To say that it’s been a difficult season for Melbourne Victory is almost an understatement. It has been catastrophic. Last weekend’s dysfunctional 90-minute display to bitter rival Sydney FC was a mere reflection of the campaign it has endured – sloppy, underwhelming and unacceptable.
Many have been quick to condemn the navy blues on their most recent performance, with former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich describing Victory’s showing as “disgraceful” and the worst he had seen from an A-League outfit since his return from the UK three and a half years ago.
It’s difficult not to agree with his assessment.
While the blue half of Melbourne commenced the campaign with an array of optimism and self-belief – coinciding with the signing of Socceroos luminary Harry Kewell – it has failed miserably to reach the lofty heights many had envisaged.
Unfortunately for the Victory’s faithful band of supporters, their seemingly star-studded side, which was destined to take the league by storm, resembled a stockpile of obsolete goods.
While watching Melbourne lock horns with the Sky Blues, it was rather astonishing how poorly the team executed its skills, or lack thereof. Despite the scoreline only reading one-nil in favour of the home side, it was the manner Victory went about its game that perplexed the viewing audience.
There was no fluency, cohesion or vibrancy on the pitch at any stage throughout the match. Players, who are outwardly auditioning for new contracts, didn’t appear to encompass the attributes to play at the elite level in Australian football.
In all honestly, Victory resembled a team plying its trade in the Victorian Premier League, unequipped for the rigours of a professional football competition.
Often, we hear people defend youngsters who misfire, giving them leeway because of their age. However, in Victory’s case, it’s apparent that some of these younger players merely aren’t good enough to be selected.
It’s a simple solution for these players; play in the club’s National Youth League side, dominate the competition and enhance technically to adapt to a superior tactical game in the A-League. When this can be achieved, then these players should warrant selection in the first-team; it shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Victory’s back four against Sydney– consisting of Matthew Foschini, Petar Franjic, Ubay Luzardo and Fabio – were consistently out of position, had zero composure on the ball, failed extraordinarily to play the ball out from the back and committed needless fouls. They resembled headless chooks, oblivious to their surroundings.
To many, it’s evident; Victory needs a mass overhaul of its playing squad. After Saturday night’s embarrassing display, interim coach Jim Magilton admitted that change was inevitable and that the side needed fixing, regardless of his future at the club.
“Yes, I think it’s apparent to anyone… that change is needed whether I’m here or not,” Magilton revealed.
“Obviously I recognise that the club have achieved great success with players that have done great things for the club… the club has been very loyal but I just think it needs freshening up.”
“It is quite evident tonight that there needs to be greater quality coming in, greater consistency in the approach to everything we do, and that has to come with a change of personnel, a different mindset. I think it needs to be done sooner rather than later.”
While the A-League can be assumed to still be in its infancy, overall the competition has vastly improved from a tactically and technical outlook over the last three seasons.
Since Victory’s second championship prize in 2009 – when it defeated Adelaide United in the final decider – it has manifestly failed to rejuvenate its squad, often clutching onto players who had won the club preceding accolades. Consequently, this hasn’t allowed the club to thrive on the pitch; instead it has remained stagnant, content with its current success.
While Victory fell at the last hurdle in 2010 – losing to Sydney FC on penalties – the club has slowly, but surely become a victim of its own naivety. In today’s professional sporting landscape, quite often this can be the recipe for disaster.
There are the odd exceptions, where clubs continue to persist with seasoned veterans with ripe success; Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are two which continue to defy the odds. Although loyal to its stalwarts the Red Devils know too well that player turnover is a constituent to its longevity of success.
In many ways, the trek across the border to Sydney was a cruel reality check. Yes, supporters were aware of the club’s downfalls, although we get the sense that reality hit home after Victory put on such an abject display from start to finish.
The football community, pundits and the Melbourne public were quick to ridicule Mehmet Durakovic when the chips were down under his tutorship – sacked days after Victory was humbled 2-0 by Central Coast Mariners in early January. On the contrary, Magilton has been given a minor slap on the wrist. When we compare their records at Victory, Durkovic’s is superior, with a winning ratio of 21 per cent, while Magilton languishes at a modest 10 per cent. That’s one triumph in 10 outings.
There are two primary reasons for these varied reactions.
Firstly, people have finally come to the realisation that the majority of Victory’s players don’t cut it at the elite level anymore.
Secondly Magilton’s ability to perform astutely in the media and have a sound knowledge of the team’s direction, as bad as it is, works in his favour. Meanwhile, Durakovic often struggled to articulate his sentiments in media conferences and didn’t seem to possess the hard-nosed figure that would reap the club success.
There’s no doubt about it; the two-time champions are in a transition of rebuilding.
A player exile will be conducted in the off-season. Who remains and who departs isn’t entirely decided yet, although the players on the wrong age of 30 – bar Archie Thompson and Kewell – will likely farewell the club in the coming fortnight.
Tommy Pondeljak, 36, is the first victim of restructure, released by mutual consent after a glittering career in both the A-League and the now defunct National Soccer League, accumulating 379 national league games.
The club has already commenced preparations for next season, with the signing of Ivorian left-back Adama Traore on a two-year contract from embattled A-League outfit Gold Coast United. His signature could well pave the way for full-backs Fabio – out of contract at season’s end – and Matthew Kemp – evidently out of favour and form – to bid farewell after this campaign.
Is Irish-born boss Magilton the man to lead Victory into a new era? It’s a complex scenario. If the club chooses to part ways, then it will certainly set the club months back in preparation for what will be a crucial eighth season.
Magilton was primarily brought in to rectify Victory’s floundering campaign, with the short-term objective of claiming a top-six berth. This hasn’t happened, and his record is nothing to brag about.
When we examine the other side of the scale, the personnel at his disposal were the work of Durakovic and his predecessor Ernie Merrick. Magilton does share a positive vision, and believes he can aid the change in personnel and culture, which in turn will help the club achieve its objectives.
The club is yet to make a formal announcement, although it is believed that the 42-year-old has been offered a two-year deal, allowing him to refurbish the playing stocks and mould a team in accordance to his game structure. Whatever the outcome is, season eight will bear little resemblance to the team which took the field in this campaign.
Courtesy of Goal Weekly
Follow Robbie on Twitter @RobertDiFabio
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