In a shock move, Melbourne Victory failed to turn out a team for Sunday’s 4-1 drubbing in Western Australia at the hands of Perth Glory.

True, there were 10 blokes in high-vis shirts standing around like road workers on a smoko break and a tall guy in a blue shirt who spent a fair bit of time fishing a ball out of a net whilst cussing loudly. A team, though? No. Not even one in a bad disguise.

Melbourne Victory’s season of promise is missing presumed dead. After all the talk, the promises and the hoopla, how did it come to this?

When sacking Ernie Merrick, the coach who was the architect of the club’s two title-winning campaigns, Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro justified the decision by saying a club of Victory’s stature couldn’t tolerate mediocrity.

Merrick’s last few weeks saw Victory once again stumble in the group stages of the Asian Champions League, and that was enough for the new regime to act.

“Our club sets extremely high standards and we are disappointed with the recent season (and) our start to the Champions League," Di Pietro said.

In sacking Merrick, Di Pietro set the bar high – Steve Hooker height.

"Our intent is to be the benchmark club. We wish to be successful in Asia and believe this will assist in taking us to that level," the chairman added.

"It's time for change. We're excited about change. It's time for some new energy."

Right now, the Victory chairman’s words are like a millstone around the neck of a club that should have known better. In the first six years of its existence, Victory set the benchmark for the competition. It was a model of consistency, a club that had connected with its community – a club that belonged.

Whilst the fans will stay loyal, their club is barely recognisable from those heady days.

Three coaches within 12 months, a football director in Francis Awaritefe appointed and sacked before he had time to unpack the boxes on the removalist’s truck, and a return of just four wins from 17 starts. So much for being the “benchmark club”.

The truth is Victory have an imbalanced squad, bloated with attacking talent yet horribly exposed at the back.

Sunday’s "donut formation" was a disaster; Magilton's strategy left a giant hole in the middle where a midfield should be and his side were slaughtered as a result.

The defence need serious work. Roddy Vargas has been a wonderful warrior but he's being exposed for a lack of pace, while captain Adrian Leijer is making poor decisions and lacks the range of passing his predecessor Muscat possessed.

Matthew Kemp is on creaking legs and against Perth his first touch was as heavy as a club-footed elephant, while the way Matthew Foschini was turned inside out by Andrezinho for the fourth goal suggests the young fullback has a long way to go.

Add in Daniel Allsopp's red card and Harry Kewell's audition to be Matthew Mitcham's partner in the synchronised event at the London Olympics and you've got one of the bleakest days in Melbourne Victory's proud history.

With Sydney FC to come on Australia Day, and a derby against a buoyant Melbourne Heart on the horizon, Victory can expect no mercy.

It's a mess of their own making. And it'll take a real team to clean it up.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of FFA.

 
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author, and do not reflect those of Football Federation Australia.
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Comments (18)
 
Despite the bad results, the Victory has been a fantastic team to watch this year unlike the Merrick era when they got results but were pedestrian. The league has improve ten fold since Merrick's successes and the writing was on the wall that we needed a new coach. Unfortunately, they went and hired Durakovic who had no real senior coaching experience when we had some excellent coaches such as Dobson in the VPL. They had also re-signed players who were past their use-by-date and left Durakovic with a real dilemma. An excellent group of forwards, an aging and slow midfield and defenders coached by the Muscat school of hacking. No surprise we are in the lower half of the ladder. I'm not one to go witch-hunting but Kevin Muscat needs to reassess his effect on the Victory team and how to go forward. They have finished games with less than 11 players on the pitch more times than any side I can recall in Australian football history. However, the season is not lost yet, with Archie, Harry, Carlos, Jean-Carlos, Isaka, Fabio, Billy C and Danny, we have enough good players to get something out of this season. The secret is how the mid-field is set up and guys like Archie, Danny and Harry are rotated from midfield to the forward line that can make or break our season. My suggestion is we play a 3-4-1-2 system in the first half with Archie and Jean- Carlos Solorzano playing at the front with Harry behind them and a midfield of Fabio, Danny, Carlos and Billy and in the second half change to a 4-3-3 system with Archie dropping back into midfield, Harry and Carlos moving up front with Solorzano and Fabio dropping back into defence. The back four should be Foschini (without the rash tackles from behind), Leijer, Broxham and Fabio. Brebner is still of use as a midfielder in the second half. Good luck, Jim Magilton, you're going to need it to get things right.
topcatjim  |  
25 Jan 2012 09:28 AM
 
 
Good article. but has anyone else not seen what I believe to be the biggest problem at the club. Anthony De pie trio, The man has no idea what he is doing, hiring and firing to look like he is in control and trying to fear the team into instant success. He only talks about the business side of the club, I'm sure he would be a great business man but he has no idea how to run a football club.
James  |  
24 Jan 2012 11:07 PM
 
 
I think Magilton has to offload some players who have passed their prime. I'll start with Broxham. I haven't seen him play good ever! He's not smart enough on the ball like a good CDM should be. Brebner is finished and that's that. As well as Pondlejak. Roddy Vargas is too inconsistant and must be replaced soon. Fabio and Kemp are not quick enough for the role they are trying to play costing us games. Cernak and Rojasare shot with no confidence! I saw amazing glimpses of Rojas last season, so i know he can be good aswell as Isaaka. last but not least, Carlos Hernandez! He is too slow and lazy. With the money we have im sure we can find a decent replacement. He no lonnger links up with the play and becomes too selfish. C'mon Jimmy save us before it's too late. Nice work signing Julius Davies though :)
Jack Sut  |  
24 Jan 2012 06:52 PM
 
 
The Mariners are acheiving results with no Marquee players, limited resources and a small catchgment area. Why? becuase they have stable management, hatrdworking players in every position and no egos. The mariners have just signed up three of their youth players, have played youth players whenever possible. Rich clubs like Victory & Sydney FC seem to think buying big reputations will get results but it will end in tears. Look to the youngsters and start developing them.
Dave  |  
24 Jan 2012 05:14 PM
 
 
As a Hearts supporter, I like giving a bit of stick to the Victory....and Victory supporter bite very easily. But seriously, the Victory have been a great team for many years, and their supporters SHOULD expect more of the team they have on the park, BUT, previous Victory managers (board and on-field) only focused on the present and did not invest in the future. I know Victory fans like paying out on the ex-crop of players who are now at the Heart, but just imagine the dynasty Victory may have had if they kept these players rather than letting them go? And I know you can't keep all players, but think about it...what's wrong in the junior development ranks of Victory is your letting go players like Dugandzic? On the flip side, the Victory and more recently the Roar have forced clubs to pay attention and change their game and become more attacking, improve their passing game and so on. Victory may yet make the finals - possibly in 6th spot, and if they do, all teams will be watching over the shoulder, but the reality is that some of the old legs which got exposed this weekend will need to be cleaned out and the club rebuilt. But Victory is a proud club and they will be back. And maybe if the supporters were a little more respectful, modest and humble about the achievements of their club, other supporters might feel a little bad for them....maybe not
John  |  
24 Jan 2012 04:24 PM
 
 
Absolute rubbish that Durakovic had left a mess at Victory when it was Merrick that left the mess in the first place. Secondly the aleague has grown and gotten better, teams are playing much more complete football, the way it should be played, but the philospohy of the Victory team is outdated and mirrors the style of football of division 3 English teams.
Nik  |  
24 Jan 2012 01:35 PM
 
 
Good article Francis. I also do not have the answers but I would never blame Ernie or Gary. They helped us get two premierships and a grand final, lots of joy. However given last Sundays disgraceful effort, the worst I have seen them play in 6 years I think its time to renew the team and forget about this year. The stalwards like Danny, Roddy, Grant, Leigh, Tommy and Mathew need to move on. We need to support our young guys like Rojas and Foschini . They are the future. We need someone else as captain. Adrian is good but he is distracted and needs to focus on playing. Victory fans are very tough and loyal. Like another writer said, if there is a plan and you can see a way forward we stick with the team. However, muddling along like we are will lose the team the support and voices in the stands.
paul  |  
24 Jan 2012 01:07 PM
 
 
Magilton is unfortunate having to pick up the mess that Durakovic left. He needs time to understand the player's capabilities and put the pieces in place. With the players he has, it is a matter of when MV comes good. As for Rojas, the kid was fantastic at Phoenix. Somehow he was muzzled and has not been half the player that he can be.
Steve  |  
24 Jan 2012 11:36 AM
 
 
no1 cares they got to many players out there who what to be the star of the team!! there backs are rubbish thats way they are so far down they have had more shot at there gk in the hole league got to tell you somethink there
damian  |  
24 Jan 2012 09:38 AM
 
 
I watched the post match interview with Magiltion and when he was asked what was wrong with the performance of his players, he said no pride, I was like oh no here we go again another coach who instead of actually takeing players out and tinkering with the team starts to talk of a philosophy within the team. Yes their is no pride in the team for obvious reasons but he has to fix the back which, at the moment is a wheel barrow of inexperinced, ill disaplined horse manure, who have learnt the art of hacking from the almighty Kevin Muscat. Get some fear into Victory and warn them no one is garenteed in the Team,let alone the starting eleven.
Morgan  |  
24 Jan 2012 05:28 AM
 
 
Francis I think for Melbourne Victory for picking players from talent form this year and I'm maybe searching players back from own clubs what they from like Marco Rojas Jeans Carlos Solorzano and the others and the team need nice game not being play silly or rough and Jim Magilton need a few more plans for next season and win a A league championship in 4 or 5 years.
Adrian  |  
23 Jan 2012 09:54 PM
 
 
@ bosto, Gary Cole also signed archie thompson, fred, carlos hernandez and kevin muscat, or did you forget?
Jayden  |  
23 Jan 2012 03:55 PM
 
 
To be fair: "...Anthony Di Pietro justified the decision by saying a club of Victory’s stature couldn’t tolerate mediocrity" I wish our season was that good that we'd be able to call it mediocre.
Paul  |  
23 Jan 2012 01:50 PM
 
 
francis yeah good article buddy but hey you are telling us stuff that we already know . How about write an article which gives us your suggestions, ideas, strategies for melbourne Victory to adopt to be successful again. Sure the club has tried to develop an elitist mentaltiy and that is good a bit like Man U. but the key is they tried that is commendable . I think they need a strong, experienced and successful gaffer who can command respect from all at the club and stamp a real ethic at the club . That doesnt come cheap in the world of football .
wallyman  |  
23 Jan 2012 01:08 PM
 
 
The roar are my team, but i love watching Melbourne Victory, usually they are exciting to watch. Time to start playing as a team and not letting Harry do all the work. He is playing awesome. Melbourne learn from him. Discipline is a bit slack. one last thing, to all players, people can lip read, television show you close up, please stop the foul language.
rhonda  |  
23 Jan 2012 12:57 PM
 
 
The price Victory are now paying is the inevitable cyclical result of their consistency and success. Watching them last season, despite their success, was uneasy. It was apparent then that there was no succession plan, their record of red and yellow cards symbolic of a team desperately trying to hold on to the last of its success. Most Victory fans can faithfully wear the price of success, but only so long as there is a plan in place by the administration to rebuild the team and, most importantly, a nerveless commitment to see it through.
Zeljko  |  
23 Jan 2012 12:32 PM
 
 
Couldn't agree more.
Ashley  |  
23 Jan 2012 12:24 PM
 
 
Francis, you said you would name names, but you have left off one very important one. Gary Cole. This was the man who signed and re-signed the ageing and useless that we see taking the pitch in Blue and White (or hi-vis depending on the venue or whims of shirt sponsors). This is the man who re-signed Allsopp for THREE years after coming back from the states. Re-signed Pondlejak, signed promising youngsters such as Matthew "I'll tackle a man from behind in the box when he is running away from goal" Foschini, and signed Rojas and Cernak who seem to think that the best strategy of getting the ball up the pitch is to backheel it or turn on the ball an wait to be tackled from behind. Meanwhile Diogo has the "Jason Culina disease" passing only sideways and backwards, even when he occasionally finds himself with the ball facing goal. Don't even get me started on Broxham. This guy wouldn't get a run at my State league club. How he has had a "career" carved for him as a professional footballer I will never know. Finally, Kemp. I feel sorry for the bloke. He is not a left-sided player and was lumped at left back because we signed another 3rd grade Brazilian. He is a shadow of himself since his knees went and his touch is gone (was it three or four corners he gave away through a heavy touch). The common theme with the aforementioned players is they were signed by Gary Cole. The nly solace I can take is that he does the same thing at Sydney FC and buggers the whole place up by signing up his mates and his mate's kids. I still think that Mehmet couldn't coach Man U to a win against the Doncaster Blind Academy XI, but when you look at what a shambolic squad has been left behind he was never going to do anything.
bosto  |  
23 Jan 2012 12:08 PM
 

Francis Leach

A radio broadcaster of huge experience, Francis Leach is currently host of ABC Grandstand, a football fanatic and a left-sided midfielder.