Assistant coach Kevin Muscat admits the level of frustration is on the rise at Melbourne Victory following their goal-shy start to the A-League season.
Highlighted by the signing of superstar Harry Kewell and tipped to dominate the competition, the Victory have been held scoreless in each of their opening three games.
Muscat admitted it was becoming difficult to keep the players’ focus and frustration in check as they prepare to meet Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.
“It’s a difficult one,” Muscat said on Tuesday.
“I think you’ve just got to keep encouraging self-belief.
“The football team and players have not become ordinary overnight.
“It’s a matter of getting back to what we’re good at as individuals and as a football team, working a lot harder for each other and trying to retain possession.
“There’s a little bit of frustration at the moment but there’s certainly a lot of work being done to rectify the areas.”
Muscat admitted that the club had to now simply “start delivering.”
He said the Victory’s problems required harder work and communication between the players but he said it was unfair to place all the blame on the stars such as Kewell.
“I think it’s naive for someone to actually just point at the pointy end and single out individuals,” he said.
“I’ve been in the game long enough and I can see it’s right around the park.
“It’s well-documented the forwards we have at our disposal but chances don’t get created by an individual three or four.
“I think have to work on a number of things.”
Star forward Archie Thompson also leapt to the defence of rookie coach Mehmet Durakovic, who finds himself under pressure just three games into his coaching career.
“I think everyone sort of points the finger at the coach first and that’s sort of a given when the team’s not performing well,” Thompson said on Tuesday from the Socceroos/Olyroos training camp in Sydney.
“… It’s unfair that he’s been put under pressure because it’s us that haven’t been performing on the field and we need to turn that around.”
The veteran striker admitted Melbourne’s start had him puzzled but he was adamant the struggling side’s fortunes would soon turn around.
“You think of the players we’ve got and we haven’t even scored a goal, it’s got me baffled,” Thompson said.
“But we’ll just keep plugging away and once that goal goes in, once we get that first win, I think everyone starts calming down a bit.”
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