Arthur Diles

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Arthur Diles

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Arthur Diles

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|4|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| height =

| position =

| currentclub = Melbourne Victory (head coach)

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 =

| years1 =

| clubs1 =

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 =

| clubs2 =

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 =

| clubs3 =

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 =

| clubs4 =

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 =

| clubs5 =

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 =

| clubs6 =

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 =

| nationalteam2 =

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalyears3 =

| nationalteam3 =

| nationalcaps3 =

| nationalgoals3 =

| nationalyears4 =

| nationalteam4 =

| nationalcaps4 =

| nationalgoals4 =

| manageryears1 = 2013–2016

| managerclubs1 = Sydney Olympic (technical director)

| manageryears4 = 2020–2021

| managerclubs4 = Xanthi (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2021–2023

| managerclubs5 = Newcastle Jets (assistant)

| manageryears6 = 2023–2024

| managerclubs6 = Melbourne Victory (assistant)

| manageryears7 = 2024–

| managerclubs7 = Melbourne Victory

| manageryears8 =

| managerclubs8 =

| manageryears9 =

| managerclubs9 =

| medaltemplates =

| manageryears2 = 2015–2018

| managerclubs2 = Western Sydney Wanderers Youth

| manageryears3 = 2018–2020

| managerclubs3 = Western Sydney Wanderers (assistant)

}}Arthur Diles (born 22 April 1982) is an Australian soccer manager and former player. He is the current manager of Melbourne Victory in the A-League Men.

Early and personal life

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.{{cite news |last1=Triadafillou |first1=Takis |title=Arthur Diles: One of Australia's greatest football talent creators |url=https://greekherald.com.au/sports/arthur-diles-australia-greatest-football-talent-creators/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=The Greek Herald |date=12 August 2020}}

Playing career

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.{{cite news |title=15 to 19 July, 2005 |url=http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/alt0405zzo.htm |access-date=10 February 2025 |publisher=Altrincham F.C. |date=19 July 2005}} He retired at age 25 due to the decline of the National Soccer League in Australia, and a prospective employer in Europe going bankrupt.{{cite news |last1=Stamocostas |first1=Con |title=The coaching education of Arthur Diles |url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/2018/02/12/sport/football/the-coaching-education-of-arthur-diles/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=Neos Kosmos |date=12 February 2008}}

Managerial career

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.

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. 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.{{cite news |title=Xanthi FC purchase by Bill Papas approved by EEC |url=https://greekherald.com.au/sports/xanthi-fc-purchase-by-bill-papas-approved-by-eec/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=The Greek Herald |date=11 September 2020}}

In June 2021, Diles returned to Australia, being named as assistant to Arthur Papas at Newcastle Jets of A-League Men.{{cite news |last1=Davidson |first1=John |title=Newcastle Jets' 'massive' A-League rebuild is 'almost complete' |url=https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/newcastle-jets-massive-a-league-rebuild-is-almost-complete-569440 |access-date=10 February 2025 |publisher=FTBL |date=4 September 2021}} In July 2023, he moved into the same role at Melbourne Victory, to Popovic and then Patrick Kisnorbo.{{cite news |last1=Snape |first1=Jack |title=Shockwaves felt at Melbourne Victory as Patrick Kisnorbo exit leaves club stunned |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/dec/19/a-league-patrick-kisnorbo-melbourne-victory-coach-resignation-overseas-opportunity |access-date=10 February 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=19 December 2024}}

On 16 December 2024, Kisnorbo quit the Victory five days before the local derby against Melbourne City, leaving Diles in temporary charge. His debut was a 1–1 home draw with an equaliser by captain Roderick Miranda.{{cite news |title=Interim coach Diles hails Victory professionalism after derby draw |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/interim-coach-diles-hails-victory-professionalism-after-derby-draw-2024-12-21/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |publisher=Reuters |date=21 December 2024}} 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 season.{{cite news |last1=Monteverde |first1=Marco |title=Arthur Diles' tenure as Melbourne Victory coach extended until end of next season |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/arthur-diles-tenure-as-melbourne-victory-coach-extended-until-end-of-next-season/news-story/b31f05f8a80dbae306e6fc00ca74b668 |access-date=10 February 2025 |publisher=News.com.au |date=31 January 2025}}