Christian Montegan 
Melbourne Victory 2024/25 A-League season preview. Photo: Marcus Roberston. Design: Round Ball Australia
Minutes away from securing his first-ever A-League championship last season, former Melbourne Victory coach Tony Popovic learned in the cruelest possible way about football being a game of inches.
With a contract extension not agreed upon, in stepped Patrick Kisnorbo to fill the void – once an arch enemy of the Victory faithful having helped rivals Melbourne City become champions of Australia.
An opportunity to clinch a trophy went begging as Mile Sterjovski’s Macarthur upstaged Victory at AAMI Park to win the Australia Cup title – perhaps a synopsis of what will eventuate in the coming months.
Consistency was a massive problem last season, drawing 16 out of 31 matches including the finals series. This time around, are they capable of replicating Kisnorbo’s dominant Melbourne City performances from the past?
Much of that will depend on how prepared they are to release the harrowing shackles that have plagued the squad in the off-season.
The Manager: Patrick Kisnorbo
After learning of the appointment, an opinion divide amongst Victory fans soon simmered down in favour of Kisnorbo, guiding the club to an Australian Cup final while producing entertaining football – a stark contrast to Popovic’s philosophy.
Kisnorbo’s favoured 4-2-3-1 setup implemented during the majority of their Cup run has allowed certain players to thrive in a more progressive system.
“Our brand of football will reflect what you have come to expect of Melbourne Victory sides. We will be bold and brave, play attacking, quick football and I will have my team ready for any challenge that stands in our way,” Kisnorbo said in his first interview upon arrival.
Midfielder Jordi Valadon has arguably been the standout piece in Kisnorbo’s jigsaw puzzle, acting as the glue in front of the back four while also being provided the license to roam forward and contribute in the final third as he did with his goal against Adelaide United in the Australia Cup semi-finals.
Early signs indicate that left-back Kasey Bos could brew into a revelation at the Victory with his progressive runs and burst of energy – having his position covered by Valadon who combine perfectly.
Four consecutive Cup victories slowly shifted the doubts and negative perceptions around Kisnorbo, until a shock selection decision threw that goodwill out the window.
Before the Cup final against Macarthur, the 43-year-old opted to leave Daniel Arzani out of the squad altogether which raised eyebrows.
“It was just my decision,” Kisnorbo said after the defeat. “It was a selection decision I chose [and] round one he won’t be available either.
“The issue isn’t about Daniel – it’s about the team. It was about the team tonight and not the individual. At the end of the day, I made a decision and I stick by it.”
Reports of a bust-up between the pair during training have further planted suspicion in the minds of the Victory supporters. How can fans trust him if he has lied about the issue? Why wasn’t he honest and upfront?
A potential sluggish start to the upcoming A-League season may heighten the pressure to exponential levels.
The Squad
Victory’s transfer window highlight involves the arrival of Greek striker Nikos Vergos on a free transfer from Atromitos in his home country.
The 28-year-old is a relative unknown for many in the Australian football landscape, but the former Real Madrid youth player certainly possesses the game style that fits into Kisnorbo’s approach.
A dilemma regarding the goalkeeping position could act as a weird stumbling block to overcome, considering the announcement of Mitch Langerak’s return to the club after 15 years.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund shot-stopper’s contract with Japanese outfit Nagoya Grampus means that Langerak will need to wait until January to feature in the A-League.
As a temporary replacement to fill the void left behind by Paul Izzo, the club moved swiftly to tie down Jack Duncan from the Wellington Phoenix. One would suggest it should be a smooth transition, but how will Kisnorbo handle the situation if Duncan performs out of his skin?
Centre-back Brendan Hamill is a sensible option to replace the experienced Damien Da Silva having played 10 seasons in the A-League, including a one-year stint with the Victory in 2021/22, while Jing Reec provides solid depth in the centre-forward position behind Vergos and Bruno Fornaroli.
Alexander Menelaou (20), Luka Kolic (19) and Daniel Graskoski (17) are three players from Victory’s U21 crop who signed professional contracts in the off-season.
Da Silva, a reigning two-time Victory Medalist, and Jake Brimmer, 2022 Johnny Warren and Victory Medalist are two standout names who departed the side.
Players also not viewed in Kisnorbo’s plans were Chris Ikonomidis, Ben Folami, Roly Bonevacia, Eli Adams and Salim Khelifi – but could the decision to release several attacking options backfire?
Frenchman Zinédine Machach is expected to be more acclimatised to his surroundings during his second season at the club, and with that, expect the 28-year-old to be the focal point.
His creativity, physical presence and ability to create space for himself and others are valuable assets for Kisnorbo who loves the game to open up and create free-flowing transition.
Watch out for the partnership with Vergos. The new signing has proven he can play off the last shoulder and create havoc with runs in behind, leaving acres of room for the duo to combine.
Off-field: 777 collapse and new sponsorship deal
The drama circulating around Arzani has expectedly stolen the headlines for reasons that Victory would not have hoped for. Yet that isn’t the only thing happening behind the scenes.
Josimar, an investigative outlet, reported on Monday night that American investment company 777 Partners, holding a 19.9 per cent ownership stake in the Victory, had collapsed.
A club spokesman said the reports have no impact on the club as it stands.
“777 is still a 19.9 per cent shareholder of Melbourne Victory,” he said.
“As a minority shareholder, the latest on 777 has had no effect on Melbourne Victory and its operations.”
In sponsorship news, Turkish Airlines will commence their front-of-shirt partner deal with the four-time A-League champions, penning a three-year deal back in March.
“To partner with such an esteemed business, which is also connected with the likes of the UEFA Champions League and the TĂĽrkiye National Football Team as well as some of TĂĽrkiye’s domestic footballing giants is significant for Melbourne Victory,” club Managing Director Caroline Carnegie said.
“Turkish Airlines is a global powerhouse of the aviation business, winning countless awards for their service, customer satisfaction and sustainability and we are proud to be able to partner with them for the next three years and help them launch their brand in the Australian market.”
Expectations
Melbourne Victory is one of the few demanding clubs in Australia that foresee nothing other than success and light at the end of the tunnel. Rarely is there time to experiment.
Runners-up in the Grand Final five months ago at the expense of a treble-winning phenomenon in the Mariners, should the arrival of a new face at the managerial helm limit their expectations to go one better?
Although it undoubtedly takes time for fresh ideas to be transmitted across to the squad and implemented on the pitch, this is a team built for another deep finals run – mainly because the pure core of the group under Popovic has hung around.
Like Sydney FC, Victory finds itself in a unique position to exploit the rest of the competition who have invested heavily in youth. If ever there was a time for the two biggest clubs in the country to win the championship, it is now.
The bare minimum expectation should be a top-four finish. In terms of finals football, a semi-final berth should be viewed as a success.