Wellington Gift First Melbourne Win

Wayward finishing from Wellington Phoenix has ended an intense week of public scrutiny for Melbourne Victory and fortunately lifted the highly fancied Australian club off of the foot of the 2011/2012 A-League standings.

Mehmet Durakovic has tinkered with every line-up so far this season in search of the ‘right-one’, he brought in Tom Pondeljak for his first game of the season and Jean-Carlos Solorzano was promoted for his first start in Melbourne colours.

One of the Victorys biggest talking points is how to make mega-stars Carlos Hernandez and Harry Kewell co-exist on the pitch, Durakovics instructions were clearly for the Costa Rican to sink deeper down the pitch and he find some nice touches quickly but Wellington dominated early play.

Frustratingly unable to find the back of the net courtesy of some great goalkeeping yet again by Ante Covic but also a result of some poor finishing by their new Spanish acquisition Dani Sanchez and Tim Brown, an ever-present thorn in Melbourne Victorys side.

Melbourne would have been relieved to head into half time with the scoreless line but it was ecstatic when Archie Thompson pinched the lead just before the whistle and ended its new season scoring drought. The leagues all-time leading scorer cut inside at the corner of the box and nut-megged young Phoenix defender Nick Tsatsalios before placing the ball around another couple defenders and out of Tony Warners reach.

The New Zealanders set out to make amends in the second half, Sanchez was denied again by Covic, Chris Greenacre hit the bar from point blank range and it was becoming more and more clear that Ricki Herbert’s side, without Paul Ifill are in imminent need of a ruthless striker, none more so when the game seemingly slipped through their fingers in the 66^th minute.

When Hernandez played Thompson through with a deft flick, veteran and last defender Ben Sigmund dragged him down not only earning a red card but a penalty. Phoenix keeper Warner picked the right way but Hernandez coolly slotted the ball past the outstretched custodian.

Sanchez gave the host side a glimmer of hope from a corner kick when he pounded the ball past Covic from outside the box five minutes later but it proved a mere consolation. After Thompson had a goal wrongfully disallowed, Melbourne ran out 2-1 victors.

It was just Melbournes second win at Westpac stadium, a troublesome ground for all visting teams.

Melbourne has now jumped to fourth place on the table and gets the monkey off its back before yet another huge clash against the in-form defending champion Brisbane Roar who spanked Adelaide United 7-1.

I apologize for the time that has elapsed between posts. I had to take some time out due to a very demanding work schedule but look forward to continuing in the future and hopefully revisiting the first three rounds of the 2011/2012 season also.

Off-Season Updates & Downplays

Considering it’s been somewhat of a changing of the guards during the off-season for Melbourne Victory, news has distractedly centred around a certain Socceroo ‘Golden-Boy’.

Rumbles are hitting fever pitch as a deal bringing Harry Kewell to Australias sporting capital once again is graded 99% complete. First it’s on and then it’s not, spotted on Collins Street and then in Dubai. Time’s running out for Harry and for Melbourne as the season draws closer and it’s fans become weary of the incessant gossip. Well at least most are.

It’s old news now but someone who’s been overshadowed from all the Kewell hype was departing Thai international Surat Sukha. A servant of the club, Surat featured 36 times, most of which gallantly in a troublesome fullback position. He joins Buriram PEA back home in the Thai Premier League and importantly proved that South East Asians can be an asset in the A-League.

Expected to join Melbourne earlier in July, goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis back-tracked from his declaration on Twitter very quickly, reports surfacing that the Victory board weren’t happy with his premature announcement and with Tando Velaphi vastly improving Bouzanis was quickly on a flight overseas to acquire some first-team “action”. Only the flight didn’t last as long as many expected and he’s now negotiating with Wellington Phoenix to become New Zealand World Cup hero Mark Pastons understudy!

An Orange Misted Exhibition

A toe-numbing Tuesday night couldn’t deter 1000 or so football fans from SS Anderson Reserve as Melbourne Victory took on the local boys Port Melbourne Sharks.

Mehmet Durakovic is entering his first season as an A-League manager and he took this game to look at some younger options, resting Isaka Cernak and Carlos Hernandez while Petar Franjic and Marco Rojas were away on national duties. Old stalwarts Thompson, Allsopp, Pondeljak, Brebner, Celeski and Vargas held their starting positions while Matthew Kemp made in-roads towards his long awaited return to full-fitness. Tando Velaphi continues to be the only option in goal for Durakovic, while youngsters Jimmy Jeggo and Nick Ansell recieved a rare start outside of the youth development squad. Former Gold Coast United junior and current Dandenong Thunder player Ben Harrison was tested on trial at Left Back.

After a cagey start in the torrid conditions, the State League Division 1 side had the first chance when a striker pounced on a defensive mistake from a tentative Kemp, his long-range attempt troubling Velaphi on the bounce but he gathered the ball quickly once it struck his chest.

An energetic Pondeljak almost instantly answered but his hurried deflected shot, although out of the keepers reach, hit the inside of the post and dribbled accross the face of goal.

Near the 30 minute mark Allsopp missed an open net after the Port Melbourne keeper was indiposed due to a parried Pondeljak shot but he made amends with a powerful raising drive from outside the box that crashed into the top right corner for the opening goal of the contest.

Despite vast improvements since arriving, Tando Velaphi showed he still has the tendancy to get a little ‘flappy’, throwing his arms about after a corner but far from making contact. The ball scrambled around the box, luckily for the young keeper it was a Victory team mate that could make clean contact first.

Durakovic made plenty of changes at half time, regulars Adrian Leijer, Leigh Broxham and Matt Foschini got a run, Jean Carlos Solorzano started at the point of the attack while Luke O’Dea and Dado Lokvancic also enjoyed a good chunk of time on the pitch. Intriguingly a tall slender unidentified halfback started alongside Leijer.

Melbournes experienced midfield showed moments after the restart when Billy Celeski cleverly played Pondeljak through on the right wing and he expertly found Costa Rican striker Solorzano unmarked in the box. His well timed header, ricocheted off the cross bar and back into the path of Leigh Broxham who’d strolled into unfamiliar territory and rebounded a rare goal.

Solorzano showed his hunger moments later when he found himself alone in the box again, Broxham and Pondeljak doing the hard work out wide this time but Solorzanos header fell just wide.

Harrison had a solid if uneventful trial, he was pushed out of position by stronger opponents at times but looked confident heading into attack. I’d expect to see him come August 24th when Melbourne Victory travel to Springvale for their next friendly against the White Eagles.

Pondeljak and Broxham were the most impressive of the regulars, hopefully Tomislav can capitalize on a good off season. Last season despite a positive break he started strongly but faded as the season wore on. Broxham continues to improve after every game and shows why he’s an integral part of the team and not just Ernie Merricks boot-boy.

The other player that I was tremendously impressed with was Nick Ansell. The kid who’s been away for the U-17 Fifa World Cup looked every bit as mature and familiar with his surrounding as Ben Kantarovski was when he turned out for Newcastle all those years ago as a sixteen year old. With Petar Franjic competing Rody Vargas for the vacant Centre-Back spot an injury could see the youngster make his A-League debut sooner rather than later.

Hoops Roll Out After Tough Melbourne Victory

The weather was more befitting of a chilled and dreary Glasgow evening and with AAMI park filled with fans in their Green and White of their beloved Celtic, you’d be forgiven for forgetting you were in fact in Melbourne as the South End burst in to a rousing rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

Glasgow Celtic, are one of Europes largest football clubs and only a week away from it’s opening game against Hibernian FC in Edinburgh, while Melbourne Victory are only a few days into their pre-season after a strenuous Asian Champions League Campaign.

The teams weren’t miles apart as the geography expresses, Melbourne fought tooth and nail with their wealthy counterparts, only a 78^th minute deflection separated the sides and beat a gallant ex-Glory goalkeeper Tando Velaphi.

Having joined Melbourne prior to the recently completed Asian Champions League Velaphis improvement has been enormous as he works closely with Steve Mautone, a goalkeeper coach who’s undoubtedly taken guys like Michael Theoklitos, Eugene Galekovic and Mitchell Langerak to the next level.

News had prematurely surfaced that the Victory had supposedly signed former Liverpool FC youth custodian Dean Bouzanis, Velaphi couldn’t have strengthened his grip on the starting position any stronger and it looks as if Bouzanis was on the first flight back to Europe to find that elusive number one keeper spot.

Taking to the field for the first time in their new Adidas cuts, Melbourne looked the part on the field against the 42-time league champions, Danny Allsopp narrowly missing an opportunity to send Melbourne in front, while the towering striker Georgios Samaras was denied twice one-on-one by Velaphi in front of the noisy Melbourne fans.

As expected in exhibition matches the second half brought many substitutions and consequently the game opened up right away.

Marco Rojas showed why his New Zealand compatriots were so disappointed lo lose the 19 year old across the Tasman as he wreaked havoc on the right wing, the Scottish Premier League defenders unable to contain his clever mazy runs. He set Allsopp up for what looked like the games opener only for the former ‘Golden-Boot’ to miss the goal.

The real excitement came moments before when given acres of space out on his wing he waited for the defence to arrive so he could toy with them. Breaking free again he whipped in a delectable cross, leaving Celtic goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska in no mans land. Unfortunately fellow Melbourne debutante Jean Carlos Solorzano could connect on the goal-line but the youngster gave us a glimpse into the foreseeable future.

The Costa Rican strikers debut was also error-free on debut, despite at times frustrating at the delivery he received from youngsters James Jeggo, Luke O’Dea and Dado Lokvancic, an exciting trio of Durakovics ‘boys’ from the Melbourne youth team he commanded not so long ago.

Jeggo appeared along with O’Dea in last years blockbuster friendly against Boca Juniors but the 19 year old midfielders progress was hindered after breaking an ankle before the season started. Striker O’Dea enters his second season with Melbourne Victory and it looks like he’ll contend for a spot in the senior side this season as he seems to have bulked up plenty from this time last year. Lokvancic was the Youth sides go-to striker along with Northcote City excitement machine James Kalifitidis, he scored 5 goals in 16 appearances last season. His inclusion in this game obviously due to the release of Surat Sukha as Lokvancic darted around AAMI Park with the Thai internationals name on his back.

With Celtic manager Neil Lennon reportedly on the look out for a bargain Australian (or NZ) youngster, there were plenty to choose from in Rojas, Velaphi, Petar Franjic & Matt Foschini…

Bouzanis To Bring Sting Into Glove Fight

Former Liverpool youth Goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis has revealed on social networking site Twitter, that he has recently agreed to terms to join Melbourne Victory Football Club.

The Sydney-born 20 year old of Greek descent, who was once famously regarded the best goalkeeper of his age group anywhere in the world by the Liverpool manager at the time Rafa Benetiz when he signed in 2007, was recently released by mutual consent from the English Premier League heavyweights in search of desirable first team football. Greek giants Olympiakos were interested suitors early on in his free-agency but Bouzanis stated that he wanted time on the pitch but assured that his interests remained in Europe.

Bouzanis will have a task on his hands to pry the gloves from Tando Velaphi who has made drastic improvement since his off-season arrival, as well as trying to convince Olyroos manager Aurelio Vidmar he is the man for the continuation of the Olympic qualifications as he’s shared honours with another recent Melbourne trialee Andrew Redmayne.

Since undertaking somewhat of an apprenticeship under Clint Bolton at Sydney FC, the projected star hasn’t featured too often on Australian soil, he is however familiar with AAMI Park, turning out for the Come Play XI against Melbourne Victory in Kevin Muscats testimonial.

Melbourne hasn’t had such fierce competition for the goalkeeping spot since Season One when Eugene Galekovic and  Michael Theoklitos traded starts, you could also perhaps argue that Glen Moss and Mitchell Langerak divided opinions but once Langerak was given a start, Moss never received another look-in.

The signing surely marks the end of youth-keeper Sebastian Mattei’s tenure at Melbourne Victory, rumours have circulated that he’s been training at Melbourne Heart.

When Harry Mehmet Franny

On a day when two other publicized candidates were directing from the sidelines of an International tournament (u-17 FIFA World Cup), Melbourne Victory have announced that caretaker coach Mehmet Durakovic will in fact, take over on a full-time basis from discarded foundation manager Ernie Merrick and SBS football pundit Francis Awaritefe will take up tenancy in a ‘Director of Football’ role vacated by Gary Cole.

Formally the Youth League manager at the A-League club, the former Socceroos hero looked a long-shot to be promoted into a permanent position, but promising turn-outs in the five Asian Champions League games Durakovic was in charge, saw him surge up the rankings, while ex-English Premier League managers and legends such as Roy Keane, Ossie Ardiles and Iain Dowie entered the fray, albeit ultimately unsuccessfully.

Awaritefe brings a sharp football mind back to Melbourne, where he devastated NSL defenders during stints with Melbourne Knights and with Durakovic and Kevin Muscat at South Melbourne Football Club.  It’s a unique but promising approach as the former striker promises to influence a little of Barcelonas culture and flair to coincide with the new managers attacking philosophy and with goal-scoring threats such as Archie Thompson, Carlos Hernandez, Danny Allsopp and now Jean Carlos Solorzano, Isaka Cernak and Marco Rojas on the roster, one would be wrong to doubt potential benefits.

As if that wasn’t enough offensive firepower, attentions now will be diligently focused on acquiring Australian Marquee Harry Kewells signature. The former Leeds, Liverpool and Galatasaray superstar will no doubt require a record price and there are no doubts that a large part of Durakovic’s appeal would be his lower price-tag, allowing Melbourne Victory to throw whatever incentive-based contract Kewell and his money-hungry agent Bernie Mandic request.

Melbourne Unveil Eye-Catching Adidas Kits

We’ve been waiting along time for the 2011/2012 Melbourne Victory kits, some going as far to draw (literally) their own conclusions.

With the A-Leagues substandard deal with A-League concluded, clubs have had months to negotiate and workshop uniforms for the upcoming season. Melbourne and it’s largest fan base in Australian football have linked arms with global football and sporting identity Adidas in what today has been revealed as a superior 5-year partnership and they’ve stated their desire to turn heads with the first collaboration.

They’ve unavoidably continued with the highly recognized ‘Navy Blue and White V’ combination in a stylish but bold home kit. Complete with a generous white collar, it evokes memories of a time when three members of Run DMC still roamed the streets of Queens, new sponsor and human resources companies red logo Adecco (3 year deal) blazoned across the stomach.

It’s the away ensemble that will bowl over those with a life that doesn’t consist of scouring football forums or going through Kevin Muscats garbage.

An as of yet unused fluorescent yellow will be the predominant colour accompanied by the customary navy, in what is clearly an homage to our good friends and atmosphere avengers, Victoria Police. In all seriousness it’s a daring choice for Melbourne Victory and Adidas to trial, one that I think will be welcomed with open arms.

Two thumbs up from us here at Vinegar Hill. It’s great to see teams step out from behind the hideous Reebok contract and develop an identity and individualism.

The Manager Hunt Continues…

According to Anthony Di Pietro the second round of Managerial interviews has begun and a lot of the action is happening in London.

Michael Lynch has recently reported that former Hull City EPL manager Iain Dowie COULD be in line, Roy Keanes name pops up again from time to time, while early South American candidates Ossie Ardiles and Abel Balbo haven’t been revisited by local journalists.

While Melbourne Victory assembles a squad without a leader and squanders large sums of money in Europe during the courting process, interim coach Mehmet Durakovic remains head of the local pack.

Untested as an outright leader of an entire squad, a rumoured ‘Director of Football’ could be assigned to guide Durakovic along the way. SBS pundit and fellow former Socceroo Francis Awaratife has been linked as has recently retired Melbourne captain Kevin Muscat.

One thing remains most important and that is that the appointment must instill confidence into it’s loyal fans.

Vinegar Hill Word Of The Day Is… HYPE!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d be well aware of the media frenzy linking one of Australias greatest ever Harry Kewell to a manager-free Melbourne Victory.

The news seems eerily similar to two previously imaginative yet premature reports, recently Irish EPL star Roy Keane being offered the vacant managers post and 12 months ago articles circuled Australian papers that another Socceroos great, Mark Viduka was in talks with Melbourne Victorys ‘powers-that-be’.

Kewells agent Bernie Mandic is notorious around the world of keeping is prized-clients name in the headlines and he’s dragged A-League clubs into the bidding war, surprisingly meeting with Melbourne officials at St. Kilda hotspot Cafe Di Stasio.

Since it’s been made public that Galatasaray intended to release the former Leeds United and Liverpool star, Major League Soccer clubs were thought to be in the premier position in search of his signature but strong ties have since hinted at a return to English top-flight football with recently promoted London-based club Queens Park Rangers.

‘The Australian’ writer Ray Gatt has suggested a deal worth an astronomical $5 million over two years has been tabled and would make Kewell the highest paid locally based footballer of any code in Australian history, no-one can deny the impact and much-needed marketing the striker would have on the A-League at just 32 years of age.

Frank Lowy understandably would be having a quiet word with FFA’s most marketable star, as he could be one of two people (Tim Cahill the other) that would inject life into an insipid Sydney FC if he was indeed interested in playing professional club football in Australia. It would certainly add to the ‘Big Blue’ rivalry if Melbourne was to pinch one of Sydneys favourite sons at a time when they needed him themselves.

As easy as it is to get caught up in the hysteria and as tremendous it would be to see Harry Kewell running around in the ‘Big V’, I can’t help but cynically see Mandic using Melbourne as a negotiating chip in acquiring a maximum wage at a higher profile club like Queens Park.

A Trio Of Departures

Three footballers at drastically different stages in their career, all have one thing in common. They won’t be a part of Melbourne Victory Football Club next season.

At the end of his football career Michael Petkovic retires appearing in goal 31 times for Melbourne, keeping 10 clean sheets in the final season of a 16 year journey that commenced across the Yarra river at National Soccer League club South Melbourne FC. Petkovic reached the apex in his career during two lengthy stays at Turkish clubs winning the Turkish league twice with Trabzonspor before being instrumental in Sivasspors 2009 assault and eventual second place Super Lig finish. Consequently Petkovic and Sivasspor were allocated a European Champions League position but were eliminated by Belgian outfit Anderlecht.

Appearances in the national team were few and far between for Petkovic due to Mark Schwarzers stranglehold on the number one position and after six Socceroo appearances and eight years in Turkey, Petkovic returned home to Australia replacing the newly departed Mitchell Langerak and oust the unpopular Glen Moss to Gold Coast.

His one and only season in the A-League was a true mixed-bag. As a last line of a very porous defence, pressure was intense for the 34 year old, while Melbourne fans are usually the quickest and most brutal to judge. The veteran kept Melbourne competitive with some tremendous saves but no-one remembers them, only the goals and he let in some absolute howlers and unfortunately for him the results fell the wrong way in a turbulent season at a club that holds a very high standard.

Marvin Angulo arrived in September 2009 as an injury replacement for Billy Celeski on loan from CS Herediano of Costa Rica but due to clearance issues didn’t take to the park over four months later.

Expectations were high for the skinny compatriot of Carlos Hernandez, and his first few appearances were promising, his silky movement and sharp passing only let down by a lack of match fitness and precision in front of goal. Valuable minutes dried up for the youngster as he seemingly fell further and further back on Ernie Merricks bench. Surprisingly his loan was renewed for the 2010/2011 season and he repaid the faith by securing a position in the starting eleven with a string of stellar performances, which elevated him to a cult status amongst the fans to rival previous import Ney Fabiano.

Melbourne didn’t get the results though and on the back of Angulos growing reputation CS Herediano reportedly jacked up the price, seemingly denying the Victory of acquiring his services on a full time basis. A scenario we’ve seen in Melbourne before with the likes of Fred and similar to the Brazilian dynamo, Angulo was rumoured to have been approached by American MLS clubs

Reports came only days ago that Melbourne had negotiated a surprising third loan period with the cash-strapped Costa Rican club but unfortunately the deal has fallen through and Marvin at a crucial crossroads in a very promising career will return to his homeland having featured 33 times in the A-League.

A previous vocal admirer of Angulos has been Branko Culina, don’t be surprised to see him digging deep into Nathan Tinklers pockets to bring him back to Australia with the Newcastle Jets.

The final departure signals the end of an experiment. Twenty year old Luke Pilkington at the beginning of a hopeful life in football came to Melbourne after winning Foxtels reality TV show ‘Football Superstar’. The left sided player beat out several other eager young footballers to win a university scholarship and an A-League contract.

Pilkington surprised everyone when he made his A-League debut against North Queensland Fury and would later feature in two of Melbournes Asian Champions League games, a competition they clearly haven’t taken seriously in the past.

It looks as if his career won’t continue at Melbourne as he becomes too old for a youth contract in the upcoming season and subsequently has been released to achieve first team football at Victorian Premier League contenders Bentleigh Greens.

Vinegar Hill would like to wish the trio the best of luck in future endeavors and thank you for the performances in the navy blue and white.