Was coach sacking right?
Question marks over Kurz decision
They say a week is a long time in sport and that is definitely the case in the ALeague.
Heading into last weekend Melbourne Victory coach Marco Kurz appeared to have turned his club’s season around after back-to-back wins.
But after an uninspiring loss to the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday, Kurz now finds himself looking for a new job.
Coaches live and die by results and there’s no denying that the Victory are not where they want to be.
Sitting in sixth spot on the ladder after 13 rounds, the Victory are currently enduring one of their worst starts to a season and something had to give.
All season there’s been rumblings out of Melbourne that the Victory playing group weren’t happy with their training load, with conflicting reports the training load was either too much or not enough.
Having watched the Victory closely this season there’s no denying they’ve lacked the attacking punch they’ve had in previous years.
Last weekend the Victory looked like world beaters in the first half and then looked like they had the weight of the world on their shoulders in the second.
Should Kurz have been given more time to prove his worth?
That’s a question that will remain unanswered. Those in charge of the Victory have made their decision and now it’s up to the playing group to prove that decision right or wrong.
New caretaker coach Carlos
Salvachua has his work cut out for him to provide results and provide them fast.
Melbourne Victory are one of, if not, the biggest club in the country and their 27,000 members demand success.
Victory may not be able to catch Sydney FC on top of the ladder but if they can string some wins together they have the playing roster and ability to be there in the biggest game on the last day of the season.
And it all starts this weekend when they take on their traditional rivals, Adelaide United, in the Original Derby.
The Newcastle Jets weren’t able to register a first-up win with their caretaker coach last weekend but if Victory want to push their finals claims they need to get the three points this weekend.
It’s up to Salvachua to unlock the potential in this Victory squad that Kurz couldn’t.
This season the Victory have been able to get on top of teams but they haven’t been able to put them away and that’s what I want to see from them this weekend.
Who replaces Kurz on a full-time basis next season will be the question that hangs over the Victory’s head for the rest of this season.
If the Victory decide to go with a local coach, I think there’s one candidate who stands out and that’s John Aloisi.
Aloisi has been at the club before and was there when Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat established the DNA that has made Melbourne Victory the successful club it is. Watch every game of the Hyundai A-League LIVE, ad-break free during play and in HD on FOX LEAGUE and streamed on Foxtel Now. Sign up today at Foxtel.com