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Grant Brebner faces uncertain future

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6th March, 2021
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Melbourne Victory coach Grant Brebner is unsure if he’ll still be in a job next week after his side’s “humiliating” derby defeat to Melbourne City seemingly put his tenure on the brink.

Victory were ripped to pieces in a record 6-0 rout at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, which left them languishing at the foot of the table.

A finals place is not even in consideration this season for a club that won their fourth A-League championship less than three years ago and have been on a steady decline since.

Victory released a pressure valve with a win over Wellington on February 24, but have since suffered heartbreaking and embarrassing derby defeats to Western United (4-3) and City respectively in successive weeks.

The results have come against the backdrop of foundation shareholder Richard Wilson falling out with the Victory board and putting his 16 per cent stake in the club up for sale.

Victory next host Adelaide United, with first-year coach Brebner unable to confirm during Saturday night’s post mortem if he’ll retain his post for that fixture.

“I don’t really want to think that far ahead just now,” he said.

“I’m still looking at thinking about that 90 minutes and, emotionally, it’s a tough one.”

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Asked if he actually wants to stay on as coach, Brebner said: “I love this football club.

“I’ve been involved in this football club for 15, 16 years and I want what’s best for this football club.

“And to get drawn on any questions like that at the moment, I’m not going to get involved in it.

Brebner, a midfielder during Victory’s trophy-laden early years, said the club’s board and management had always given support to their head coach.

However, he also conceded the “reality” is that the finger will likely be pointed at the coach when results aren’t as expected.

“I understand that players need to do better and they need to deliver more, but I’m the head coach and I take responsibility for results like that,” Brebner said.

Brebner is “absolutely certain” his players are collectively still behind him and refused to blame individuals for the error-riddled performance against City.

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“I think they were pulling in the right direction, I just think there were some players that got a little bit of an eye-opener about what it’s like to play in the A-League against some very good Melbourne City players,” Brebner said.

“We look at the opportunity to get some young lads in there and maybe tonight we bit off more than we could chew with asking them to back up repeatedly when they’ve done so well in previous games.”

© AAP

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