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When Harry Kewell stepped out of football obscurity for his first official press conference at Melbourne Heart headquarters last week, it was a telling moment.
Moreover, it exposed the club’s city rivals and Kewell’s former employers Melbourne Victory.
John Aloisi’s side have gone from strength-to-strength during the off-season with the captures of talented duo Iain Ramsay from Adelaide United and experienced Brisbane midfielder Massimo Murdocca.
Whilst the relative minnows were glowing with their marquee signature, Victory staff and players were casting an envious eye across the AAMI Park corridors.
With a seemingly superior squad Victory, have bigger internal problems to worry about. Fifth, eighth and third in the past three seasons is a mixed bag.
To be blunt, it’s not good enough for a club who carry a great deal of expectation and promise every campaign: the most lucrative sponsorship deals, largest match attendances, a talented squad and premier coach, yet Victory have failed to assert themselves in recent years.
They have been bestowed with the unwanted tag of ‘the sleeping giant’ or for others simply ‘the underachievers’ of the A-League.
One could argue the sentiment is incredibly harsh on a side that has two championships in the trophy cabinet.
The first success coming in 2007 and the second in 2009; but that’s part of the reason why people have chosen to berate the Melbourne giants.
Patience is a quality which wears thin nowadays, and quickly too, making this upcoming season for Ange Postecoglou and his team such a crucial one.
As the competition enters its ninth season, what adjustments need to be made to bridge the gap on the division’s two leading teams?
Even with the return of arguably the league’s best left-back Adama Traore and dynamic midfielder Guilherme Finkler from injury, reinforcements are needed.
Last campaign Victory were the league’s equal highest scorers with Central Coast, registering a total of 48 goals.
However, defensive frailties saw the side concede 45 goals during the campaign – the largest ever tally in the club’s history.
Their revered coach also endured the ignominy of seeing his side concede six goals in a match to eventual champions Central Coast – again one for the side’s history books.
Whilst Postecoglou has done a fine job in attack with his new employers, he’s struggled to replicate the same defensive solidity he showed at Brisbane.
His final and championship-winning season at the Roar saw the team let in just 28 goals. That’s a grand total of 20 goals less than what the Victory conceded last season.
Clearly an imposing defender is needed to bolster the centre of defence and aid the competition between captain Adrian Leijer and Nick Ansell.
Switching focus to attack, and the 47-year-old has a real cause for concern.
Last season’s Johnny Warren Medal winner Marco Rojas departs for VFB Stugart, and after leading the way with 15 goals in 27 appearances creates a sizable void.
Replacing his output will be a difficult task but one Postecoglou will have appropriately deemed his number one priority.
The signature of attacking midfielder Mitch Nicols could help ease his woes, after he excelled under the guidance of Postecoglou with the Roar.
However, the striking department is imbalanced and appears to lack a degree of firepower.
Veteran striker Archie Thompson turns 35 early in the season, and although the second-highest A-League goalscorer will be determined to find his best form and retain a spot at Rio next year, he cannot be expected to carry the bulk of the workload anymore.
It means promising youngsters Connor Pain and Andrew Nabbout may have to provide the inspiration in Rojas’ absence.
Whether they are capable of matching the New Zealand starlet’s contribution is highly questionable.
Victory could have the answer in renowned Italian Fabrizio Miccoli, who has been heavily linked for the available international marquee player spot.
The 34-year-old is the sixth-highest scorer of all-time in the Serie A and has enjoyed stints with Juventus, Fiorentina and Portuguese giants Benfica.
Eight goals and nine assists in 29 Serie A appearances last season is an impressive return, and there’s no doubting he could shine in the A-League.
A centre-back and a proven striker would go a long way to resolving Postecoglou’s issues and put Victory back into championship contention.
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