A “hurting” Grant Brebner has pledged to have the “hard conversations” needed to turn Melbourne Victory around after a dire start to the A-League season.
League heavyweights Victory sit bottom of the table with five losses from seven games after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday night which saw them booed off by home fans.
Angus Thurgate’s 72nd-minute strike extended the Jets’ unbeaten run to five games.
Brebner had previously declared Victory’s run of five consecutive home games – starting with the Jets clash – as a “pivotal moment” in their season, and he faces a stern challenge to quickly change the losing trend against 11th-placed Wellington Phoenix on Wednesday night.
“I’m not going to shy away from anything,” Brebner said.
“We understand exactly where we’re at. I understand the magnitude of where we are positioned in the league, I understand what we went through in the last few games.
“I’m not going to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes in here or in the changing room over the next 48 hours.
“We’ve got a big job ahead of us- I’ve got a big job ahead – and we’ve got to turn it around.
“There’s no other way around it – we’ve got to turn it around – and if that means having some really, really tough, hard conversations with players and letting them know where I see them at, then I’ll do it.”
Victory fans had chanted “we’re f***ing s***” at full-time, then booed the players off the pitch – and Brebner said they were “justified” in their frustration.
“The reaction the fans gave – that’s where we’re at,” he said.
“As a footballer, and as head coach of this football club – if that doesn’t want to make you turn it around, if that doesn’t make you want to give everything you’ve got to turn it round, then in all honesty, you shouldn’t be here.”
Victory will also face forced changes after losing Storm Roux (concussion), Nick Ansell (hamstring) and Adama Traore (hamstring) in the game.
Robbie Kruse could struggle to face the Phoenix after playing the full game but Brebner expected Marco Rojas to be involved after recovering from concussion and a facial fracture.
The Phoenix played out a chaotic 2-2 draw – with three late goals scored in nine minutes – against Western Sydney later on Sunday night.
Wellington opened the scoring through Mirza Muratovic in the ninth minute.
Kwame Yeboah responded in the 71st, then Bruce Kamau put the Wanderers in front five minutes later – before Wellington’s Louis Fenton headed home the equaliser in the 79th.
On Saturday evening, Western United roared back into form by thumping Macarthur FC 4-1.
Spaniard Iker Guarrotxena turned in a sublime performance, scoring a delightful goal and having a hand in two others – with Besart Berisha snaring a brace and Dylan Pierias scoring on his 21st birthday.
Bulls striker Matt Derbyshire scored a late consolation goal for Macarthur.
Also on Saturday night, Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar played out a scoreless draw, while on Friday night, Adelaide beat league leaders Central Coast 3-2 in controversial circumstances.
Tomi Juric scored three spot-kicks – all from questionable penalties – for the Reds, while the Mariners netted through Danny De Silva and Alou Kuol.
Pork Chop
Roar Rookie
One telling factor as to the health of the coach and change room ......... is the attitude displayed on the bench and in the warm up. Substitute Players on the bench: joking and fiddling with their kit, not watching the game, leaning back leisurely and yawning ......... all evident on the Melbourne bench. Brebner never seen interacting with the assistants who are just staring into the stadium with his hand holding his chin ??. Every game so far I feel he has been out coached at every level including his timing of substitutions. I agree with the info in the article as the has beens recruited are here on a holiday............ hence the need for his heavy conversations.
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
Brebner, first coach in the league to get the sack? I think so.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
MV have spent really big , maybe they are the biggest spenders this season,on players who have a lot of championship experience and some PL experience, while they are not that old they seem to all be players who have tailed off and not played a lot in the past seasons. I dont know what the reasons are for that but that striker Gestede went from 20 goals in a champions season 5 years ago to a few goals in the last three seasons. Butterfield even though he is only 30 was hardly playing, in contrast to 5 years ago. McManamam is only 29 but similiar story though he looked the best out of the 4 of them. Shotton is the one who played the most recently but is 32 and tailed off last season. Its strange to see such big expenditure with so little fanfare and even less effect.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
whats he going to do in training? just have them run until they throw up and spend more time swinging in crosses to thier big centre forward? typical lower league british team coaching. That SOS to muscat must be coming soon