John Aloisi has paid the price for Chengdu Rongcheng's catastrophic title choke, with the Chinese club sacking the Socceroos great.
Chengdu had appeared a lock to win the Chinese Super League for weeks, on top all season and leading the competition by 14 points with five rounds remaining and needing just to pick up one point to secure a maiden title.
But they lost all five games and, after slipping to a 3-2 defeat to Shandong Taishan on the final day, handed the title to Dalian Yingbo, where former Western Sydney Wanderers coach Mark Rudan is an assistant.
While Chengdu had a superior goal difference, the Chinese Super League prioritises head-to-head records between teams, and Dalian had won both meetings between the sides.
Aloisi had been hoping to become the next Australian to guide a team in China's top league to a championship after Kevin Muscat led Shanghai Port to glory in 2024 and 2025.
Instead the former Western United championship winner will have to continue his journey elsewhere after Chengdu parted ways with Aloisi and his staff on Tuesday.
“Mr John Aloisi will no longer serve as head coach of Chengdu Rongcheng Football Club. Members of his coaching staff will also depart,” the Chinese club said in a statement.
Aloisi had apologised to Chengdu fans after the capitulation.
“We are indeed very disappointed not to have won the championship. We are in a very despairing state. There is nothing else to say,” Aloisi told local media via a Chinese translator.
“I want to say sorry to everyone. We certainly know that our fans have travelled a long way to fight alongside us and support us.
“Right now, my only feeling is one of great dejection and disappointment, because we could see the trophy right in front of us, but could not get it.”
Meanwhile, John's older brother Ross Aloisi departed Zhejiang FC after just one season when they finished ninth.
