Coach John Kosmina is at the Reds to stay for at least another year after the club’s board moved early to extend his contract to next season.
Adelaide United Coach John Kosmina is at the Reds to stay for at least another year after the club-s board moved early to extend his contract to next season.
Reds Chairman Greg Griffin made the announcement after the squad-s training session at Hindmarsh Stadium this morning, declaring that Kosmina, the club-s inaugural coach, had full support to lead Adelaide United-s on field operations going forward.
A decision on Kosmina-s future was expected to be made after the Reds- AFC Champions League campaign, however Griffin stated the club-s ownership consortium has been more than satisfied by what Kosmina has brought to the table since he was first appointed on December 18 last year.
“We discussed it with John and we-ve got a good relationship, it works as it is, it-s year by year and we-d be delighted if he was here as a long term coach,” Griffin said.
“When the time is right we will have the same discussion again, so the length of the term doesn-t matter, it-s the performance, and what we-ve seen is a terrific performance and one that deserves to be rewarded with an extension.”
Griffin also confirmed the club had not been looking elsewhere, as Kosmina has typified the attributes of what Adelaide United stands for and represents.
“We-re very comfortable with Kossie and we did not speak to a single other coach,” Griffin stated.
“Despite all of the coaches CV-s that have been thrown at us, not one has been spoken to because we had an arrangement with John that we would let him finish off the AFC Champions League and we-ve decided to bring this forward, it is the club-s decision because quite frankly everything we-d hoped he achieve he has achieved.”
“You can see the spirit, you can see the fact that this team plays for something, so no other coach was contemplated.”
Kosmina, who responded to an SOS from United-s ownership consortium and on a handshake agreed to try and resurrect the Reds- ailing season, admitted he never thought everything would play out the way it has and said it is ‘a privilege and an honour- to be involved with a club that has grown close to his heart.
“This club is really special and I don-t think even the people in it now realise how special it can be,” Kosmina said.
“It-s unique in Australian football and it-s got a pretty good history in the A-League, even I guess in terms of the how long it has been alive, the club has achieved a lot and I think it-s got a lot more it can achieve.”
“It-s a great feeling and I love the game, I think it-s fantastic, and if you can build good things into it and create a good club with good people and good philosophies, that-s the exciting part about it, it-s not just the football, it-s the whole development aspect of trying to create a good club that people want to be at.”
United-s inaugural coach in 2003, where he took the Reds to the Premier-s Plate in the Hyundai A-League-s first season and a Grand Final appearance the following year, ended his tenure at the club at the end of the 2006/07 season.
The former Socceroos captain then coached Sydney FC between 2007-2009 and spent time as an Assistant Coach for Australia-s national team before returning to Adelaide where he took on the coaching role with local Super League club Raiders.
Then in December last year Kosmina was back on the Hyundai A-League scene and back at the Reds. Now that he has at least another 12 months in the job, he already has some clear objectives of what he wants Adelaide United to be renowned for.
“To start to become recognised as a force and a consistent force in the A-League and Australian football, and a club that players actually want to come to and want to be part of it…and also it has got to be a club where local kids can strive,” Kosmina said.
“Whoever comes here next season needs to fit the mould in terms of the direction the club wants to take, rather than the club trying to fit the mould of the players…the great teams around the world have their own philosophy and players that go to those clubs fit that philosophy.”
Kosmina has led the Reds to the top of their group after two games in the AFC Champions League, while his record in the Hyundai A-League since taking over midseason reads three wins, five draw and seven losses.
Furthermore, Kosmina also revealed he will not be heading to South Korea with the squad for the Reds- next AFC Champions League match against the Pohang Steelers. Instead, he will be in Canberra to commence his ‘A- Coaching Licence.
