J Jay's got like pod Fitness man I feel like we could speak

Fitness man I feel like we could speak to your day I don't I was just going to

to your day I don't I was just going to say you we have this saying with us like

say you we have this saying with us like pod Fitness cuz when it's just us for

pod Fitness cuz when it's just us for obviously we can go for we want and he

obviously we can go for we want and he he doesn't bre like he can go for as

he doesn't bre like he can go for as long as ever You' he's been impressive

long as ever You' he's been impressive some people fatigue some people like

some people fatigue some people like slou but um I'm I'm used to it cuz I've

slou but um I'm I'm used to it cuz I've done like a op sport yeah the long

done like a op sport yeah the long nights yeah the long nights I think

nights yeah the long nights I think unless you boys have anything more um

unless you boys have anything more um got a couple more hours huh yeah couple

got a couple more hours huh yeah couple more hours I'll just I'll just I'll just

more hours I'll just I'll just I'll just give two cents on um I asked J to do a

give two cents on um I asked J to do a podcast like six months ago he said yes

podcast like six months ago he said yes he saw me at a game probably two months

he saw me at a game probably two months ago come up to me and said I owe your

ago come up to me and said I owe your podcast credit to him we he's brought us

podcast credit to him we he's brought us in we've seen this whole club is such a

in we've seen this whole club is such a similar to what you said about osasuna

similar to what you said about osasuna this is has a very family esque like

this is has a very family esque like feel to it like we were we've gone in

feel to it like we were we've gone in the kitchen the chef's given us some

the kitchen the chef's given us some food Mel's giving us this big tour kids

food Mel's giving us this big tour kids are running around you guys are getting

are running around you guys are getting results as well it just feels like

results as well it just feels like there's a lot going on here that you

there's a lot going on here that you your experiences may be touched on and

your experiences may be touched on and obviously the ownership and support it's

obviously the ownership and support it's a very special place I I feel that that

a very special place I I feel that that especially it's all good now because the

especially it's all good now because the results have been there of late it's um

results have been there of late it's um I think your environment is so important

I think your environment is so important because uh players and we've all played

because uh players and we've all played or or followed the game and you know

or or followed the game and you know that if you're going into work and

that if you're going into work and you're happy you improve a lot quicker

you're happy you improve a lot quicker than if you go into an environment that

than if you go into an environment that you're not happy yeah and and I and I

you're not happy yeah and and I and I felt that that my years in Spain that's

felt that that my years in Spain that's where I felt that I improved the most

where I felt that I improved the most and I felt at my best because I loved

and I felt at my best because I loved going into to train I Lov going into

going into to train I Lov going into work yes she still had the um you know

work yes she still had the um you know the pressures of performing on a weekend

the pressures of performing on a weekend and then the results and all that but

and then the results and all that but this just made it so much easier so I

this just made it so much easier so I feel that if you can create an

feel that if you can create an environment like that it's not always

environment like that it's not always easy um but if you can create that then

easy um but if you can create that then I think you're on the way to something

I think you're on the way to something special so you we we feel that we're

special so you we we feel that we're we're off to a good start this season um

we're off to a good start this season um we still got you know quite a few games

we still got you know quite a few games left but the young boys have really

left but the young boys have really stepped up doing well super impressive

stepped up doing well super impressive and it's

and it's positive yeah I think what a what a way

positive yeah I think what a what a way to wrap there um again from us from

to wrap there um again from us from myself as well thank you so much for

myself as well thank you so much for your time John like we know that you're

your time John like we know that you're a very busy man thank you to the the

a very busy man thank you to the the broader Western United uh Team for

broader Western United uh Team for everything they've done for us um that

everything they've done for us um that was amazing thank you so much for your

was amazing thank you so much for your Insight um boers again where else you

Insight um boers again where else you going to get ja on giving this type of

going to get ja on giving this type of insight so for that I'm going to need

insight so for that I'm going to need you to subscribe on Spotify on YouTube

you to subscribe on Spotify on YouTube YouTube Apple's coming I'm working on it

YouTube Apple's coming I'm working on it it's being tough for me five stars on

it's being tough for me five stars on Spotify like on YouTube follow on

Spotify like on YouTube follow on Instagram if you're not we love you John

Instagram if you're not we love you John thank you fellas that was awesome Bravo

thank you fellas that was awesome Bravo thank you mate that was awesome

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YouTube Transcript:JOHN ALOISI On A-League Glory Days, THAT Penalty & Playing in PRIME La-Liga | EP 43