'So badly mistreated': Ray of hope for forgotten clubs as ex-Socceroos hail new Australian Championship
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A trio of homegrown football greats have hailed the arrival of the Australian Championship which they say will breathe life and passion into the domestic game.
The new second tier competition kicked off last weekend to large crowds and rave reviews around the country.
Watching on with great interest were Socceroos greats Craig Foster, John Aloisi and Mark Bosnich, who all played in the now defunct National Soccer League.
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Carlton celebrate their 1-0 victory over Marconi in the 1997-98 National Soccer League semi-final. Getty
The NSL was disbanded in 2004 and superseded by the fully professional A-League.
"There's a bit of a sense of healing," ex-Australia captain Foster said on Stan Sport's Added Time.
"This level of the game, which was once in its glory and in its pomp, it was so badly mistreated, you know. And the whole game knows that, you know, they were forgotten. Just moved on. It was like you pretended it didn't exist in a way.
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Damien Mori of Perth Glory in action during the National Soccer League. Getty
"If you're the top A-League goalscorer, you're the top goal scorer ever, you know. People say, what about (Damien) 'Frogger' Mori?
"So all of a sudden, for that level of the game to come out of that darkness, and now be in the limelight, you can see what it means to everyone. You can see what it means to the clubs and it means something to us as well.
"We can respect that these clubs built the game and to have them back on a stage is just absolutely beautiful. The future of this as a second level is very, very bright."
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Foster played in the NSL for Sydney United, Adelaide City, Marconi Stallions and Northern Spirit.
Many in the game hope the arrival of the Australian Championship will lead to a promotion-relegation system with the A-League.
Aloisi made his senior debut for Adelaide City before moving to Europe.
John Aloisi. Stan
He was thrilled to see the buzz back at some of the game's traditional strongholds.
"Teams with so much history behind them," Aloisi said.
"Over time there will be a promotion/relegation. At present, I don't think we're capable of doing that. We need to make sure we get both leagues sustainable.
"But I just love seeing it. My upbringing in Adelaide was playing against different ethnic backgrounds.
"I wouldn't have known Croatian background or heritage or what the food was like unless we played them, and then we became friends.
"And it was the same with the Greeks and the Polish. I'm not saying all clubs need to be from an ethnic background. I just love it. I actually think that the game needs it and I think that this will be a hit this season and going forward."
South Melbourne celebrate their 1999 NSL finals win over Sydney United. Getty
Bosnich said a strong second division was vital for the health of Australian football and the development of players and managers.
"You have to start somewhere, and the fact that they've started somewhere is the most important thing," Bosnich said.
A proud Croatian-Australian, Bosnich played for Sydney United and Sydney Olympic either side of an illustrious career in England.
Christian Care of Marconi Stallions is tackled from behind by Craig Foster of Northern Spirit. Getty
"Ethnic clubs were a very important part of helping people from all around the world assimilate into Australian society," he explained.
"But a lot of the demographics around those ethnic clubs now, they're completely changed as well. So as much as you're proud of your ethnic roots, you don't have to be enslaved to them.
"Like Bossley Park, those demographics around Marconi have completely changed. All you want to do is provide opportunities for boys and girls to play at the highest level possible."
Meanwhile, Aloisi remains on the lookout for a new job after Western United entered "conditional hibernation" last month.
The striker-turned-manager led United to the 2021-22 A-League title and is now in limbo.
"A difficult time with our club," Aloisi said.
John Aloisi celebrates winning the A-League grand final at AAMI Park. Getty
"The disappointing thing is we're 20 years into the A-League, this shouldn't be happening. And the way it happened and it happened so late into pre-season, it wasn't good.
"It wasn't good for anyone involved with the club... as a coach, we know that our job could go any minute, we understand that.
"As a player, so late into pre-season, have very little time to find the club, it was not ideal at all, so it was a pretty hard situation."
Aloisi said he had already turned down other opportunities and there is a chance that United returns in the 2026-27 season.
"If the right opportunity comes along, then I'll have to look at it because it's a year out of coaching," the 49-year-old said.
"I'm a career coach, I want to be coaching day in, day out. It doesn't rule out the fact that I could actually stay at Western United.
"There has been a couple of clubs that have been interested overseas but it wasn't the right opportunity. I'm in a position now that I need to make sure if I do go overseas and make that next step, it has to be the right one for me."
