John Kosmina

Alexander John Kosmina (born 17 August 1956), known as John Kosmina, is an Australian former football (soccer) player and manager, who is currently the Senior Coach of the Brisbane City club. He is a member of the Football Federation Australia Football Hall of Fame.

John Kosmina
Personal information
Full name Alexander John Kosmina
Date of birth (1956-08-17) 17 August 1956
Place of birth Adelaide, Australia
Playing position(s) Striker
Youth career
000–1973 Polonia Adelaide
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1976 Polonia Adelaide
1977 West Adelaide Hellas 23 (12)
1978 Adelaide City 4 (0)
1978–1979 Arsenal 1 (0)
1979–1980 West Adelaide Hellas 44 (12)
1981–1986 Sydney City 150 (89)
1987–1988 Sydney Olympic 44 (13)
1989 APIA Leichhardt 24 (6)
1990 Sutherland Sharks
National team
1976–1988 Australia 60 (25[1])
Teams managed
1994–1995 Warringah Dolphins
1995–1998 Newcastle Breakers
1999–2003 Brisbane Strikers
2003–2007 Adelaide United
2007–2009 Sydney FC
2010–2011 Adelaide Raiders
2011 Croydon Kings
2011–2012 Adelaide United (Caretaker)
2012–2013 Adelaide United
2016–2019 Brisbane City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Kosmina is of Polish Australian ethnicity. He played for Polonia and then West Adelaide, before signing for English side Arsenal in February 1978. However, he only played one first-team league game for the Gunners (as a substitute against Leeds United on 19 August 1978), along with 3 appearances (2 as a substitute) in that season's UEFA cup. As of 2017, he's the only Australian to represent Arsenal. He returned to Australia in May 1979.

On his return, he went on to become one of the National Soccer League's most prolific scorers, with stints at Adelaide City, West Adelaide (for a second time), Sydney City, Sydney Olympic and A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers before retiring in 1989. The most successful of these was with Sydney City, being part of their 1981 and 1982 championship winning teams, as well as being the league's top scorer in 1982.

Managerial career

After retiring, he began coaching the Warringah Dolphins in the New South Wales state leagues, before coaching NSL side Newcastle Breakers, followed by a stint at the Brisbane Strikers. Both stints were largely unsuccessful, his sides reaching the finals only once.

Adelaide United

In 2003, he became the inaugural coach of Adelaide United. Kosmina coached United to an impressive 3rd in the final season of the NSL. Maintaining his job for the inaugural season of the A-League, Kosmina led his side to the Minor Premiership but a poor finals series saw them finish 3rd overall. The next season saw mixed results for Kosmina and Adelaide United.

Finishing 2nd on the table behind Melbourne Victory, Adelaide managed to reach the grand final, only to be thrashed 6–0. Kosmina's criticism of the refereeing of that match, coupled with the devastating loss and a touchline ban earlier during the season for a scuffle with Victory captain Kevin Muscat, saw him forced to resign by the Adelaide board.[2]

He was then appointed by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold as his assistant for the 2007 Asian Cup.

Sydney FC

After the sacking of Branko Culina by the Sydney Football Club Board, Kosmina was confirmed on 24 October 2007 as the new Sydney FC coach.[3] Since signing with Sydney FC Kosmina made an immediate impact; winning his first game with Sydney 3–2 against rivals Central Coast Mariners at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Sydney FC beat the LA Galaxy 5–3 at Sydney's Telstra Stadium in a friendly, and also won a thrilling 5–4 victory against the Central Coast Mariners at Bluetongue Stadium. Following Sydney FC's poor run in the 2008/2009 season (missing the finals for the first time), John Kosmina had his contract terminated in late January 2009.[4]

Adelaide Raiders

He was announced the manager of the Adelaide Raiders, a semi-professional club playing in the FFSA Super League.[5] On 1 September 2011, it was announced he had signed as senior coach of FFSA Super League club Croydon Kings after more than 35 years away from the club.[6] It was announced on 18 December 2011 that Croydon Kings had agreed to released Kosmina from his coaching contract so he could accept the Adelaide United manager position.[7]

Return to Adelaide United

On 18 December 2011 he signed as caretaker coach with Adelaide United for the remainder of the 2011–12 A-League season.[8] On 22 March 2012 it was announced he had signed a one-year contract with the club to stay on for the 2012–13 A-League season.[9] On 28 January 2013 he stood down as manager of Adelaide United, citing a lack of trust at the club.[10]

Brisbane City

In August 2015, Kosmina was appointed senior coach and football leader at National Premier Leagues Queensland club Brisbane City, signing a three-year contract.[11] In November 2018, it was announced that he would join the coaching staff at St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, taking responsibility for the Open First and Second XI teams, as well as the Year 10 and 11 teams, as part of a partnership between the college and Brisbane City.[12]

Media

He occasionally appears on Fox Sports as a commentator and football analyst. Kosmina co-hosts a weekly Internet television show about football on Australia Live TV with Ross Aloisi, Two Up Front[13] and the episodes are on AustraliaLiveTV.com.

International goals
Scores and results list goal tally first.
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionOpening Goal
127 October 1976Beijing Workers StadiumChinese Selection3–34–5Friendly GameNo
227 October 1976Beijing Workers StadiumChinese Selection3–44–5Friendly GameNo
39 November 1976Eindhoven, Netherlands PSV Eindhoven2–12–1Friendly GameNo
42 February 1977Olympic Park Stadium Red Star Belgrade1–31–3Friendly GameNo
520 July 1977Sydney Sports Ground Arsenal F.C.1–03–1Friendly GameYes
628 July 1977Olympic Park Stadium Red Star Belgrade1–02–3Friendly GameYes
716 March 1977Ba, Fiji Taiwan0–11–21978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
827 March 1977Sydney Cricket Ground New Zealand3–13–11978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
910 July 1977Adelaide, Australia Hong Kong1–03–01978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)Yes
1010 July 1977Adelaide, Australia Hong Kong3–03–01978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
1128 August 1977Sydney Sports Ground South Korea1–11–21978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
1228 August 1977Sydney Sports Ground South Korea1–21–21978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
1320 May 1981Olympic Park Stadium Indonesia1–02–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)Yes
1410 June 1981Hindmarsh Stadium Taiwan2–03–21982 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)No
1510 October 1982Singapore National Stadium Thailand0–30–4Friendly GameNo
1610 October 1982Singapore National Stadium Thailand0–40–4Friendly GameNo
1715 October 1982Singapore National Stadium Malaysia0–30–5Friendly GameNo
1826 November 1983Inglewood, PerthWestern Australia2–12–1Friendly GameNo
1930 November 1983Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur FA1–21–4Friendly GameNo
2030 November 1983Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur FA1–31–4Friendly GameNo
212 December 1983Singapore Singapore1–11–3Friendly GameNo
224 December 1983Singapore China PR2–12–1Merlion CupNo
2310 December 1983Singapore Thailand0–20–2Merlion CupNo
2415 December 1983Singapore South Korea0–11–3Merlion CupYes
2518 December 1983Singapore Singapore2–22–4Merlion CupNo
262 June 1984Sydney Cricket Ground Rangers F.C.2–13–2Friendly GameNo
277 June 1984Lang Park, Brisbane Nottingham Forest F.C.1–02–2Friendly GameYes
2721 June 1984Sydney, Australia Iraklis 1908 Thessaloniki F.C.1–02–0Friendly GameYes
2914 November 1984Manchester, England Manchester City F.C.1–21–3Friendly GameNo
309 May 1985Melbourne Cricket Ground Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama1–02–1Friendly GameYes
319 May 1985Melbourne Cricket Ground Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama2–12–1Friendly GameNo
3215 September 1985Middle Park, MelbourneVictorian All-Stars0–12–3Friendly GameYes
3315 September 1985Middle Park, MelbourneVictorian All-Stars0–22–3Friendly GameNo

Honours

Player
Sydney City

Individual
  • FFA Hall of Fame: 1999[15]
  • NSL Top Scorer: 1982[16]
  • NSL Under 21 Player of the Year: 1977[17]

Manager
Adelaide United
  • A-League Premiership: 2005–2006

Kosmina Street in the Sydney suburb of Glenwood is named for him.[18]

John Kosmina Medal

The award given to the player of the match in the National Premier Leagues Grand Final each year is named in his honour.

References
  1. The Australian National Men's Football Team: Caps and Captains Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. David Davutovic (22 February 2007). "Kosmina sacked". Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  3. "Sydney FC unveil Kosmina". 24 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012.
  4. "Kosmina parts ways with Sydney FC". ABC Online. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  5. "Kosmina, Aloisi now SA coaches".
  6. Migliaccio, Val. "Kossie's back to where it started". AdelaideNow.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Adelaide replaces Coolen with Kosmina". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. Earle, Richard. "John Kosmina leaves Adelaide United because of lack of trust with management". The Advertiser.
  11. "Coaching Coup as Brisbane City Fc Signs Famed Coach John Kosmina". Brisbane City FC. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  12. Smale, S (10 November 2017). "MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT – Brisbane City announce historic partnership with St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace". Brisbane City FC. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  13. "Two Up Front". AustraliaLiveTV.com.
  14. "Teams of the Decade: 1981–1989". Socceroos.com.au.
  15. "KOSSIE IN THE MEDIA". W Sports and Media.com.au.
  16. "John Kosmina". Arsenal.com.
  17. "NPL TITLE GOES ON THE LINE". Football NSW.com.au.
  18. O'Maley, Christine (20 January 2010). "Park is a goner". Blacktown Advocate. Cumberland Newspapers. p. 14. ...streets are named after well known football identities...
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