Muscat threatens to swing the axe
Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat has savaged his defending A-League champions after their 5-0 routing by Brisbane Roar, threatening to take an axe to the team at the selection table.
A dejected Melbourne Victory bench watching the carnage unfold against Brisbane Roar. Photo: Dan Peled, AAP.
Victory follow up their worst showing of the A-League season with a continental challenge, facing Korean side Suwon Bluewings in the Asian Champions League (ACL) at AAMI Park tonight.
The mid-week match is a welcome change-up for Muscat after his side was obliterated at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Not since an Alessandro Del Piero-inspired Sydney FC visited Melbourne on Australia Day 2014 have Victory turned in such a poor performance or score.
More than half of the Victory team could be turfed as a result.
Ineligible pair Gui Finkler and Fahid Ben Khalfallah will drop out, as could Thomas Deng, Rashid Mahazi, Jai Ingham and Scott Galloway.
In their place, Archie Thompson, Connor Pain, Leigh Broxham, Nick Ansell, Jesse Makarounas and Daniel Georgievski could return.
“No one’s safe, no one’s certain,” a still-furious Muscat said yesterday.
“I don’t think we could be any more disappointed… obviously with so much as stake as well.
“It still doesn’t sit right with me and it will linger.
“There’s going to have to be a lot more application and a lot more effort.
“Decisions on who’s playing tomorrow night are going to reflect on those things.”
Acting captain Leigh Broxham, who was surprisingly rested from the Roar loss, said the result cut deep.
“We’re obviously hurting,” he said.
“Each player is going to be reflecting on themselves and as a whole… there’s no doubt they can turn such a disappointing result into a good performance three days later. That’s what we’re paid to do.”
The visit of the K-League club is both a welcome distraction and a tremendous opportunity.
Victory have made their best-ever start to an ACL campaign after collecting four points from their opening home and away matches.
Beat Suwon, who are two-time Asian champions, and Victory will have one foot in the knockout phase for the first time in their history.
Bluewings coach Seo Jung-won said he was preparing to play a young team against Victory, with Muscat expecting a defensively-minded outfit.
“They’re a good team. Very, very competitive and very aggressive,” he said.
“The difference from their home games to their away games is significant in terms of their endeavour… they’re a lot more adventurous in their home games.”
The Koreans will miss key offensive pair Kwon Chang-hoon and Kim Gun-hee.
-AAP
