Latest news with #AurelioVidmar
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
All grown up: Vidmar ready to kick on from ALM triumph
With a maiden A-League Men championship finally in his grasp, Aurelio Vidmar feels a long way from the young coach who used to shoot his mouth off. Now he's ready to take Melbourne City up another gear, at home and in Asia. "Sometimes in life, sporting life, you can have all the luck in the world and be blessed and win multiple championships," Vidmar told AAP on Sunday, after City's 1-0 grand final win over Melbourne Victory. "And sometimes as a player, you can go 10 years, 15 years, your whole career, and not win anything. "So does that define you, who you are as a coach or as a player? Probably not. But everyone always likes to see, is he a winner or has he won a championship? "So if you want to call it a monkey off the back, whatever, it doesn't really faze me, but I'm rapt." The former Socceroos captain's early days as Adelaide United coach included coaching a young Mathew Leckie and taking the Reds to an Asian Champions League Final and ALM decider. But those achievements were arguably overshadowed by Vidmar's outbursts, which included calling Adelaide "a pissant town" and blaming "politics" for his team's 4-0 semi-final loss to Victory in 2009. "Well, when you're young, you sometimes do some silly things," Vidmar, now 58, said with a laugh. "You regret it when you get a little bit older, but sometimes you've got the passion, and those moments sort of just pop up and things happen. "But it is what it is. I'm so rapt for everyone here, the players are really working their backsides off and really deserved that last night." Vidmar hopes to keep most of his squad together, including Marco Tilio, whose loan from Celtic is ending. Grand final goal scorer Yonatan Cohen is off-contract. In finishing second behind Auckland FC, City were the highest-ranked Australian team and qualified for the Asian Champions League Elite. Vidmar noted that would help on the recruiting front as City attempt to stay at the top. He can't wait to return to Asia after City flopped in the group stages in their last involvement in 2023. "It's a great competition," he said. "Some of those nights have been the most memorable nights in my football career and there's so much more respect for it than it used to be 10, 15 years ago. "Now we've seen all the money that's been thrown out to the Saudis, for example; theirs are going to be strong. The Japanese are always going to be strong. "So a great tournament. We deserve to get there. So looking forward to that. It's going to be special." With a maiden A-League Men championship finally in his grasp, Aurelio Vidmar feels a long way from the young coach who used to shoot his mouth off. Now he's ready to take Melbourne City up another gear, at home and in Asia. "Sometimes in life, sporting life, you can have all the luck in the world and be blessed and win multiple championships," Vidmar told AAP on Sunday, after City's 1-0 grand final win over Melbourne Victory. "And sometimes as a player, you can go 10 years, 15 years, your whole career, and not win anything. "So does that define you, who you are as a coach or as a player? Probably not. But everyone always likes to see, is he a winner or has he won a championship? "So if you want to call it a monkey off the back, whatever, it doesn't really faze me, but I'm rapt." The former Socceroos captain's early days as Adelaide United coach included coaching a young Mathew Leckie and taking the Reds to an Asian Champions League Final and ALM decider. But those achievements were arguably overshadowed by Vidmar's outbursts, which included calling Adelaide "a pissant town" and blaming "politics" for his team's 4-0 semi-final loss to Victory in 2009. "Well, when you're young, you sometimes do some silly things," Vidmar, now 58, said with a laugh. "You regret it when you get a little bit older, but sometimes you've got the passion, and those moments sort of just pop up and things happen. "But it is what it is. I'm so rapt for everyone here, the players are really working their backsides off and really deserved that last night." Vidmar hopes to keep most of his squad together, including Marco Tilio, whose loan from Celtic is ending. Grand final goal scorer Yonatan Cohen is off-contract. In finishing second behind Auckland FC, City were the highest-ranked Australian team and qualified for the Asian Champions League Elite. Vidmar noted that would help on the recruiting front as City attempt to stay at the top. He can't wait to return to Asia after City flopped in the group stages in their last involvement in 2023. "It's a great competition," he said. "Some of those nights have been the most memorable nights in my football career and there's so much more respect for it than it used to be 10, 15 years ago. "Now we've seen all the money that's been thrown out to the Saudis, for example; theirs are going to be strong. The Japanese are always going to be strong. "So a great tournament. We deserve to get there. So looking forward to that. It's going to be special." With a maiden A-League Men championship finally in his grasp, Aurelio Vidmar feels a long way from the young coach who used to shoot his mouth off. Now he's ready to take Melbourne City up another gear, at home and in Asia. "Sometimes in life, sporting life, you can have all the luck in the world and be blessed and win multiple championships," Vidmar told AAP on Sunday, after City's 1-0 grand final win over Melbourne Victory. "And sometimes as a player, you can go 10 years, 15 years, your whole career, and not win anything. "So does that define you, who you are as a coach or as a player? Probably not. But everyone always likes to see, is he a winner or has he won a championship? "So if you want to call it a monkey off the back, whatever, it doesn't really faze me, but I'm rapt." The former Socceroos captain's early days as Adelaide United coach included coaching a young Mathew Leckie and taking the Reds to an Asian Champions League Final and ALM decider. But those achievements were arguably overshadowed by Vidmar's outbursts, which included calling Adelaide "a pissant town" and blaming "politics" for his team's 4-0 semi-final loss to Victory in 2009. "Well, when you're young, you sometimes do some silly things," Vidmar, now 58, said with a laugh. "You regret it when you get a little bit older, but sometimes you've got the passion, and those moments sort of just pop up and things happen. "But it is what it is. I'm so rapt for everyone here, the players are really working their backsides off and really deserved that last night." Vidmar hopes to keep most of his squad together, including Marco Tilio, whose loan from Celtic is ending. Grand final goal scorer Yonatan Cohen is off-contract. In finishing second behind Auckland FC, City were the highest-ranked Australian team and qualified for the Asian Champions League Elite. Vidmar noted that would help on the recruiting front as City attempt to stay at the top. He can't wait to return to Asia after City flopped in the group stages in their last involvement in 2023. "It's a great competition," he said. "Some of those nights have been the most memorable nights in my football career and there's so much more respect for it than it used to be 10, 15 years ago. "Now we've seen all the money that's been thrown out to the Saudis, for example; theirs are going to be strong. The Japanese are always going to be strong. "So a great tournament. We deserve to get there. So looking forward to that. It's going to be special."
West Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
All grown up: Vidmar ready to kick on from ALM triumph
With a maiden A-League Men championship finally in his grasp, Aurelio Vidmar feels a long way from the young coach who used to shoot his mouth off. Now he's ready to take Melbourne City up another gear, at home and in Asia. "Sometimes in life, sporting life, you can have all the luck in the world and be blessed and win multiple championships," Vidmar told AAP on Sunday, after City's 1-0 grand final win over Melbourne Victory. "And sometimes as a player, you can go 10 years, 15 years, your whole career, and not win anything. "So does that define you, who you are as a coach or as a player? Probably not. But everyone always likes to see, is he a winner or has he won a championship? "So if you want to call it a monkey off the back, whatever, it doesn't really faze me, but I'm rapt." The former Socceroos captain's early days as Adelaide United coach included coaching a young Mathew Leckie and taking the Reds to an Asian Champions League Final and ALM decider. But those achievements were arguably overshadowed by Vidmar's outbursts, which included calling Adelaide "a pissant town" and blaming "politics" for his team's 4-0 semi-final loss to Victory in 2009. "Well, when you're young, you sometimes do some silly things," Vidmar, now 58, said with a laugh. "You regret it when you get a little bit older, but sometimes you've got the passion, and those moments sort of just pop up and things happen. "But it is what it is. I'm so rapt for everyone here, the players are really working their backsides off and really deserved that last night." Vidmar hopes to keep most of his squad together, including Marco Tilio, whose loan from Celtic is ending. Grand final goal scorer Yonatan Cohen is off-contract. In finishing second behind Auckland FC, City were the highest-ranked Australian team and qualified for the Asian Champions League Elite. Vidmar noted that would help on the recruiting front as City attempt to stay at the top. He can't wait to return to Asia after City flopped in the group stages in their last involvement in 2023. "It's a great competition," he said. "Some of those nights have been the most memorable nights in my football career and there's so much more respect for it than it used to be 10, 15 years ago. "Now we've seen all the money that's been thrown out to the Saudis, for example; theirs are going to be strong. The Japanese are always going to be strong. "So a great tournament. We deserve to get there. So looking forward to that. It's going to be special."
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
All grown up: Vidmar ready to kick on from ALM triumph
With a maiden A-League Men championship finally in his grasp, Aurelio Vidmar feels a long way from the young coach who used to shoot his mouth off. Now he's ready to take Melbourne City up another gear, at home and in Asia. "Sometimes in life, sporting life, you can have all the luck in the world and be blessed and win multiple championships," Vidmar told AAP on Sunday, after City's 1-0 grand final win over Melbourne Victory. "And sometimes as a player, you can go 10 years, 15 years, your whole career, and not win anything. "So does that define you, who you are as a coach or as a player? Probably not. But everyone always likes to see, is he a winner or has he won a championship? "So if you want to call it a monkey off the back, whatever, it doesn't really faze me, but I'm rapt." The former Socceroos captain's early days as Adelaide United coach included coaching a young Mathew Leckie and taking the Reds to an Asian Champions League Final and ALM decider. But those achievements were arguably overshadowed by Vidmar's outbursts, which included calling Adelaide "a pissant town" and blaming "politics" for his team's 4-0 semi-final loss to Victory in 2009. "Well, when you're young, you sometimes do some silly things," Vidmar, now 58, said with a laugh. "You regret it when you get a little bit older, but sometimes you've got the passion, and those moments sort of just pop up and things happen. "But it is what it is. I'm so rapt for everyone here, the players are really working their backsides off and really deserved that last night." When the Championship press conference gets GATECRASHED 😂🍾🎙️ Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) June 1, 2025 Vidmar hopes to keep most of his squad together, including Marco Tilio, whose loan from Celtic is ending. Grand final goal scorer Yonatan Cohen is off-contract. In finishing second behind Auckland FC, City were the highest-ranked Australian team and qualified for the Asian Champions League Elite. Vidmar noted that would help on the recruiting front as City attempt to stay at the top. He can't wait to return to Asia after City flopped in the group stages in their last involvement in 2023. "It's a great competition," he said. "Some of those nights have been the most memorable nights in my football career and there's so much more respect for it than it used to be 10, 15 years ago. "Now we've seen all the money that's been thrown out to the Saudis, for example; theirs are going to be strong. The Japanese are always going to be strong. "So a great tournament. We deserve to get there. So looking forward to that. It's going to be special."
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singular focus key to Melbourne City's title win, says coach Vidmar
Melbourne City coach Aurelio Vidmar credited his side's singular focus as the reason for claiming the A-League championship on Saturday after a 1-0 Grand Final win over neighbours Melbourne Victory earned the club their first title since 2021. Yonatan Cohen's 10th-minute goal was enough to decide a feisty derby clash at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and secure the City Football Group-owned outfit only their second Australian championship in five finals appearances. "It's an unbelievable feeling, to be honest," said Vidmar. "It probably wasn't the prettiest of Grand Finals but it was gritty, we fought for every inch and I'm so rapt for everyone - the players, obviously, but everyone at the club. "Everyone was always heading in the right direction, even when we had those setbacks and hiccups. "No one ever wavered. That was the direction we were going and we stayed true to ourselves, stayed true to our principles and so rapt for everyone." Vidmar reserved special praise for Mathew Leckie, who put in a man-of-the-match performance despite playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role and suffering a suspected broken nose in an accidental clash with Zinedine Machach in the second half. The Australia international has rarely featured this season due to injury but dominated at the heart of the City team, even though his head was heavily bandaged for more than 30 minutes due to lacerations on his face. "I think he's gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson, he's pretty banged up," said Vidmar. "He was enormous for us tonight, absolutely enormous. We let the Ferrari get out of the garage tonight and he just played an incredible game. "He had a lot of issues this year, he had a lot of issues also going into this game but he's such a tough competitor, a guy that always wants to win. "He just fought to the death, absolutely enormous." After claiming his first A-League championship as a coach, Vidmar is hoping for a similar result next season, although he refused to look too far ahead with celebrations to come for some of his squad and national team commitments for others. "We're not going to talk about what happens next year until we come back" for preseason, he said. "It's never easy, the second year. But if our focus is right, if our intentions are right from the very first day of preseason, then generally you get a good feel. "And that's definitely the feel we had the first day of preseason this year." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
2 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Singular focus key to Melbourne City's title win, says coach Vidmar
June 1 (Reuters) - Melbourne City coach Aurelio Vidmar credited his side's singular focus as the reason for claiming the A-League championship on Saturday after a 1-0 Grand Final win over neighbours Melbourne Victory earned the club their first title since 2021. Yonatan Cohen's 10th-minute goal was enough to decide a feisty derby clash at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and secure the City Football Group-owned outfit only their second Australian championship in five finals appearances. "It's an unbelievable feeling, to be honest," said Vidmar. "It probably wasn't the prettiest of Grand Finals but it was gritty, we fought for every inch and I'm so rapt for everyone - the players, obviously, but everyone at the club. "Everyone was always heading in the right direction, even when we had those setbacks and hiccups. "No one ever wavered. That was the direction we were going and we stayed true to ourselves, stayed true to our principles and so rapt for everyone." Vidmar reserved special praise for Mathew Leckie, who put in a man-of-the-match performance despite playing in an unfamiliar central midfield role and suffering a suspected broken nose in an accidental clash with Zinedine Machach in the second half. The Australia international has rarely featured this season due to injury but dominated at the heart of the City team, even though his head was heavily bandaged for more than 30 minutes due to lacerations on his face. "I think he's gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson, he's pretty banged up," said Vidmar. "He was enormous for us tonight, absolutely enormous. We let the Ferrari get out of the garage tonight and he just played an incredible game. "He had a lot of issues this year, he had a lot of issues also going into this game but he's such a tough competitor, a guy that always wants to win. "He just fought to the death, absolutely enormous." After claiming his first A-League championship as a coach, Vidmar is hoping for a similar result next season, although he refused to look too far ahead with celebrations to come for some of his squad and national team commitments for others. "We're not going to talk about what happens next year until we come back" for preseason, he said. "It's never easy, the second year. But if our focus is right, if our intentions are right from the very first day of preseason, then generally you get a good feel. "And that's definitely the feel we had the first day of preseason this year."
