Melbourne Victory are the A-League team for whom a 90-minute performance has become a familiar mix of high drama, sitcom and for their fans – a tear-jerker ending.
But coach Jim Magilton believes his players are set to put right the infuriating late fadeouts that have defined their season in their highest stakes match – the derby against Melbourne Heart on Saturday night.
Still searching for his first win as coach in his fifth match in charge, Magilton believes his players will make their their 1-1 midweek draw against Gold Coast United the last time they throw away points late.
Star player Harry Kewell showed how thin his patience had worn with an honest, heart-on-the-sleeve post-match appraisal, saying he was disgusted the Victory had allowed a lead to slip for the second straight match.
But Magilton said he believed there were good signs in how the Victory played against Gold Coast, rather than dwelling on the bright start, late fadeout pattern which is becoming their stock-in-trade.
“There is a determination within the camp to put things right,” Magilton said.
“I saw a lot of positive signs.
“If you ask Harry now, he probably regrets what he said. But when you have a microphone stuck in front of you right after a game, sometimes it’s hard to contain your emotion.
“(The players) want to string a few wins together, and it’s probably a really good game to come back into.
“It’s a great game to show they’re still desperate to win games and have an impact at the end of the season.”
The eighth-placed Victory desperately need maximum points to keep in contact with the top six, and the match at AAMI Park is equally vital for Heart.
They have dropped from second to fifth in recent weeks, having picked up just two points in their past six matches.
The Victory won’t decide whether injured skipper Adrian Leijer will play until match day.
Leijer hurt his shoulder against Gold Coast, but bravely played on.
“The turnaround’s pretty quick so we’ll see what it’s like tomorrow afternoon,” Magilton said on Friday.
“He’s the skipper, it’s a derby, he wants to play.”
Heart also face selection posers, with experienced midfielder Matt Thompson out injured – joining Fred and Olyroos Aziz Behich, Mate Dugandzic and Jason Hoffman as absentees.
But Heart coach John van ‘t Schip has options.
He is almost certain to give veteran ex-Adelaide midfielder Paul Reid a club debut, while holding midfielder Wayne Srhoj is available following injury.
“All the players know what we want, all the players coming in understand how we want to play,” van ‘t Schip said.
“The derby’s always a game with more in it … both teams want to win and it will be a good game to watch, I’m sure of that.”
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February 5th 2012 @ 10:29am
Qantas supports Australian Football said | February 5th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Jim has to reinstate Vargas as one of the central defenders and move Milly into the midfield and drop Broxham. While he’s at it he should try and find a more creative player for Brebner. (As a GCU supporter I hope I am not speaking out of order here but we need a firing MV)