Antonis is happy to call Victory home

TERRY Antonis says he wants a long-term A-League future at Melbourne Victory, hailing the enthusiasm and drive of coach Kevin Muscat.

The 24-year-old midfielder arrived in Melbourne in January as a mid-season acquisition after failing to crack the first team at Dutch club VVVVenlo. In a show of faith rarely seen in ambitious young Australians, he signed on a 2½-year deal that takes him through to the end of the 2019/20 season.

Antonis said he was in no hurry to head back to give European football another crack. And he credits Muscat for that.

“I want to keep playing here under Kevin,” he said.

“Kevin knows how to get the best out of you. People like working under him and playing under him.

“He was the captain at the club, one of the longest-serving people here at the club. He loves it and wants the best for it. To be at a club where someone wants that so much, you also end up wanting that.

It’s high praise from Antonis, who has played club football under Graham Arnold at Sydney FC and Tony Popovic at Western Sydney.

He’s also worked under Ange Postecoglou as a member of the Asian Cup squad in 2015.

Victory hosts Western Sydney at AAMI Park tonight, where three points will effectively seal qualification for the A-League finals.