One of football’s greatest myths is that former strikers aren’t cut out to be successful coaches.
The likes of Johan Cruyff, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough might have a thing or two to say about that. Even closer to home, names such as John Kosmina and Graham Arnold can be used in that counter argument.
A former legendary striker of Australian football also looks set to buck that trend, with Damian Mori finally getting his chance.
He will take over from the outgoing Ross Aloisi, to become the assistant coach to his ex-Adelaide City championship teammate Carl Veart at Adelaide United until the end of the season.
Ross Aloisi’s departure from Adelaide United has been a long time coming. All season long he had been heavily linked with positions at Western United, Celtic and Yokohama F Marinos.
Japan is a country where Australian coaches have enjoyed great success and it will be interesting to see how his fiery and passionate personality gels with the very respectful culture of Japanese football.
Damian Mori is the complete opposite; cool, calm, calculated – just as he was in the box.
There is no debate that Mori is the greatest striker ever at Australian domestic level.
His glittering list of personal accolades and trophies includes being a five-time NSL golden boot winner, four-time NSL champion and two-time Johnny Warren Medal winner.
He is the most prolific goal-scorer in Australian football history with 240 career goals in 446 appearances, second-highest Socceroos goal scorer and once held the world record for fastest goal ever scored.
The only thing missing from his playing career was success in Europe – due to an ill-fated spell with Borussia Dortmund in the mid-1990s.
Mori’s coaching career in the SA NPL has been extremely underrated and the fact it has taken over a decade for an A-League side to take a chance on him has been a surprise to many within the game.
Adelaide City returned to the glory days of yesteryear with Mori in charge during a nine-year spell of trophies.
But it is his work over the past 18 months on an incredibly tight budget with FK Beograd that deserves more praise than his time with City.
FK Beograd were founded over 70 years ago by the local Serbian community in Adelaide’s western suburbs and are known to produce technically gifted players. It is the junior club of current A-League players Nikola Mileusnic and Lachlan Barr.
The club has been meandering along in South Australia’s state league since 2015, and even had former Adelaide United legends Cassio and Cristiano in youth development positions with the club.
Mori took over the head coaching role in 2020 and things immediately clicked.
They finished second in the league after losing top spot to an injury time winner to rivals Birkalla, only to get their revenge by beating the same side in the finals series and seal promotion back to the SA NPL.
Mori has reinforced his side for the rigours of the SA NPL with a raft of exciting prospects.
He has signed two of the division’s most promising young forwards – Ninko Beric and Mori’s son, Josh, while raiding other clubs for up-and-comers in Christian Sotira, Stanisa Velinov and Filimon Asefa and bringing back to South Australia Cooper Nunn from Munro College and Gideon Arok from Central Coast Mariners.
FK Beograd have been all action so far in the SA NPL, but only sit one point above the dreaded relegation zone.
It will be interesting to see the fortunes of the club with Mori simultaneously doing the assistants role at Adelaide United as well as still being the head coach of the state league side.
Having seen how hands on Mori is with the strikers in training for FK Beograd, he should instill even more confidence in an Adelaide United side that is second in the league for shots per game and firmly entrenched in a battle for a finals spot.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Why wouldn't you give Zoran Matic a gig the number of idiots that have got an A-league coaching gig is countless. Dont have a clue about Mori as far as coaching but he cant be worse than Veart. Why did they give Veart the gig apart form him being a crazed thug. Veart was half the player Mori was but had a stint overseas based on being an inch higher.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Since the game is going down the toilet fast, why not bring in Mori you cant get any desperate and lower then that, hell bring Sth Melbourne back to play in the A-League while we are at it. Average players make average coaches.
Sunshine Tiger
Roar Rookie
Great read Andy and Damian is good box hill boy
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
unfortunately his nickname was one of the many things that didnt make it past the editors lol
Franko
Guest
You could also add he held the world record for fastest goal for a while. I recall that gave him the profile to move to Borussia Monchengladbach.
Go Frogger!
Guest
He's not just a pretty face.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i also cant disagree with his comments. im not sure bitter is the word id use; jaded, disillusioned maybe? but a lot of the guys that played in the NSL would say similar things. this is why i wanted to particularly highlight his resume. the current generation of fans wouldn't even know who damian mori is - australias greatest even domestic goal scorer, he deserves praise he's also turned out to be a fine young (is 51 young? lol) coach
Franko
Guest
Would it be reasonable to say he has swallowed his pride a bit? For years he sat with D'Ovatti and it felt to me like he was holding out for Adelaide City to come back in to the national comp. I read a piece with him and Simon Hill a little while ago and he came off as still one of these bitter NSL types; "Expansion no doubt is a priority and when we achieve that and hopefully get to 16 teams we should look at a second division and then promotion and relegation, but only after the two divisions are running properly. "There are several clubs out there that are ready to go." The one thing that saddens me is that we've forgotten where we came from. You know, we've forgotten about guys like Zoran. We've wiped away the past --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't disagree with his sentiment, but it makes it hard to get a job in the ALeague when you publicly hold these views. He deserves his crack now and I hope it works out well.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
strong rumors linking Mori to the perth coaching job at season end - hes just as beloved in WA as he is in SA
Mark
Guest
Actually went to the same secondary school as Damian at St Leo's CBC in Box Hill. He was four years younger, in the same year level as my brother. Damian's older brother also went there, and he was a good player as well, a little taller than Damian, he was in my other brother's year level. Both dominated the school team in those days. I'm unsure why it's taken so long for him to get a coaching gig as he has such a great history of coaching. Really hope he get's his own A-League team sooner rather than later, I reckon he'll take whomever he coaches some places.