Brand new Western United signing James Troisi is eager to be joining the Isuzu UTE A-League Men Champions after signing a one-year deal with the Club last week.
Speaking to the Club upon his arrival on Thursday, Troisi said he was delighted to be in his new surroundings and ready to get to work straight away.
“I’m looking forward to getting started, getting fit, getting to know everyone on more of a personal level and I’m looking forward to what’s to come,” he said.
“The facilities here are second to none – I played in Europe a long time and you can’t even compare them to there.”
The 34-year-old has excelled in different roles at both club and international level, showing his ability to play in both wide and central areas in attack.
Troisi said he held conversations with John Aloisi before joining and sees himself playing his best football for the team through the middle of the pitch.
“They needed a central attacking player, which for me is where I like to play. I’m a little bit versatile, but I think ideally in a central position is where I can do my best work,” he said.
“That’s a spot the Club wanted to fill, so that worked out really well. The philosophy of what he (Aloisi) wants to do and the continued success they want to continue to achieve is something that interests me a lot and is obviously why I’m here.”
Troisi joins an attacking contingent at Western United that is full of talent, with a number of young stars playing important roles on the way to clinching the Championship last season.
James Troisi committed to helping the young talent at Western United
With over 150 A-League Men matches and 37 Socceroos caps under his belt, Troisi said he is looking forward to using some of his experiences to help guide the younger players in this coming campaign.
An A-League Men Champion himself with Melbourne Victory in 2018, United’s new No.14 admitted it was an honour to join the reigning Grand Final winners for the upcoming campaign.
“I feel quite privileged to be able to come to the Champions of the league, and it’s good to see the intention of the Club to try and have that continued success and not just sit on what they did last season,” he said.
“The main reasons I came here were success, continuing to strive for success and the morals and ethics the Club surround themselves by. It’s fantastic to see, and all credit to everyone involved for what the Club has done.”
Troisi has played in front of some of the most raucous home crowds that the A-League Men has to offer and is excited to add Western United to the list after watching the fans get behind the team throughout the 2022 Finals Series.
“It’s fundamental for us to have that 12th man. Just watching back last season in the playoffs, and all season, the turnout of the fans and the support was fantastic. We want to obviously do whatever we can to continue to get bums off their seats,” he said.
Troisi will now link up with his new teammates in pre-season training and look to work his way up to fitness before making an impact in Green and Black in 2022/23.