Season Review - Melbourne
Posted by Jasper Reed in A-League, Melbourne Victory | 9 March 2006
Nickname: Victory
Manager: Ernie Merrick (Scotland)
Home Strip: All Navy
Final League Position: 7th
How did they do? Expected to do well based solely on being from football’s ‘hotbed’, and a large following of sports mad Victorians, the Victory have been competitive, but lacked cohesion. They put 5 past Sydney in October, but only squeaked past easy beats New Zealand (twice) and Queensland in the final 13 games. With a solid pre season and plenty of youngsters blooded, next year might be different.
Star Player: Archie Thompson (striker): One of the biggest coups of the new league was enticing Thompson, still only 26, back after 4 years in Belgium. The only Australian A League player certain of going to Germany in a competitive capacity in June, albeit to carry Viduka’s bags, he was loaned to PSV Eindhoven during the January transfer window when it was apparent it would benefit Hiddink and Australia more than harming Melbourne. The Victory (and Football Australia) will be hoping he comes back.
You might also have heard of: Kevin ‘nice guy Muscat (Palace, Wolves, Rangers, Millwall, the High Court), Daniel Allsopp (Man City, Notts County, Hull)
What do they need? Again, if Thompson stays in Europe, a goalscorer. Without him the line is lead by Allsopp, for whom the words 'glaring' and 'miss' appear far to frequently in close proximity.
Little known fact: Kevin Muscat became the first player in A League history to be banned in December. He was suspended for 3 games for ‘violent conduct’. Who’d have thunk it?
