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Joined November 2013
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I aspire to become an immortal robot and to build a world made entirely from manufactured technologies.
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Kevin Muscat's baptism of fire continues this week as Melbourne Victory take on Western Sydney Wanderers. Taking over a club like the Victory was…
He’ll need a bit of luck this week I think. Could be a torrid time for them.
Kevin Muscat faces his third big test
I have been noticing that too. Quite disturbing in terms of what they have been capable of in the past. Its like the concentration has dipped at times and the killer mentality is just not there. They really need to get some of that back, luckily for the Victory and Muscat the season does have a long way to go. I really have seen them put in a convincing full 90 this season yet though.
Kevin Muscat faces his third big test
A large amount of A-league fans come from immigrant backgrounds but football in Australia and NZ has developed well in the sense that it is a fairly classless sport in comparison to the divisions that exist in Europe. The class structure does not really exist in Australia as there is a greater sense of equality and commonality due to the way the two World Wars were actually participated in by members of every social group. he decreased stratification of the military due to the lack of a class system also played a part in this as well, meaning that there was a far higher possibility that military officers were put in place because they deserved to be there, as opposed to the British army where you had a lot of the gentry in the top brass because of their social “standing”. It is very similar in the sporting world here as well. This sort of historical pattern transfers over easily to things like sport and does influence the pattern of support as well. In terms of a “working class”, there was never such a pronounced difference as what existed/exists in Europe. It is more related to personal preference really. Football is growing at a steady rate in Australia still, thanks in a lot of ways to the popularity of the EPL and La Liga, but also because it is still the easiest game in the world to set up and play. You need four jumpers and a ball and some people and its game on. Some of the other codes can’t match the simplicity and never will.
Kevin Muscat faces his third big test
If the Victory can start to gel a bit more they could pose a threat. It is looking more and more like the form of Rojas last season was what papered over some issues. The midfield has looked very good in patches this year but the solidity and concentration over the 90 seems to be lacking. Muscat has a difficult job taking over from such a good coach, but his experience and self belief are things that do get managers through on occasion. WSW are a cut above all of the other teams they have played this season though, besides maybe Brisbane, but even then Brisbane have been unconvincing at times in comparison with the Wanderers. If the Victory can get a result it will be a huge boost, not just for the team, but for Muscat, he must be worried. I think they could be the ones in for a tough time though.
Kevin Muscat faces his third big test
Realistically a team with a man advantage should be able to transfer it into at least 1 goal over 65 minutes. Watching the second half it seemed as if there was a lack of a clear game plan in place. Just because the Victory did start to panic as the 90th minute drew closer. I felt as though Muscat could have done more to instruct his team from the sideline, particularly when they started playing silly long passes that on too many occasions went out for throw ins and goal kicks. Popovic has the advantage as his side are riding high in terms of morale. Even missing key players, you would still think they have the quality to beat the Victory on current form.
The Victory have looked unconvincing overall this season so far and losing Postecoglou was a disruption they did not need. Transitions are always tricky, but the players have to step up and make it easier for Muscat as well. They seem to have been lacking direction during key moments in the last two weeks. They were very lucky the Phoenix didn’t get a late equaliser in the Etihad game and frankly looked lost for idea’s in the Sydney match.
Kevin Muscat faces his third big test
I am going to defend Roy Hodgson, because I almost always defend coaches. The thing about being an international coach is that you have very little time together with the squad. A lot of what an international coach does is fairly haphazard, even when it doesn’t appear to be.
They have a few weeks to gel sides together, frequently with players from several different sides.
The thing about successful tournament teams is that they frequently have groups of players from one or two clubs, or in certain other circumstances two or three truly world class players. This makes a coaches job a hell of a lot easier than it could be. Hodgson doesn’t really have either. Gone are the days of Manchester United and Arsenal providing five players each.
I think Hodgson has done better than a lot of the past England coaches would do with this group of players in the last few years.
He has players from several different sides and he has to try to make decisions based around player familiarity and intuition. This is difficult when they are all playing under different managers in different systems with different team mates. The most obvious reason I can see as to why he has tried to play Sterling and Lallana in a front three with Kane is that the two wide men are closer to being traditional wingers than Vardy and Sturridge are. Rooney in the midfield works well. Kane looks tired, Sterling is not confident. You would have to think that Hodgson has seen something in training from Lallana and Sterling that he thought might work.
While it was seemingly obvious move to throw on two extra strikers at the break, other managers have done this before and it has exploded in their face.
I admire Hodgson as a methodical coach who has a proven success rate. I think his reputation was tarnished by the Liverpool debacle, which was not really his fault. Internationally he is revered in Switzerland as a legend and for England apart from the miserable showing in Brazil, which was compounded by some questionable refereeing, he has done pretty well.
They could still do very well in the tournament as most of the traditional big sides are looking a bit tired. The top players just play too many games now, and are generally almost burnt out by the time they get to these things.
I really think you’ve been to hard on him, but I always defend coaches, because I think their job is a lot harder than many people will ever realise.
Super subs can’t paper over England cracks, Roy doesn’t have a clue