Players get the plaudits when they produce a result, but after breaking Canberra United’s 18-match winning streak, Melbourne Victory coach Mike Mulvey is the man in the spotlight.
Players often get all the plaudits when they produce a result, but after breaking Canberra United’s 18-match winning streak, an incredible record that has stood since January 2011, Melbourne Victory’s new coach Mike Mulvey is the man in the spotlight.
After only five weeks in charge of the Westfield W-League club, and with three wins to his name so far, Mulvey is already making history with his Victory outfit. Aside from their emphatic 3-0 drubbing of a Matildas-depleted Canberra squad on the weekend, his team have also managed to defeat their northern rivals Sydney FC for the first time in the history of the competition.
Not one to get carried away with results, however, Mulvey said after their round-five clash that his Victory unit could have scored at least half a dozen goals had they converted more of their chances.
“It’s a good win, there’s no doubt about that, but it could have been a more emphatic victory,” he said. “We put three in the back of the net, and it could easily have been double that.”
Mulvey is no stranger to Australian football, having worked with Gold Coast United in various positions before being handed the caretaker role for what would prove to be the club’s final six matches in the A-League. His transition to the women’s game has been exceptionally smooth so far and he is keen to work with up-and-comers and leave his mark on Aussie football.
“Melbourne approached me with a four-month project to take the W-League team for the season and I agreed to do that because I wanted to work with the players,” Mulvey said. “There are a lot of good young players at Victory and if I can bring something to them and help develop their chances of becoming Matildas and Young Matildas then I’ll be very pleased with that.”
Youth was always going to be a big part of Victory’s campaign, even before the appointment of Mike Mulvey, who took the position at the eleventh hour. His coaching background is tightly bound to the development of young talent, having won three National Youth League trophies in as many seasons and working with current A-League regulars and even Socceroos like Tommy Oar.
Mulvey’s confidence in youth has served Melbourne Victory well so far, and they will likely play a similarly integral role in their round-six match against Brisbane Roar. The Queensland side snared a tight 1-0 win away from home in round two, but after three wins on the trot, Mulvey’s Victory are looking like a completely different team – one full of confidence.
