SOCCEROO veteran Vince Grella never fancied returning to play in the A-League.

He didn't like the stories he had heard about former internationals who returned home and copped stick from fans and the media. And while he had been off the Socceroo scene for some time he felt his chances of a recall would be higher if he stayed in Europe.

Vince Grella. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

But footage of the Melbourne derby 10 days ago, when Heart beat Victory 2-1 in front of 42,000 fans, played a small but important role in changing his mind, Melbourne Heart officials said yesterday as they announced that the club had done a one-year deal with Vella.

''That had some impact I think. The big crowd, the atmosphere, the fact that we won and the occasion was impressive. He also had a good relationship with our coach, John Aloisi, who played with him in the Socceroos for a long time,'' Heart CEO Scott Munn said yesterday.