For John Aloisi, it was simply one game too far for his squad.
Having lead 3-0 so early in the first-half in last night’s semi-final, it appeared the Brisbane Roar had one-and-a-half feet firmly into next weekend’s decider at Adelaide Oval.
Yet a pulsating run of goals from the Western Sydney Wanderers, including a Romeo Castelen hat-trick, meant the Queenslanders will be watching the event on the couch rather than on the field.
“It was the season that got away. We had the opportunity to get to a grand final, but it wasn’t meant to be.” said John Aloisi.
The coach thought that at the vital moments, inexperience counted against them.
“We had a lot of young boys, it’s a young team. It’s hard, but I’m proud how they kept going.”
“It’s hard as a coach to control what’s going on on the pitch with all the noise, you try and rely on the messages you send out during the season.
“We wanted to slow it down. It’s a pity it went to ET, they had the week off and that’s where it helped them.”
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Even so soon after the event, there are moments that Aloisi thought his side let slip.
“I think about the free-kick, the second goal was a long ball and we could have dealt with it better. It lifts their supporters.”
“They won the second balls better. That was where we could do better.”
Pressed on whether it was indeed his inexperience as a manager, the former Socceroo icon played a straight bat.
“You’re always learning as a coach, but its still fresh. We’ve instilled a never say die attitude. People wrote North and Broich off, but they had good seasons.”
Asked if shutting up shop at 3-0 would have been wise, Aloisi shot that suggestion down.
“We haven’t got the players to shut up shop. That’s not what we do. That’s not the way we should win football games.”
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