One constant in Adelaide United’s future under the new leadership of Airton Andrioli is the club’s focus on nurturing young talent.
Andrioli, a seasoned 60-year-old Brazilian, has taken the helm at Coopers Stadium, succeeding Reds icon Carl Veart for a minimum of the next two seasons.
In his recent role as Head of Youth Football and an assistant to the first team, Andrioli has been integral to the club for the past five years, playing a crucial part in developing football pathways throughout South Australia.
The youth development specialist has been key to the success of Adelaide’s renowned academy, facilitating the transition of numerous players into the A-Leagues. He has either identified or helped develop talents like Nestory Irankunda, Luka Jovanovic, Aurelio Vidmar Medallist Ethan Alagich, Ryan White, Harry Crawford, Amlani Tatu, Giuseppe Bovalina, Steven Hall, and Alex Popovic, among others.
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The former head coach of the Solomon Islands led both Adelaide’s senior and reserve sides to their respective NPLM SA Grand Finals, with the senior team claiming their first NPL Championship in 2023. He will remain in charge of the youth team until the end of June, after which the Reds will provide an update regarding the future of the programme.
The focus on emerging talent will remain steadfast under his leadership for the 2025-26 season and beyond.
“This aspect will not change,” Andrioli affirmed regarding Adelaide’s youth strategy. “It’s a passion of mine and something the club is eager to uphold.”
“It’s incredibly rewarding to guide players in the A-League—those we began working with five or six years ago, witnessing them reach their goals is truly special.”
“We want to maintain this path. We want players to know that this club is always eager to provide opportunities, not just for young South Australians but for anyone with aspirations; this is the club for them.”
“We place great value on young players, and we intend for this to continue.”
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This appointment marks Andrioli’s first role as a head coach in the A-Leagues, but he has long been a vital part of South Australian football.
Previously, he served as the technical director of Football South Australia from 2009 to 2020, during which he worked alongside former Adelaide manager Veart and Richie Alagich.
Now, Andrioli aims to bring A-Leagues success to the Reds.
“It’s crucial that we develop a clear template that communicates the team’s message and structure to everyone involved,” he told the club’s media outlet.
“I firmly believe that a strong structure allows players the freedom to express themselves. When players comprehend the structure, they can perform more confidently and confidently.”
“Defining and understanding this template will be my challenge in the upcoming years. This clarity will give inexperienced young players the security to perform, knowing that if they adhere to the principles and structure, they’ll be in a good spot.”
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David v Goliath Battle in 2005
While Andrioli embarks on his first senior head coaching role in the Isuzu UTE A-League, he carries a wealth of experience.
He spent two years playing for West Adelaide in the National Soccer League (NSL) before a fleeting coaching stint with Canberra Eclipse in the early 2000s.
He even guided the Solomon Islands team against Guus Hiddink’s Socceroos in 2005.
Andrioli was back home in Brazil when he received a call from the Solomon Islands Football Federation president with a challenging proposition: “Are you willing to accept a mission impossible?”
This mission revolved around a David vs Goliath showdown against the Socceroos ahead of their famous encounter with Uruguay in 2005.
With merely a month to prepare the national team—who had not convened for over a year—Andrioli faced a daunting challenge.
“I was quite surprised to receive the call from the president, but I embraced it knowing it would be a fantastic experience,” Andrioli shared with aleagues.com.au during the 2022-23 Finals Series.
“Just two weeks later, I found myself in Honiara. It was a monumental challenge; the national team hadn’t assembled in over a year, with no games or training camps during that time.”
“I had one week to select the squad, then fly to New Zealand for training and matches against local teams before heading to Australia.”
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Nothing about this was simple, especially when facing Australia’s renowned ‘Golden Generation’—men like Mark Viduka, John Aloisi, and Tim Cahill.
This was a country ranked 138th globally, pitted against a team sitting 88 places higher in the FIFA rankings.
“Our preparation was inadequate, and to make it worse, I learned merely the day before the match that our star player, Commins Menapi, was suspended,” Andrioli recounted.
“Our limited preparation had revolved around him, so it was disheartening news.”
The two-legged tie marked Hiddink’s first taste of Australian football, with his Socceroos securing a comfortable 7-0 victory in Sydney. However, the return leg in Honiara proved far more challenging.
In Hiddink’s own words, it was a “disaster” as the Socceroos eked out a 2-1 victory against the hosts who were down to ten men. While Australia went on to break their 32-year FIFA World Cup drought, this experience remained unforgettable for Andrioli.
“Our team simply wasn’t at the fitness level necessary for a match of this calibre. We managed to endure for about 20 minutes, yet once they scored the first goal, their quality overwhelmed us,” Andrioli reflected on the initial leg in Sydney Football Stadium.
“There was no conversation with Guus; he seemed uninterested in engaging with us. Following the second match in Honiara, he appeared particularly displeased. They had to exert considerable effort to achieve a result against our ten men, especially after we equalised via a penalty and then had a player sent off.”
“He wasn’t keen on shaking hands after the match; I imagine he had his reasons.”
“All in all, it was a remarkable experience being part of these games.”
Andrioli’s time with the Solomon Islands, spanning four years and encompassing roles with both men’s and women’s teams along with the beach soccer squad, contributes to a unique story of a figure who has been pivotal in youth development across South Australia since 2009.
Growing up in Novo Hamburgo—approximately 70km from Porto Alegre—where the football giants Gremio and Internacional are situated, Andrioli’s love for the game naturally flourished.
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Named after Gremio’s legendary figure Airton Ferreira da Silva, he avidly supported the club, which even paid a “substantial” transfer fee to bring him from his hometown club. He signed his professional contract with Gremio at the young age of 19.
Years later, he found himself in Australia, a twist of fate brought about by meeting his Australian wife while playing in Switzerland.
“I was completely uninformed. The only reference I had about Australia was Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, which I watched on black and white television back in Brazil. I had no idea they played football,” Andrioli recounted, later forming a team with players like Stan Lazaridis, Ross Aloisi, Richie Alagich, and Pablo Cardozo at West Adelaide.
“We eventually sent a video to a friend who knew Eddie Thomson and Raul Blanco. We had initiated the process of trying to move to Australia, a process that spanned 11 months.”
“I touched down in Australia in 1994 and got married six weeks later before signing with West Adelaide.”
Establishing Strong Foundations in South Australia
Adelaide United is currently benefiting from a youth program implemented by Andrioli 16 years ago, which has resulted in a remarkable output of talent.
From 2009 to 2020, he served as the technical director of Football South Australia, collaborating with Veart and Alagich during a challenging period when the program almost faced shutdown.
However, thanks to the pathways established through the federation, Andrioli emerged as Adelaide’s youth authority—the Head of Youth Football and coach of the youth team in NPLM SA, in addition to assisting the Reds’ head coach, Veart.
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“We began with a vision to provide greater opportunities for a larger pool of players to access a more structured environment rather than having talent dispersed throughout a multitude of venues. That’s how our journey started,” he reminisced about his time with the federation.
“At our initial meeting with local club presidents, the reception was less than welcoming—if rocks could have been thrown at us, they surely would have. We proposed a new selection method for players starting from the age of 13, gradually extending to 14s, and 15s (now known as the National Training Centre) and ultimately providing a pathway to the Joeys and potentially to Adelaide United.”
“The critical step was our method of identification for young players from the age of 12, which is quite difficult. We allowed them to remain within our pool for five to six months, offering a programme that involved coaching education for the instructors and extended interaction time for the kids. Young players constantly evolve.”
“We aimed to offer them a longer timeframe to demonstrate their potential while alleviating undue pressure.”
“When the national technical director changed, a push arose to shut down all state programs, similar to prior closures. I insisted that if they could provide two solid reasons to halt our initiatives, we would comply. We were also developing coaches who were actively involved within clubs—this dual impact facilitated growth for football.”
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“Ultimately, he conceded that we had a remarkable setup, yet he still insisted on dismantling the program. Fortunately, we had strong backing from our CEO Michael Carter, allowing us to maintain our initiatives while other states dissolved their NTC programs.”
“At that time, we faced challenges transitioning players from our programmes into Adelaide United due to obstacles presented by figures involved in the past.”
“When Carl stepped up to become an assistant at Adelaide, things began to change. Having been the NTC Coach for seven years, he understood that a pathway needed to be created for players.”
“When the pathway opened up and the blockage was removed, people gradually began to see the benefits.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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