Durakovic given his marching orders

Updated January 07, 2012 11:32:00

A-League club Melbourne Victory say the appointment of a new coach is imminent following Mehmet Durakovic's sacking on Friday.

Former Socceroo Durakovic was axed just seven months into his tenure after the glamour club's poor first half of the season.

The Victory sit eighth in the 10-team competition, with losses in their past three matches giving them a record of three wins, six draws and five losses this season.

Club chairman Anthony Di Pietro announced the sacking at a media conference on Friday, saying assistant coach Kevin Muscat would take over as caretaker coach for Saturday's home match against Newcastle Jets.

But Di Pietro said Muscat was not a candidate to take over as head coach and an appointment could be made within 24 hours - maybe even prior to the Jets clash.

Former Socceroos coach Frank Farina, ex-Newcastle boss Branko Culina and former Perth Glory coach and ex-Socceroos assistant Ron Smith have all been mentioned as possible candidates.

The Victory have failed to gel so far this season despite a star-studded line-up including new acquisition Harry Kewell and have only really been competitive against the lower-ranked sides, and fans were agitating for Durakovic to be sacked.

"We gave Mehmet every opportunity to achieve success this season but we found we were inconsistent and without direction," Di Pietro said.

"After 14 games, the club is in a position which isn't acceptable, and change is required."

He said Durakovic's position had been under review and the decision to axe him was not taken lightly.

Durakovic, who was on a two-year contract, was only appointed full-time in June.

He had been caretaker coach following the board's surprise sacking in March of Ernie Merrick - the A-League's most successful coach who guided the club to two championships.

Durakovic had been the club's youth team coach.

The Victory board had been divided over his future as recently as November - Durakovic surviving a ballot calling for his removal by a single vote.

The new board was also responsible for the hiring and quick firing of football director Francis Awaritefe.

But Di Pietro defended the performance of his board and managing director Richard Wilson since taking over the club - once regarded as the competition's most stable and successful.

"In relation to recruitment, there's always risk," Di Pietro said.

"No matter how deep your due diligence and expert advice you receive, there is risk. In this case, what we're doing is being pro-active about the change we need to make."

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, a-league, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted January 06, 2012 10:26:05

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Kewell set to light up derby: Durakovic

Updated December 22, 2011 19:10:31

It is the biggest stage the Harry Kewell A-League show has played on.

And Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic reckons his star Socceroo is ready to strut in the competition's new showpiece fixture, the Melbourne derby against the Heart at AAMI Park on Friday night.

Two in-form teams, high stakes, a 28,000-capacity venue sold out the day before the match, and Kewell yet to score a goal from open play this season - perfect conditions for the sparks to strike Australian soccer's lightning rod for drama.

Kewell has been busy but scoreless in the Victory's two most recent performances - with several chances to find the net either well saved or spurned.

While others are finding the net around him, Durakovic believes Kewell's turn is coming.

And he senses a marquee performance from a marquee player in what most believe is set to be the A-League's marquee fixture, is on the way.

"It will come. The goals will come. Sooner or later he'll be hitting the back of the net, then nothing will be stopping him," Durakovic said of Kewell, whose only goal since his A-League arrival has come from the penalty spot.

"He's come here with a big reputation. He's one of the best footballers we've ever produced.

"We're happy with the way he's been playing. As long as he's creating the chances, sooner or later he will score."

The Heart go into the match with five wins in their past six matches - the form side in the competition along with top-of-the-table Central Coast.

Third-placed Heart could vault six points clear of their cross-town rivals with a win, while Victory can leapfrog the Heart and remain top four by the end of the round if they take all three points.

Heart coach John van 't Schip is not admitting as much, but his club is mulling the prospect of a top-three finish if it cannot make the top two by the end of the season to secure the finals double chance.

Finishing third in the league is likely to mean an Asian Champions League spot for 2013 - something Melbourne's newer A-League team would relish for its players, sponsors and profile.

"I've not had any mandate from the board that we have to achieve this or achieve that," van 't Schip said.

"To get into the finals, that's the one goal we have. They're not talking about third or fourth of second... but the highest possible position of course would be the best."

The Heart will be without influential midfielder Jonatan Germano with a hamstring injury.

And the Victory must decide who will replace suspended midfielder Billy Celeski, with veteran Grant Brebner a warm favourite amid hot competition for places.

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, a-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted December 22, 2011 19:10:31

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Victory need time to gel: Durakovic

Updated October 15, 2011 15:13:22

Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic says he needs time to mould his star-studded A-League outfit into a formidable unit.

The highly-fancied Victory slumped to a 1-0 loss to bitter rivals Adelaide United on Friday night, leaving Durakovic without a win from two starts.

Compounding the Victory's sluggish start to the season is the enforced absence of captain Adrian Leijer for next Saturday's derby against Melbourne Heart.

Leijer was sent off in the away loss to Adelaide for two bookable offences, including one which left coach Durakovic bewildered.

Leijer was yellow carded in the opening half for apparently back-chatting referee Ben Williams, then marched for a second-half tackle on Reds playmaker Dario Vidosic.

"Honestly, I really don't know ... how he got the yellow card, the first one," Durakovic said.

"He (Leijer) hasn't made it easier on us but we have got enough depth.

"Obviously, it's a big game for us next week and we're going to try and get the three points because we definitely need it."

Durakovic warned against hasty judgments on his club, touted as championship favourites.

"I do need time with this team," he said.

"They're all professional footballers and really good players and it just takes time to gel the way we want to play.

"At least we're creating chances and, sooner or later, those chances will go in and, after that, we won't look back."

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, melbourne-3000, adelaide-5000, vic, sa, australia

First posted October 15, 2011 15:07:03

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Durakovic defiant amid Victory woes

Updated November 25, 2011 17:23:42

Coach Mehmet Durakovic has pulled the boardroom knives out of his back and moved to stem the bleeding at the Melbourne Victory madhouse.

The flailing A-League club started a key 72 hours in its existence with Durakovic forcefully declaring "I am the boss" at an outfit which has descended from the competition's best-run club to basket case.

With the Victory board divided whether he should continue after an indifferent start to the season, Durakovic has found himself under siege ahead of the club's must-win home clash with Gold Coast United on Sunday.

Football manager Francis Awaritefe was sacked, while the club's hierarchy bizarrely rubber-stamped star Harry Kewell's decision to appoint his own personal coach - ex-Argentine World Cup star Abel Balbo.

That further undermined the already under-fire Durakovic.

But the rookie coach moved on Friday to quell mutterings about his position, suggestions he is a puppet to others, and the clandestine boardroom moves to have him sacked.

Durakovic says he is in charge of football matters and his assistants - club legend Kevin Muscat and Steve Mautone - answer to him.

"At the end of the day, I call the shots here - I'm the boss," a defiant Durakovic said.

"The structure that I've put in place is still there, the players take directions from me.

"I've got the full support of the players, the board, the coaching staff.

"There is pressure, no doubt about that.

"But I'm big enough to cop it on the chin.

"We just have to work really, really hard on the pitch and get the three points we desperately need."

Kewell's decision to split with long-time manager Bernie Mandic has also added to the intrigue as the Victory aim for a much-needed three points after an unconvincing start to the season.

Durakovic said Kewell's move to appoint Balbo - who Mandic had sold heavily to key board members as the man to replace either Awaritefe or Durakovic - was nothing to do with him.

And he said any involvement Balbo would have with Kewell would not happen on the club's turf or time.

"Balbo has absolutely nothing to do with Melbourne Victory. He has nothing to do with the club," Durakovic said.

"Let me make that clear. That's got nothing to do with me. I am the boss of this club and everyone takes directions from me.

"Balbo - that's Harry Kewell's prerogative. But he has nothing to do with the club whatsoever."

But Durakovic ultimately knows his fate rests on whether his players buy what he is selling on Sunday, and play to their potential for the first time this season.

The team have looked rudderless all season - their poor 2-2 draw with 10-man Perth Glory last weekend sparking widespread fan outrage.

"I know it's all about results. I've got pressure like everybody else and we'll work hard on the pitch and get this thing going," Durakovic added.

"We've only lost one game and we've got four of our next five games at home.

"But we need to be successful, we need results."

Kewell is expected to play on Sunday after training strongly on Friday to prove he is over a hamstring injury.

AAP

Tags: soccer, a-league, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted November 25, 2011 13:43:10

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