Sydney FC ready for ‘unknown’ Brisbane Roar after coach John Aloisi quits

Sydney FC skipper Alex Brosque admits the Sky Blues must deal with the ‘unknown’ today as they face a Brisbane Roar side still reeling from the shock departure of John Aloisi.

Sydney FC skipper Alex Brosque admits the Sky Blues must rapidly deal with the ‘unknown’ as they prepare face a Brisbane Roar side still reeling from the shock departure of John Aloisi.

The former Socceroo striker stepped down yesterday with Roar currently second last on the ladder and with just one win from nine A-League games.

Darren Davies has been named as interim coach for tonight’s clash in Kogarah with news of Aloisi’s exit only filtering through to the Sky Blues camp at the end of yesterday morning’s training session.

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Business comes first for Brosque and whoever is in charge, the task is the same — securing three points — but the Sydney FC captain admits he feels for his friend and former teammate.

But he is also confident the A-League has not seen the last of John Aloisi as a coach.

“Obviously, it’s all happened very close to (tonight’s) game and there’s a bit of the unknown there now,” Brosque told The Saturday Telegraph.

Sydney FC Alex Brosque says his charges are ready for whatever the ‘unknown’ Roar can throw at them. Picture: AAP

“Whatever they do and how they set up, we have to meet that challenge and make sure we focus on the things that we need to do and get right.

“But I feel for Johnny. He really is a good guy. He’s a good coach, a smart guy and he’ll be back, I’m sure.

“During his time here (at Sydney FC) as a player, he was someone I learned a lot from. He was a real character. I looked at and how he and Steve Corica (now Sydney FC coach) were not only able to (positively) influence the young boys coming through at the club, of which I was one at the time, but kept themselves physically and mentally prepared every week. Also the way they approached recovery from games.”

While Brosque has sympathy for his old pal, there’s none for the team he’s left behind.

Boosted by last weekend’s 2-1 win over A-League leaders Perth Glory, the Sky Blues’ sights are now set on further closing the gap on top spot and that means heaping more pressure on a struggling Roar outfit.

“We’ve lost (our last) two games at home and it’s something that we have to change very, very quickly — starting Saturday,” Brosque said.

“We owe it to ourselves as well as our fans to go out there, put on a good show, get a good win and build on what we did in Perth.

John Aloisi has sensationally walked out on the Brisbane Roar. Picture: AAP

“A couple of weeks ago, there was a gap but we’ve now got ourselves within touching distance of top spot. We want to use the next two home games to keep up the pressure.”

Brosque cannot speak for the Roar players and how they will react today but he has his own experience of abrupt coaching exits.

“When I was playing for Al Ain, the club allowed me three days to head home to Australia for the birth of my daughter and when I came back he (Uruguayan coach Jorge Fossati) he was gone, just a week from the start of the season,” he said.

And just as Aloisi and Corica eventually transitioned from playing to coaching, Brosque too admits it is a tempting path to follow — when he eventually decides the time is right to hang up the boots.

“I’d love to stay involved in the game,” he said. “Funnily enough I was speaking to Ufuk Talay this morning (former Sydney FC player, now part of the Sky Blues coaching staff) about how he transitioned into coaching. When I speak to them it does get me excited about that side of it.

“And my old mate David Carney’s been telling me to get my badges so we can do something together.”