Sydney FC,aiming high

Sydney FC sign John Aloisi, Mark Bridge and Simon Colosimo. Juninho may stay!

Press Release below

SYDNEY FC SIGNS JOHN ALOISI, MARK BRIDGE AND SIMON COLOSIMO IN TRIPLE STRIKE

Sydney FC has signalled its intention to return to the top of the Hyundai A-League with the triple signing of Socceroo Legend John Aloisi, Grand Final goal scoring hero Mark Bridge and Socceroo Simon Colosimo.

Bridge has signed a three-year contract while Aloisi and Colosimo have penned two-year deals and all three will start their preparations for the 2008/09 Hyundai A-League season on April 28 when the Sydney FC team begins pre season training.

The signings start what will be a busy off season for Sydney FC, which is unwavering in its efforts to add to the squad for the 2008/09 season.

“In John Aloisi, Simon Colosimo and Mark Bridge we have signed three of the best players in Australia which proves our intentions are very serious,” said Sydney FC Chairman Andrew Kemeny. “We are putting quality ahead of quantity and this is a good start to our recruitment for the next season and beyond.”

Aloisi has been signed as Sydney FC’s marquee player in a tremendous coup for the inaugural Champions.

The 32-year-old, who will forever be treasured as the man who booted Australia into the 2006 World Cup, turned down offers from clubs in Australia, Japan and the USA to join Sydney FC.

“I’m excited to be at Sydney FC,” Aloisi said. “I am still a very ambitious person and I want to win things and I see Sydney FC as the team to do that with. Last year I saw the Sydney game against LA Galaxy with 80,000 people and the game against Melbourne with 33,000 people and it was also a factor.

“Kossie (John Kosmina) was also a reason for me coming to Sydney FC. I have a lot of respect and admiration for Kossie as a person and a coach and I am looking forward to playing under him.”

Aloisi becomes Sydney FC’s third marquee player following former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke and Brazilian World Cup winner Juninho.

He comes to Sydney FC to continue a prolific club career that has seen him become the first Australian to play, and score goals in, the three big leagues of world football; the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s Primera Liga.

On the international stage, Aloisi has played 55 internationals for Australia, scoring 27 goals, including a goal at the 2006 World Cup against Japan in Australia’s memorable 3-1 victory.

He was also a member of the Australian team at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, where he scored three goals in Australia’s march to the quarter finals.

Bridge comes to Sydney after scoring the winning goal in the 2007/08 Grand Final when he struck the blow that saw the Jets become the third club to win an A-League Grand Final.

The 22-year-old Olyroo representative is a Sydney boy and his move to Sydney FC is a homecoming of sorts for the former Parramatta Power striker.

“I’m a Sydney boy and I’m looking forward to coming back and playing for Sydney FC,” Bridge said. “Sydney FC is a big club and they are putting together a good squad for next season and I am excited to be part of it.”

Aloisi and Bridge will join current striker Alex Brosque, who has scored 16 goals over the last two years, to give Sydney FC an exciting strike force for the 2008/09 season.

Aloisi and Bridge will be joined in Sydney FC colours from 2008/09 by Colosimo, who signed for Sydney FC following Perth Glory’s final match in January.

Colosimo has joined Sydney FC after spending three years with Perth Glory, stating his desire to play under a greater spotlight for his decision to return to Sydney, where he too previously played with Parramatta Power in the old National Soccer League.

“I’m coming to Sydney FC to play at a club that places high demands on its players on the pitch,” Colosimo said. “I feel I perform better when I’m under pressure and Sydney FC offers that.”

While Sydney FC is welcoming Aloisi, Bridge and Colosimo to the club, regrettably there are also players moving in the opposite direction.

Earlier this year foundation players Mark Rudan and Ufuk Talay left to join Japanese team Avispa Fukuoka while another foundation player, David Zdrilic has been released, so too have Ruben Zadkovich and Patrick.

Sydney FC has left the door open for Mark Milligan and Juninho about the possibility of extending their contracts with Sydney FC.

Contracted Sydney FC squad members for 2008/09:
Clint Bolton, Iain Fyfe, Nik Tsattalios, Simon Colosimo, Tony Popovic, Robbie Middleby, Steve Corica, Brendon Santalab, Ben Vidaic, Alex Brosque, Terry McFlynn, John Aloisi, Jacob Timpano, Adam Casey, Mark Bridge, Ivan Necevski, Adam Biddle and Mike Enfield.