Why did Zhejiang team’s new head coach choose Aloisi? More passionate, more aggressive, with a tactical system aligned to the club’s goals

Written by Zuo Rui On December 22, Zhejiang team officially appointed Ross Aloisi as their new head coach. Judging from the club’s various performances since the winter break began, the reason this ex-Shanghai Port assistant was given this important position is his tactical approach aligns well with the club’s long-term objectives and his solid grasp of the CSL.

At 3 PM that day, both Shanghai Port and Zhejiang clubs released announcements about the departure and appointment respectively, with the sole focus on 52-year-old Aloisi. This swift transition not only gave the Australian coach a bigger platform to realize his ambitions but also granted Zhejiang more time to prepare clearly for the upcoming season.

When communicating with Aloisi, Zhejiang’s management keenly noticed that the candidate’s ideas were highly consistent with the club’s demands. Even more, his philosophy perfectly matched Zhejiang’s tactical style, training and match systems, and management model. Impressively, he also had a good understanding of the first team, including accurate analyses of every player like Wang Yudong and Mitrits.

Aloisi carefully and precisely interpreted Zhejiang’s different tactical approaches over the past two seasons, as well as the distinct leadership styles of Jordy and Caneda. In his view, playing a unique and more effective style of football requires certain conditions, which Zhejiang fortunately possesses.

Since his contract with Shanghai Port expired, and based on his clear career plan, he originally intended to return to a head coach role starting next year. He said, “If it weren’t for Kevin Muscat’s invitation, I wouldn’t have spent the past three years as an assistant coach in the J-League and CSL. I promised to assist Kevin for at most three years, after which I should take full charge as a head coach.”

This year many CSL clubs hired local head coaches, but after comprehensive consideration, Zhejiang prefers a candidate capable of “building a complete system, scientifically managing players, and leading team culture” rather than focusing on nationality or fame. In recent years, they have hired Spanish coaches who established an attacking system, and the young players have clearly improved through last season’s experience. Seeking a better fit and balance on this foundation seems natural.

Having been deeply involved in the CSL for two seasons, Aloisi knows Zhejiang inside and out. It appears this new head coach has done his homework and is ready to create a fresh start in Hangzhou. Practical Aloisi does not want to dismantle everything and start over; without fully understanding the previous squad and playing style, his own tactical system would struggle to take root in Hangzhou.

It is understood that beyond the official announcement’s mention of “faster pace, more running, positive possession, and forward attacking,” Aloisi pursues a style of football that is “more passionate and aggressive,” with specific demands on overall movement, speed of attack-defense transitions, and each player’s positioning. Both the new club and fans are eagerly awaiting the changes he will bring.

Joining him are two assistant coaches, as well as a fitness coach, goalkeeper coach, and a technical analyst. These five foreign assistants are not all Australian but share a highly unified coaching philosophy with Aloisi. He even proposed the concept of “one coaching team” regardless of nationality, fully aware that some players and situations require support from Chinese colleagues.

Perhaps no one understands the behind-the-scenes role of coaching staff better than Ross Aloisi. Over 15 years of coaching, he has mainly served as an assistant coach, including four years assisting his more famous brother John Aloisi. His head coaching experiences include West Adelaide, Adelaide United Women, and Brisbane Roar.

Three days before the new head coach announcement, Zhejiang Professional Football Club issued a farewell letter thanking five veteran players—Li Tixiang, Sun Zheng’ao, Dong Yu, Yue Xin, and Liang Nuoheng—whose contracts expired, for their past contributions. These two events show that facing fierce competition with CSL teams upgrading and strengthening for the 2026 season’s inevitable challenges, Zhejiang is taking a more pragmatic and rational approach, continuing to promote youth development with the goal of “sustainable growth.”