Departing A-League Women’s Head Coach, Dario Vidosic, has opened up on the bittersweet feeling of leaving Melbourne City.
After leading City to the A-League Women’s Premiers Plate last season, the 37-year-old has been appointed as the Head Coach of Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Women’s Super League.
Despite the incredible opportunity that awaits for Vidosic, he opened up on why the decision to depart was so difficult.
“[It’s] bittersweet, I think that’s probably the easiest way to put it,” Vidosic reflected. A lot of emotions, some of happiness, some of sadness.”
“I leave a lot of great memories here, leave a lot of great people here. I’ve had fantastic relationships with the staff, the management and with the players, they’ve all been fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to start my coaching career with.”
In his first full season in charge of the team, Vidosic lifted the Premiers Plate and secured qualification for the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League – two special achievements for the first time manager.
“The group we had, they were phenomenal,” Vidosic said. “I’ll be a lifelong fan and even though it’s from a little further away now, I’ll still always keep an eye on and be a massive supporter of both the Men’s and Women’s teams.”
“[AFC Women’s Champions League] is something I’ve been looking forward to, it was the aim to qualify for that… I wish the girls all the best and I know they’ll do very, very well.”
Vidosic becomes the second City coach to progress from the Club’s Women’s program to England’s top-flight, after Joe Montemurro joined Arsenal Women FC in November 2017, before moving to Juventus FC and most recently, Olympique Lyonnais.
Whether it’s coaches or players, City continues to produce world-class talent in the Women’s game. This is a testament to the Club’s standards and professionalism according to the departing Vidosic.
“It all starts from the moment you first arrive, you’re treated as a professional, you get everything provided for you and you’ve got everything you need to be the best you can be,” he said.
“It’s then up to the individual if you want to utilise that. I had a fantastic group… highly ambitious who drove themselves”
Vidosic had one final message for the City fans.
“Thank you for all the support, from when I first arrived as a player to now as a coach, I always felt the support,” he reflected.
“Keep supporting the Club, keep coming out for both teams, but especially for the women’s team, the girls can play… they’re a fantastic group and they deserve the support and for people to come and watch them because they do put on an entertaining show.”
