Ex-Northern Ireland international Jim Magilton will coach A-League club Melbourne Victory until the end of the season.
Magilton arrived in Melbourne on Saturday morning, to be greeted by Victory board member Ian McLeod.
He has signed a deal with the club ahead of the Victory’s clash with Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Saturday night, and will be officially unveiled as coach at a media conference later on Saturday.
Magilton is expected to take over coaching duties early next week, with assistant coach Kevin Muscat to take charge for the Jets match.
Magilton, 42, a decorated Northern Ireland international as a player, spent three years at English Championship club Ipswich Town manager with no hard success.
He also spent six months at Championship club Queen’s Park Rangers, before leaving after reports of a bust-up with a player.
Most recently he has been an assistant at Irish club Shamrock Rovers, and was shortlisted but missed out on the Northern Ireland manager’s job which went to Michael O’Neill this week.
Magilton had a successful playing career at Southampton, Oxford United and Ipswich as a ball-playing midfielder over a 15-year span.
He takes over the Victory from Mehmet Durakovic, who was axed on Friday just seven months and 14 matches into his tenure.
It is understood Magilton’s deal runs until the end of the current A-League season, before the Victory board make a more permanent decision on their long-term coach.
The Victory sit eighth in the 10-team competition, with losses in their past three matches.
Chairman, Anthony Di Pietro, made the following statement at today’s press conference:
“On behalf of the Melbourne Victory Board of Directors, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the club has appointed former Northern Ireland international, Jim Magilton, as its Head Coach until the end of the 2011/12A-League season.”
“Jim was not only an outstanding footballer, but he also possesses considerable managerial experience, having coached at Ipswich Town in the English Championship for 3 seasons, before moving on to current English Premier League outfit, Queens Park Rangers.”
“Jim started his career as a youth player at Liverpool, before building a successful senior career at clubs such as Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and finally, Ipswich Town, where he hung up his boots and moved straight into the role as the clubs Head Coach in 2006.”
“In his 700-game playing career, including 52 international caps, Jim served as captain of every club he played for, not to mention his country, Northern Ireland.”
“Most importantly though, Jim is an ambitious manager, who is well credentialed, holding a UEFA pro-license and we’re very excited to welcome him to Melbourne Victory.”
“I’m thrilled to have been given this opportunity until the end of the season,” the 42 year-old Magilton said.
“The facilities here are amazing and some of the best I’ve seen, but all of that means nothing if you don’t put the results on the board and win games of football.”
“I know Melbourne Victory is a big club and they’ve had great success in the past, so I’m really keen to try and help them turn around their campaign over the next 4 months,” he added.
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