// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Arthur Diles a good golfer? Diles-appoints his opponents.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Athanasios Arthur Diles[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–2000 | Sydney Olympic FC | ||
| 2000 | Sydney United 58 FC | ||
| 2000–2002 | Parramatta Power SC | ||
| 2002 | K.V. Mechelen | ||
| 2004–2005 | Sydney Olympic FC | ||
| 2005 | Crawley Town F.C. | ||
| 2006 | Sydney Olympic FC | ||
| 2007 | Western Suburbs SC | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010–2012 | AEK Athens F.C. (academy) | ||
| 2012–2013 | NSW Institute of Sport (youth) | ||
| 2013–2015 | Sydney Olympic (technical director) | ||
| 2015–2020 | Western Sydney Wanderers Youth | ||
| 2018–2019 | Western Sydney Wanderers (assistant) | ||
| 2020–2021 | Xanthi (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Newcastle Jets (assistant) | ||
| 2023–2024 | Melbourne Victory (assistant) | ||
| 2024 | Melbourne Victory (caretaker) | ||
| 2025–2026 | Melbourne Victory | ||
| 2026– | Cong An Ho Chi Minh City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Athanasios Arthur Diles (born 22 April 1982) is an Australian soccer manager and former player who is the head coach of V.League 1 club Cong An Ho Chi Minh City.
Early and personal life
[edit]Diles was born in Sydney. His parents were born in Greece, with his father being from Pylos and his mother from Kiato. As of 2020, he was married and had twin 8-year-old sons.[2]
Playing career
[edit]A centre-back, Diles began playing in the academy of Sydney Olympic. He also played in Australia for Sydney United and Parramatta Power, as well as spells in Europe with Crawley Town in English non-league football, and K.V. Mechelen in Belgium.[2][3] He retired at age 25 due to the decline of the National Soccer League in Australia, and a prospective employer in Europe going bankrupt.[4]
Managerial career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Diles began coaching at the academy of AEK Athens F.C. in Greece before taking the under-14 team of the New South Wales Institute of Sport, leading them to a national title in 2013. As technical director of Sydney Olympic, a team based in the Greek Australian community, he signed former Greece international defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos.[2][4]
At Western Sydney Wanderers, Diles won titles with the under-18 and under-20 teams before becoming manager of the reserve team in the National Premier Leagues and assistant manager of the first team.[2][4] In September 2020, Diles returned to Greece as assistant manager of Xanthi F.C. after its purchase by Sydney Olympic director Bill Papas; former Australia international Tony Popovic became the manager.[5]
In June 2021, Diles returned to Australia, being named as assistant to Arthur Papas at Newcastle Jets of A-League Men.[6] In July 2023, he moved into the same role at Melbourne Victory, to Popovic and then Patrick Kisnorbo.[7]
Melbourne Victory
[edit]On 16 December 2024, Kisnorbo quit the Victory five days before the local derby against Melbourne City, leaving Diles in temporary charge.[7] His debut was a 1–1 home draw with an equaliser by captain Roderick Miranda.[8] On 24 January 2025, he obtained his first win in his seventh game, winning The Big Blue 2–0 over Sydney FC at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium; a week later he was hired on a permanent basis until the end of the 2025–26 season.[9]
Diles took Melbourne Victory to 5th in the regular season and then the grand final, having defeated premiers Auckland FC in the semi-finals. His team lost the final 1–0 on 31 May 2025 to Melbourne City.[10]
Diles signed 2010 FIFA World Cup winner Juan Mata. He considered the signing to be the highlight of his time at the Victory, and that he had proven wrong the critics who had pointed to Mata's previous form at Western Sydney Wanderers.[11]
Following a lacklustre season where Victory finished fourth in the regular season and were eliminated by Sydney FC in the elimination final, it was reported that Diles would depart the club at the expiration of his contract, with Victory opting not to offer him a new deal.[12] The following day on 19 May, the club officially announced his departure.[13]
Cong An Ho Chi Minh City
[edit]On 15 July 2026, Diles was hired at V.League 1 club Cong An Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. He signed a two-year contract.[11][1]
Managerial statistics
[edit]- As of 16 March 2026[14]
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Melbourne Victory | December 2024 | Present | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 41.30 |
| Total | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 41.30 | ||
Honours
[edit]Manager
[edit]Western Sydney Wanderers Youth
- National Youth League Champion: 2017–18[15]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Hành trình mới cùng HLV trưởng Diles Athanasios Arthur". cahcmfc.vn. 15 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Triadafillou, Takis (12 August 2020). "Arthur Diles: One of Australia's greatest football talent creators". The Greek Herald. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ "15 to 19 July, 2005". Altrincham F.C. 19 July 2005. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- 1 2 3 Stamocostas, Con (12 February 2008). "The coaching education of Arthur Diles". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ "Xanthi FC purchase by Bill Papas approved by EEC". The Greek Herald. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ Davidson, John (4 September 2021). "Newcastle Jets' 'massive' A-League rebuild is 'almost complete'". FTBL. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- 1 2 Snape, Jack (19 December 2024). "Shockwaves felt at Melbourne Victory as Patrick Kisnorbo exit leaves club stunned". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ "Interim coach Diles hails Victory professionalism after derby draw". Reuters. 21 December 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ Monteverde, Marco (31 January 2025). "Arthur Diles' tenure as Melbourne Victory coach extended until end of next season". News.com.au. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ↑ "Arthur Diles slams handball decision after Melbourne Victory's Grand Final loss". The Greek Herald. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- 1 2 Clarke, George (18 May 2026). "Ex-Victory coach joins Kewell on Asian adventure". The Canberra Times.
- ↑ Monteverde, Marco (18 May 2026). "Melbourne Victory dump coach Arthur Diles following early finals exit". news.com.au.
- ↑ "Club statement: Arthur Diles". Melbourne Victory. 18 May 2026. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
- ↑ "Arthur Diles". ALeagueStats. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ Stamocostas, Con. "The coaching education of Arthur Diles". Neos Kosmos. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- 1982 births
- Living people
- Soccer players from Sydney
- Men's association football defenders
- Australian men's soccer players
- Sydney Olympic FC players
- Sydney United 58 FC players
- Parramatta Power SC players
- Crawley Town F.C. players
- KV Mechelen players
- National Soccer League (Australia) players
- Australian expatriate men's soccer players
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
- Australian expatriate sportspeople in England
- Australian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- Australian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
- Australian expatriate sportspeople in Vietnam
- Expatriate football managers in Vietnam
- Australian soccer managers
- AEK Athens F.C. non-playing staff
- Western Sydney Wanderers FC non-playing staff
- Xanthi F.C. non-playing staff
- Melbourne Victory FC managers
- National Premier Leagues Men's managers
- A-League Men managers
- Australian people of Greek descent
- Sportspeople of Greek descent