Kevin Muscat has confirmed he intends to hire a senior assistant coach to complement the existing backroom staff at Melbourne Victory.
Kevin Muscat has confirmed he intends to hire a senior assistant coach to complement the existing backroom staff at Melbourne Victory as he looks ahead to the remainder of the A-League season.
Three weeks after his appointment to the top job at AAMI Park, Muscat believes he and Darren Davies, promoted from his role working with Victory’s youngsters, need to share the burden of managing the heavyweight club’s first team.
And the rookie head coach insisted his desire to bring in additional support was not an admission of his own shortcomings as he attempts to fill the void left by Ange Postecoglou’s departure to the Socceroos.
“I’m adamant that I want to bring someone else in now, to complement Darren (Davies) and myself,” he said.
“We’re still a body down. But it wasn’t something I was going to be rushed into. It’s getting to the point now where I can give it some serious consideration and make that decision in due course.
“I’m not going to mention names, all I will say is that I’ve taken my time in making that decision and I strongly believe that Darren and myself do need some help, in terms of another body basically.
“I certainly understand that someone has to come in and I want somebody to come in. But it’ll be somebody that I think will improve the group – improve the coaching staff and improve the team.”
Muscat dismissed speculation former Australia national team coach Holger Osieck could be in line for the role, but is open to the concept of appointing a candidate from overseas.
“That’s news to me and it’s not something I’ve given any thought to,” he said.
“If the best person possible is overseas, then so be it.”
Muscat opted not to give a timeframe on when the appointment will be made, and claimed he will have the final say on who is hired.
Victory host Adelaide United at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, a second meeting with their archrivals in just seven rounds of the 2013-14 season.
Muscat is an intrinsic part of the historic rivalry between Victory and Adelaide, infamously knocking John Kosmina off his chair in the dugout while attempting to retrieve a ball, prompting an angry response from the then-Reds boss, in a flashpoint which has gone down in A-League folklore.
As he prepares for his first game against Adelaide as head coach, is Muscat worried he could be in for similar treatment from a hot-headed member of the opposing team?
“Hopefully not,” he said.
“I’m a little bit mobile than what John was back then, so maybe I’ll get out the way.”
Muscat confirmed Victory captain Mark Milligan would return to the starting line-up at the expense of either Leigh Broxham or Rashid Mahazi, while Kosta Barbarouses will be monitored to determine his fitness levels after New Zealand’s two-legged World Cup qualifying playoff defeat to Mexico.
