JOHN ALOISI is back in favour after a fortnight of hard graft on the training track, with Sydney FC coach John Kosmina confirming his star is a definite starter for Saturday night's match against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium.
After three games cooling his heels on the bench, Aloisi gets the chance to show he has turned the corner against the Reds, who announced yesterday coach Aurelio Vidmar had agreed to stay on for a further three years. Just one point separates the two teams and a Sydney win could take them to as high as second place on the ladder.
Kosmina has turned to Aloisi after a barren run of one win in six games - not because of reputation but because of effort. "Whatever people might say, the fact is Johnny's base level fitness wasn't up to scratch," Kosmina said. "But now he's putting in the extra yards at training, you can see the sharpness returning and he's good to go. He's done enough to start at the weekend, now the question is who misses out."
Sydney, their pride still wounded after their last-start defeat at home to Wellington Phoenix, also welcome back veteran Robbie Middleby and while the former Socceroos utility announced last week he would be joining North Queensland next season, Kosmina has no fears he will be distracted.
"We've missed 'Chooky', no doubt about it, and he's keen to get back into it," he said. "Just because he's got a new club to go to next season doesn't mean he's going to play badly for the rest of this season. He's not like that, he's pretty focused, he wants to play well and he's got too much professional pride to let himself down."
Another player on his way out of the club, Iain Fyfe, looks set for a recall following last week's sudden retirement of skipper Tony Popovic - coincidentally against the club he's about to join, Adelaide United. Teenager Matt Jurman had been pencilled in for a start but picked up a few niggles while playing for Australia in the recent World Youth Championships qualifying campaign in Saudi Arabia and will be given a week's rest instead.
Meanwhile, former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has begun training with Sydney FC to keep in shape for his appearance in next month's exhibition match between the Oceania all-stars and Los Angeles Galaxy - featuring David Beckham. Bosnich has not played since ending his guest stint at Central Coast Mariners six weeks ago.
"Why wouldn't we want someone of Bozza's class around the club?" Kosmina said. "I've got no idea what he wants to do with his career in the future. We haven't even had that discussion but what I do know is that he was once one of the best keepers in the world and he's great around the boys. He asked to train with us to keep fit and we're happy to oblige."
In other news, Oceania Football Confederation officials are hoping the exhibition match in Auckland on December 6 will get the ball rolling for a possible A-League bid down the track. The Confederation is preparing a feasibility study on creating a professional franchise after Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy invited an A-League bid from Oceania during a visit to Noumea in June.
More than 15,000 tickets have been sold for the exhibition match at Mt Smart Stadium and officials are confident of a 40,000 sell-out, which would be a record for a club game in New Zealand.
While the Oceania team has guest players, Bosnich and former French international Christian Karembeu, it also includes players from seven of Oceania's 11 member nations. Confederation general secretary Tai Nicholas says the match is an ideal opportunity to allow people see South Pacific talent.
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