September 4, 2026 — 5:00am
John Aloisi estimates the size of the community who “really cared” about Western United, the now-defunct A-League club he proudly coached to a championship in 2022, at about 1000 people. From his dugout at Ironbank Fields, he remembers being able to hear individuals clapping from the stands during matches.
His next job has provided the ultimate contrast.
The Socceroos legend is on the cusp of clinching the Chinese Super League title in his first season with Chengdu Rongcheng, his first experience of coaching outside of Australia.
Chengdu, a city of 23 million people, is the capital of the Sichuan province, which is home to 83 million people. Two months ago, when Chengdu hosted their fiercest regional rivals at their brand new 41,000-capacity stadium, around 700,000 people tried to get tickets.
