The former Socceroos teammates have notched up just over a year’s coaching experience between them thanks largely to Aloisi’s one-season stint with the Heart youth team before taking over the top job.

But Foxe, who was hand-picked for the assistant role by Aloisi, said the fact both had hung up their boots in February last year gave them a better insight into the mindset of their players.

“As far as experience goes there are pros and cons for both sides we know that – that’s going to be the case no matter what job you take,” Foxe said.

“Our knowledge is quite good. I’ve learnt a lot of football from a lot of top coaches over the years. The positives are that we’re only quite fresh out of the game as well.

“Our memory is still quite strong about what players are feeling and thinking, and how we felt when we were training and playing.

“So it’s quite a big plus that we can relate to the players quite well because we’re still at a younger age group.”

Aloisi orchestrated a brilliant win over their cross town rivals Melbourne Victory in the opening game of the season and his first as senior coach. But the team currently sits in seventh on goal difference going into Sunday’s tricky home match against reigning premiers Central Coast Mariners.

The 35-year-old Foxe – who has achieved cult-status with his game day kit – enjoyed a stellar career with the likes of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Ajax, West Ham, Portsmouth and Leeds said nothing prepared him for the rigours of playing the game from the sidelines.

“As a player I used to be a coach killer – I used to be the one who made the mistakes and obviously not performing at certain times,” said the former defender who is completing his UEFA A Licence through the UK .

“But as the coach you find you don’t put the ball away. As a player you prepare yourself and get yourself right for the game and do what you need to do for the week and you’ve only really got yourself to worry about to be honest.

“With coaching it doesn’t stop. You have to prepare a whole team and squad. You’ve got players that aren’t playing, those that are injured, certain players who might not be performing – there’s a lot more to it.

“You’re analysing games and performances and come up with coaching sessions to try and break oppositions down and trying to stop them breaking you down. It’s a lot more involved than just playing – that’s for sure.”

Heart’s coaching team also draws on the knowledge of technical advisor Ron Smith who Foxe worked under at the AIS as a teenager and still counts as one of the biggest influences in his playing career.

But if the rookies calling the shots are new to life on the sidelines they have plenty of on-park experience to carry through their game plan with veterans Clint Bolton, Simon Colosimo, Fred, Richard Garcia, Matt Thompson and Dylan Macallister now joined by Vince Grella.

Foxe said of their latest recruit and former Socceroo teammate: “He’s the ultimate professional – his knowledge of the game is second to none.

“And what he will do, he’ll guide the young ones through and he’ll coach on the pitch, and that’s quite important.

“You can do a lot of coaching off the pitch but if you can have someone on the field, coaching the right way and how you perceive the game to be played that helps you 10-fold.”