It is the ultimate showdown, the Big Blue that everyone was hoping for. From the FFA, both sets of supporters, the neutrals and probably many media pundits, Sunday’s A-League grand final is the perfect ending to Season 10 of Australia’s premier football competition.
And while the tactical battle between the players will be front and centre on match day, spare a thought for the two men who have put in eight months of hard, gritty work only to have virtually no control when it comes to the decisive 90 minutes of their season.
Kevin Muscat and Graham Arnold are two of the most divisive figures in A-League history, and come Sunday they will patrol the sidelines for the final time this season to see who can claim their club’s unprecedented third championship.
Talk to any football fan about either Muscat and Arnold and you will likely get a mixed bag of reactions. They are the type of personalities you either love or hate, or a bit of both, and each has their own character traits that can either be admired or loathed, respected or despised.
Muscat is best remembered by a lot of fans as a hard nut thug who played the game with reckless abandon for the welfare of his opponents. An old-school bully who has been voted in countless polls as one of the dirtiest players to grace the football pitch – some even rate him worse than ‘The butcher of Bilbao’, Andoni Goikoetxea.
Victory fans, however, would also remember the fearless captain who led their team to two championship-premiership doubles in the early years of the A-League. Yet even they cannot steadfastly defend a man responsible for that infamous tackle on Adrian Zahra, one that ended Muscat’s career prematurely.
You cannot rewrite history, and Muscat will forever have to carry his blackened reputation as a player for the rest of his life, though it is unlikely he loses sleep over the matter. It is unfortunate that such a playing career still deters some fans from recognising his undeniable ability as a manager.
The managerial Muscat is a completely different beast to the player Muscat. No less passionate, no less opinionated, but much more refined and moulded to use that energy in a more appropriate manner.
Muscat’s success in coaching is a surprise. Perhaps not for those at Victory who earmarked him for the role, but for the general football fan most would have to admit they did not envisage he would rise so high, so quick.
When Ange Postecoglou left Victory for his inevitable move to the Socceroos three games into the 2013-14 A-League season, his assistant was thrown into the deep end. Unlike fellow players turned coaches who have jumped into first team management and left with a broken reputation, Muscat grew into the role with every week.
Fourth place and a semi-final elimination for Melbourne Victory was hardly anything to cheer about last season, not for such a distinguished club with the league’s largest support base and financial clout to match. However for a rookie manager’s first foray it was a promising beginning.
This season Muscat has gone next level. A premiership and a grand final appearance in his first full season, as well as the A-League Coach of the Year award, is an astonishing record for a two-year rookie.
His recruitment has been flawless, his retention policy spot on and his continuing of Postecoglou’s early groundwork, but with his own distinct stamp, more than indicative of a bright future. His antics on the touchline may infuriate rival fans and the neutrals, but it is part of his character, and football would be nothing without characters.
Step forward Graham Arnold. The man vying to bring Muscat’s parade crashing down to earth, and yet another character to grace the A-League.
Less divisive as a player, Arnold was a sharp-shooting forward who found success both at home and abroad. For younger fans in the Australian football community, his exploits as a player may be cloudy at best. Most would be well aware of his time coaching the Socceroos, however.
Thrown into the gig as an interim with little successful first-team coaching experience, it was probably a case of too early for Arnold. His role in charge of the Asian Cup in 2007 can only be seen as failure and Socceroos fans find it hard to forget.
But just as Muscat’s playing career should not be held against him when assessing his managerial career, Arnold’s international stint should not be constantly cited when determining his club management credentials.
For Arnold has a fantastic record, first with the Central Coast Mariners and now with Sydney FC. There is little point bringing up his disastrous spell with Vegalta Sendai as by all reports it was a toxic and volatile environment that Arnold unsuspectingly, and perhaps naively, walked into.
His track record of developing youth has been exceptional. At the Mariners Arnold was responsible for blooding the likes of Mustafa Amini, Trent Sainsbury, Tommy Rogic, Oliver Bozanic, Mat Ryan, Bernie Ibini and Mitch Duke. At Sydney FC he is doing the same with Chris Naumoff, Corey Gamiero and Alex Gersbach.
Then there is the premiership from 2011-12, which ended in a grand final heartbreak, followed by the championship in 2012-13, all with a minnow club clearly punching above its weight. Now at a club with vastly superior finances he is slowly producing similar results.
He has worked just as hard building relationships off the field as on the field, and it shows. A previously fractious and shambles of a club now looks unified, and Arnold’s retention and recruitment has been just as impressive as Muscat’s.
Just like Muscat’s touchline antics, however, Arnold has his own traits which infuriate fans. The main grip is his constant barrage in the media. He loves to talk up his team’s credentials but equally has an obsession with lauding his own achievements.
There is no need for Arnold to ever waste money on a PR manager, he handles that role very nicely himself. He can be outspoken, but just like Muscat it just adds to his character, which, restated, is a vital ingredient in football.
This season alone we have heard about referees (again, and again), Tony Popovic’s tactics regarding injury replacements, FFA’s meddling with Terry Antonis, bizarre outbursts directed towards Adelaide United and also complaints about Pirtek Stadium.
Perhaps the greatest image of Arnold during his tenure in charge of the Sky Blues so far, and one that sums up the man, was from last week following the victory over Adelaide United.
Gathering Sydney FC’s players, their families, coaching staff and management together in a huddle, Arnold addressed them all from the middle of the circle.
The centre of attention, yes, but also building team spirit at the same time. There is no doubt he cares about those around him too.
They may be two completely different personalities but Muscat and Arnold share that same burning desire to reach the top of their craft. Arnold would not have been pleased about losing the Coach of the Year award to his rival and this weekend is a chance for him to gain some personal redemption.
The barbs are already out in the media this week, from both parties, and that is exactly how it should be. As well as the battle on the pitch, the battle on the sidelines will be equally fascinating. Expect fireworks, because these two villain-heroes, depending on your outlook, are going to put on an entertaining sideshow.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Cheers batou. Yeah muscat has surprised everyone, myself included. Hard to believe 'El Gol's' "dirtiest player of all time" would've made good in the managerial world. "Muscat the philosopher"? Are you kidding me?? haha. True though, and easy to see in hindsight, he has seamlessly carried his (positive) onfield attributes ie leading men and reading of the game into his managerial skill set. "Still can’t stand the guy though!" :)
Batou
Guest
I think you misread me Horto. I completely agree with everything that you said and also agree with the article. I was however replying to Mr Football's ridiculous post that said "Those who criticise Muskie for being a thug are precisely the sort of people who never had the mental toughness to make a success of their lives." Congrats on the win yesterday. Melbourne were better in every aspect of that game, including Muscat out coaching Arnie on the day and they deserved the championship. I'll be interested to see how Muscat fairs from here. It seemed like everyone was wetting their pants over Popavic two years ago on the back of one good season and many were calling for him to be given the Socceroos job rather than Ange (madness). I do have a feeling though that Muscat will do better at backing up that Popa did. He is clearly a smart reader of the game (which he showed throughout his playing career as well) and his recruitment has been perfect to date. Still can't stand the guy though!
RBBAnonymous
Guest
Battle of the mind games clearly won by Kevin Muscat. Its time for Graham Arnold to stop calling league legend Wayne Bennet before big matches for advice. Its not working.
Patrick
Guest
"They are the type of personalities you either love or hate, or a bit of both" Janek, you split all your infinitives, and then some.
Isaac Nowroozi
Roar Guru
Going to be a great game, and the battle of the coaches makes it even sweeter. No idea who will lift the trophy, but if I had to guess I would pick Victory via penalties at this stage
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
"So anyone who criticises him for his extensive record of truly woeful conduct on the field is doing so out of jealousy because he’s so successful?" No, the point is about critics who maintain a subjective, rather than objective opinion and their inability to decipher his two different careers.. There's a difference between critiquing his playing career and his management career. Remember, this is clearly an article about "Muscat the manager". And part of the gist of the article is about: -his meteoric rise to the top of Australian football as a manager in spite of his reputation and behavior as a player, -the general/rival football fans inability to see beyond his past crimes and formulate an objective and balanced view of where he now stands, -what he has achieved in different field of discipline ie management. We're all well aware of his tag as a thug.. There's no denying it, I'll agree he has earned it. But there's also no denying his tag as an intelligent and successful coach and a great recruiter and man manager. You'd have to agree he's earned that too.
Batou
Guest
Right... So anyone who criticises him for his extensive record of truly woeful conduct on the field is doing so out of jealousy because he's so successful? There's something strange in the water down there in Melbourne I think. Just to recap, in addition to his horror tackle on Adrian Zara, he broke Christophe Dugarry's leg in an international friendly, ended the career of Matty Holmes, severely injured Craig Bellamy plus an almost endless list of dangerous tackles, elbows, stamping, punches and abusive behavior. It wasn't just one bad tackle that could be put down as an accident. He played with total disregard for the welfare of other players and deliberately set or to intimidate the ref throughout his career. Bellamy had this to say about his run in with Muscat in 2001: “Like a few other victims before and after me, I came up against Kevin Muscat and suffered the consequences. “He was the real McCoy. Once you’d run into him, other players didn’t hold the same fear. He’d compiled a long, long rap sheet by the time he finished. “People like Muscat are clever. They know in a (certain) situation they can get away with anything because the ref is scared. “Muscat told me I was going to get it and he was good to his word. As we came together, his foot went over the ball and he stamped on my knee. I knew I was in trouble. “After the game Wolves players Carl Robinson and Keith Curle came to see me. Muscat didn’t. When someone seems to get in trouble as regularly as he has, it makes you a breed apart. If he is a man who has any kind of self-knowledge, the consequences of what he’s done will hit him one day. “I was very lucky – but it was still the most painful recuperation from an injury I’ve ever had. It was my first real injury and I lost a lot of muscle in my leg. I was rushed back. I did OK but my knee didn’t feel right. I was limping around…I was an accident waiting to happen.” But Mr Football, you must be right. Everyone who remembers any of this is actually just mentally weak and he's really just a great guy who is a little misunderstood, or something like that.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
Agree as well, well done Musky. now lets look at what Arnold has achieved in comparison. Arnold recruited Ibini, Janko, Brosque, Faty Tavers to match the Berisha, Valeri, Georgevski & Kalfallah. Now throw in the development of Naumoff & Gersbach, plus also re-vitialised Dimitrijevic. Bring it on, game day!!!!
Midfielder
Guest
agree
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Nobody in their right mind would've predicted, a couple of seasons ago, Muscat winning the league and 'coach of the year'. Not to mention becoming the first in the HAL to win the plate as both player and manager. In his first full season as gaffer at that. His masterstroke in recruitment cannot be understated. *That*, I didn't see coming this season. Just to summarize, he brought in Berisha, Valeri, Georgevski, Delpierre and Kalfallah.. Another black art that he's adept in is man management. He has the dressing room in the palm of his hand. And this chemistry and his charisma is what has helped him retain Delpierre and especially, and more famously, Kalfallah. Taking out the double would be even more vindication against those who write him off as a thug, and those who say that he will always be remembered as one. He will already be remembered for much more than that. Pumped for tomorrow! Bring on the final.
AZ_RBB
Guest
Happy be an NRL stooge. There is a bit of a football vs league battle in Sydney but it doesn't seem to be anywhere near the intensity of the AFL v football battle around the rest of the country. AAMI Park should hold up just fine.
Batou
Guest
I hadn't heard that AZ. it's good to hear. We all need to share the stadiums and other resources available and while there's a competitive element, the 'code wars' get very tiring so it's good to see these kinds if gestures at the official level. You will however be accused of being an NRL stooge now of course... A decent surface would be good for both teams to as both have been passing it around nicely and have players capable of taking the ball on mazy runs
AZ_RBB
Guest
Apologies if mentioned before. Melb Storm have moved their Youth League over to Gosch's Paddock to minimise damage on the AAMI Park pitch before tomrorow's grand final. The NRL game will obviously go ahead but this is still a great gesture. Respect.
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Should be a great game been a little disillusioned with football of late and will be the first game since Glory's season was thrown away that i've tuned into. Got a feeling Sydney might snatch it in extra time after a 2-2 scoreline after 90mins.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Muskie was such an onfield leader during his time at the Victory, many non-Victory fans would not understand the role he played in the Victory's success in the first five years of the competition. It was obvious that he would take his onfield leadership qualities into the coach's box, but even by his own admission, he is still developing as a coach and regardless of the result tonight, that journey has just begun. Those who criticise Muskie for being a thug are precisely the sort of people who never had the mental toughness to make a success of their lives. One thing is for sure, have learned all about mental toughness in the back streets of St Albans, he will not lose any sleep at those who criticise him, most of whom are ill-equipped to even carry his bag.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Both teams have potent attacks. For me, the winner will be the team that has the best defence to limit chances inside the box. MVFC's big Frenchman is the key. Whn Matthieu Del Pierre starts a match, MVFC has only conceded more than 1 goal on 2 occasions - a 5-2 win in his 3rd match in MelbDerby in October, and 2-2 draw in Adelaide. And, on both occasions, MVFC didn't lose. In fact, Del Pierre has started 13 matches for MVFC in the ALeague & has lost only 1 match out of 13: a 0-1 loss against Jets. If MVFC can keep SydFC to less than 2 goals, we will win. If SydFC scores more than 2 goals, it's anyone's game. My 2015 Joe Marston Medal winner = Matthieu Del Pierre
Gareth
Guest
Also it's Faty's first game against Victory, so Sydney are playing with a new defence too which has looked much improved since he came in. This game is shaping up very nicely.
moss
Guest
Pete, i agree the midfield will be where this game is won and lost. I think Melbourne have the edge here playing 2 DMs which provides defensive cover but still retaining the outstanding attack that the front 4 provide. Delpierre's first game vs Sydney, so Melb defo favourites. Hoping the floodgates open and we end up with a 3 or 4 nil to the might home side!
pete4
Guest
Certainly going to be interesting to see if both coaches adjust their tactics for the Grand final. Midfield battle will be absolutely crucial as both clubs enough attacking weapons so I won't be surprised if there are a couple selection changes and formations are changed here. But it's got all the makings of a classic!! My prediction SFC win in Extra time 3-2