Muscat must drop marquee Contreras

The time has come for Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat to make the boldest move yet of his short managerial career: drop the side’s marquee player, Pablo Contreras.

Centre-back Contreras, who holds 67 caps for the Chilean national team and has had a distinguished career in both Europe and South America, arrived at Swan Street in September with the fanfare that has become familiar with international marquees in the A-League.

Given the fact marquee signings tend to be ‘exciting’ players – whether they be strikers or attacking midfielders – the choice from then-Victory manager Ange Postecoglou to select a defender raised eyebrows among some supporters.

However, due to the 35-year-old’s achievements throughout his career – which, on top of his international accomplishments, includes an MVP award at Greek giants PAOK four years ago – fans reasoned with themselves that the choice of a top-quality defender would be a major asset.

Sure, other marquees may score some flashy goals from time to time, but it is the steely work of those at the back who help you win titles, right?

Yet, since making his debut in the opening round of the A-League against crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart, Contreras has proven to be more of a liability for Victory than a benefit.

Following his first game, the former Colo-Colo youth prodigy was suspended for two matches after an off-the-ball incident with Heart’s Mate Dugandzic.

In the matches he has played since then, Contreras has shown signs of lethargy which, on several occasions, has severely cost the Victory.

During Melbourne’s Round 5 loss away to Sydney FC, it was Contreras’ clumsy challenge on Alessandro Del Piero inside the box which gifted the 10-men Sky Blues a reprieve and, inevitably, the three points.

Just two weeks later on home soil, Contreras was again on the wrong end of a penalty decision when adjudged to have brought down Adelaide’s Jeronimo. Fortunately for the Chilean on that occasion, his goalkeeper and teammate Nathan Coe was up to the task, parring away the subsequent spot-kick.

Fast-forward to last Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to Newcastle Jets, and Contreras’ latest on-field misdemeanour came when the veteran’s scuffed second-half clearance fell to the feet of Nathan Burns, who put the Novocastrians into the lead with a classy finish.

The situation has now reached a point where Contreras appears to be earning a starting berth merely due to reputation rather than merit.

It has been six weeks since Muscat took over the reins of Victory from Postecoglou, and the going has certainly been tough for the former A-League championship-winning captain.

In his six matches to date, Muscat has led Victory to a mere seven points from a possible 18, with the side’s only two wins from those matches coming against Wellington and Adelaide – two teams currently rooted in the bottom three and with just one triumph between them.

Despite the lack of results, Victory by-and-large have played decent football, often only let down by poor finishing or, indeed, pitiable defending.

Now, Muscat has the most difficult decision to make of his short tenure at Victory.

If results are to start going Victory’s way, the 40-year-old must act now and shake up Melbourne’s last line of defence.

With the side’s next A-League fixture – against Perth on Friday – scheduled just five days following its loss to Newcastle, Muscat should demote Contreras to the bench. In his place would have to come 19-year-old Nick Ansell, who has shown promise with the limited opportunities he has been given.

Even if Ansell fails to deliver, Contreras’ relegation may well serve as a wake-up call to the defender.

Certainly, either way, the route Muscat chooses to go down will be a difficult and early test for the young coach. Continued persistence with a clumsy defender, marquee or not, could begin to draw the ire of the Melbourne faithful.