Mehmet Durakovic was a worried man. The Melbourne Victory manager rose from his chair and ambled along the sideline, deep in thought. The 90th minute was approaching and the Melbourne derby could not finish soon enough.
Durakovic looked out onto the pitch. In front of him he watched the A-League’s most hyped attack producing, yet, another flaccid display, his midfield, yet again, bereft of creativity and movement and his goal keeper, yet again, saving the day.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, he thought.
It was only a month ago he would fall asleep with a smile on his face. There he was holding the golden toilet seat aloft, below him the vanquished manager, Ange Postecoglou, graciously applauding his old team mate.
He snapped out of his reverie and his mind turned to the dreaded post match press conference. He had to mentally prepare himself for the hard questions which were surely to follow.
Mehmet knew he was not a natural media performer and welcomed helpful advice on how to deal with the fourth estate. One day he thought he had found the secret when he discovered a hidden drawer in Ernie Merrick’s old desk and pulled out a dusty notebook.
“How to win friends in the media and influence people,” the cover read.
He carefully placed the notebook on his desk and started to leaf through it. It was blank, empty, not a skerrick of Merrick.
Durakovic became fidgety as Melbourne Heart pressed for a late winner. The stress was becoming unbearable. A childhood memory of the great Argentine manager, Cesar Luis Menotti, chain smoking his way to World Cup glory in 1978 flashed though his mind. Suddenly, he was craving for a cigarette.
Surely, he could sneak one on the bench. He turned around to his staff and asked if anyone had a cigarette. His old team mate and assistant Victory coach Kevin Muscat reached into his pocket.
“Hey Mem, I’ve got something to calm your nerves. Here, have a suck on this”
Muscat produced a lollipop which he lolloped through the air into Mem’s grateful hand.
“Does your job suck?” asked Adecco, Melbourne Victory’s main sponsor.
Mehmet Durakovic should ask a football manager who has won 17 major trophies.
Earlier this week Sven-Goran Eriksson was given his marching orders by the Thai owners of Leicester City.
Last season Eriksson dragged The Foxes out of the relegation mire to finish a respectable 10th in the English Championship. After the Raksriaksorns spent £10m on players in the close season, they demanded Eriksson to challenge for the Championship title and get the club promoted to the Premier League.
A shock 3-0 home loss to lowly Milwall was the final straw for the ambitious duty-free merchants. Leicester City FC, 13 matches into a very lengthy 46 match season, found themselves in mid-table, two points outside the play-off spots and 5 points from automatic promotion.
So, Sven had to go.
Yet another victim of the new football paradigm, where clubs have become playthings of the super-rich and money is supposed to buy instant success.
Melbourne Victory doesn’t have ego-centric foreign owners but their board does have, what could politely be called, short term commercial expectations.
Does your job suck?
Mehmet Durakovic will find this out soon enough.
Paul
Guest
Melbourne Victory were the last team to have beaten Brisbane Roar - 3-0 at AAMI Park last September if I can recall correctly.
Peter Wilson
Roar Guru
What a funny comp. Runaway Roar and a victory today at wellington sees the Victory jump up to fourth and full of confidence against Brisbane next week. Victory did get a 3-3 draw with Roar last season in Melb and did beat them in this year's pre-season. Would be a real boost to their season if they can beat Roar next week with a good goal or two from Harry and a jump up to 2nd or 3rd. Would be a good way to end Roar's record unbeaten run and a sniff of hope for the rest of us.
con
Guest
yeah, i told my girlfriend to stay home that night. i dont want her to watch me when my team gets ripped that new ahole!
con
Guest
thats the most ridiculous thing ive ever read
Axelv
Guest
Erm what?
Kent Wesley Bowker
Guest
I think Victory will wake up after a good thrashing. If they can win against Wellington it might get their hopes up to make next round all the more fun. Wellington at home thou I'm thinking a draw at best. But although an away game I am sooooooo excited to see them face the Roar. If Victory keep playing the way they have being it could become a thrashing just like the reds (whom beat victory). In front of a packed staduim, watching the big hype preseason favs get their asses smashed, smacked and throttled would be a dream come true. I think it would be good for them thou cause it would could cause some positive changes to be made. After all the hype of Sydney and Victory and alot of preseason dissing of Roar from their fans. I want to see Victory go down in a ball of flames. I want them to look stupid and for the packed stadium to be silent but booing and hissing when another roar goal goes in. I want to see them get trashed and domminated with a big win to nil final score. Am I just dreaming. It probably won't be spectacular carnage but although unlikely it is very possible. Die Victory Roar r coming to rip u a new ahole in front of ur fans.
whiskeymac
Guest
oh and IMO, SGE was royally shafted.
whiskeymac
Guest
conjecture and pressure are creating a perfect storm for the board to issue a vote of confidence. Maybe MD could give Rini a handful of chupa chups too after last nights game....
Larry
Guest
Melbourne Victory is good team and this is not a problem with the coach Mehmet Durakovic.The big problem is the animal Kevin Muscat and his bad behaviour.His bad behaviour takes after him other young players and the skipper Melbourne Victory the new animal Laijer .If Muscat leaves the team then this team will be very successful again.Melbourne Victory is not the team for animals like Muscat and Laijer.