Former A-Leagues player and coach Michael Valkanis is among a rising cohort of Aussie coaches making an impact abroad. He chats to aleagues.com.au about his latest job, in charge of Turkish side Adana Demirspor, after making history with Dutch giants Ajax.
The universe, as Michael Valkanis says, works in mysterious ways.
For much of the off-season, the one-time Socceroo had his eyes on one particular job; he did not divulge the name of the club but there were strong links with Scottish Premiership side Hibernian. At the same time, another opportunity emerged that “four years ago I would’ve said yes to in the blink of an eye” in the Greek Super League.
After leaving his role as assistant of Dutch powerhouse Ajax, Valkanis asked for more time from the interested party in Greece because, in his words: “I really wanted the other one”.
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In the end, neither happened but an exciting opportunity presented itself in Turkey, where the former Adelaide United defender and Melbourne City head coach finds himself in charge of Adana Demirspor.
“This one came up out of nowhere,” he told aleagues.com.au. “It happened very quickly. It wasn’t something I was looking at or knew the opportunity existed.”
Valkanis is now based in southern Turkey as he embarks on this third head coaching role in Europe, after Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert was sacked by Adana in December.
Portuguese and Manchester United great Nani, who was briefly a marquee signing at Melbourne Victory in 2022-23, and Italian striker Mario Balotelli played for an Adana side who finished just four points above the relegation zone last season.
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This was after they had qualified for Europe, having finished fourth behind the Turkish big three – Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, in 2022-23 under the guidance of current Turkey boss Vincenzo Montella, who led the world no.42 to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
After they were promoted to the top flight in 2020-21, Adana spent heavily on the likes of Italy international and ex-Inter, Manchester City and Liverpool forward Balotelli and former France international Loic Remy – who played for Chelsea. As well as Benjamin Stambouli – a name familiar with Tottenham and PSG fans – and Switzerland and Napoli great Gokhan Inler.
Now, Adana are changing tack.
“The club is quite a big club in turkey. They’ve done quite well recently, apart from last season. I think they spent big and went for big, and things didn’t turn out like they planned,” Valkanis explained.
“A lot of decisions were made where it hampered the club a bit. Now they’re trying to go back into the direction which started their rise in the Turkish Super Lig. That is starting again from their roots, working to build up again, a team not so much of big name players but a really good team that competes, fights and plays good football.
“I get the opportunity to build that. We will see what sort of budget we have to attract to complement the existing squad and add some more quality. Otherwise it will be about building around younger players and existing players – create an identity, where they’re playing good attacking football but at the same time, they have that competitive and fighting spirit that Adana fans want.
“Adana have a history of workers – that working mentality. A club established by the railway workers. They believe in hard work and that mentality. That’s fundamental in how you play. We go back to our roots and back to scratch.”
This job means Valkanis will lock horns with one of football’s all-time greats Jose Mourinho.
Like his Aussie counterpart, Portuguese legend Mourinho has made the move to the Super Lig this season, joining powerhouse Fenerbahce.
Valkanis will share the touchline with the former Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham and Roma boss in the opening round on August 12.
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It is something of a full-circle moment for Valkanis – an Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership winner with Adelaide as a player in 2006, a former Reds captain and ex-caretaker coach, who also spent time in charge of Melbourne City in 2017 following the departure of John Van’t Schip.
“He is probably one of the best coaches that has been able to make an impact on football from the 2000s,” said Valkanis, who also previously coached Belgian top-flight side KAS Eupen.
“He was probably the guy who changed how coaches train and that is with the tactical periodisation.
“If we remember the early 2000s, the Portuguese and especially Mourinho’s group of coaches made people think differently about how they connect, the technical, tactical, mental and physical together instead of isolating training.
“I remember back then reading his books. I actually had a teammate that sent me a message – Robert Bajic from Adelaide united, he said ‘do you remember when you were reading his book and we were travelling… how the universe works and now you’re going to coach against him’.
“I always look forward to coaching against great coaches but also the one thing you look forward to is the atmosphere of those games and the preparation.
“Their budget is extremely different to ours and we are going to be playing a way which will be good in a way. I like that we’re playing a big game first up because you don’t have to motivate the players. They’re already talking about it. The rivalry between the two clubs. It’s exciting. That’s what it’s about.
“Fourth game of the season is (defending champions) Galatasaray. It’s a big testing opening for us in terms of the direction we’re heading in with a smaller budget.
“It’s going to be great to meet Mourinho and coach against him.”
There is somewhat business for Valkanis after his time as Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach came to an end for reasons beyond his control.
The first Australian to coach in the Israeli Premier League, he had a big vision for one of Israel’s biggest clubs but the war in the Middle East prompted an end to his tenure just three months in and with five matches played in October 2023.
“With Hapoel, I was really really gutted,” Valkanis recalled. “Things were moving really well. People don’t realise even in Australia how big that club is and the amount of support they have. There was a huge expectation week in, week out.
“We were building something really nice and I thought we were in a really good way until that morning when the bombs hit. That was out of my control. To tell you the truth, when I went back to Greece I thought I’d be back in two-four weeks, the war will be over. People were quite confident that it wasn’t going to last as long as it has right now.
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“I was working day in, day out. I was on Zoom calls with players, team meetings etc. Now discussing football but to be there to support the guys for what they’re going through. We had 18-year-olds who could’ve been called up to go to war. I have an 18-year-old son and I’m thinking, ‘how can this be?’.
“It was just a strange time where I just had to be a father figure, not even a coach. I really connected with everyone at the club, I still get texts everyday.
“But sometimes the universe works in a way where it’s out of control and things just happen. As a club, we were very uncertain with where this was all going – sponsors were pulling out, the league didn’t know when it would begin.
“It was a bit of a mess. That same day I got the call from our CEO and directors to discuss the future, I get a call from John van’t Schip to say ‘come to Ajax, I need you’.
“I have something I love and it’s my baby, and then you get this call where it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The uncertainty, war. It wasn’t an easy decision even though people go, ‘are you crazy?’.”
His trusted relationship with Dutch legend Van’t Schip – the pair having worked together at Melbourne City, PEC Zwolle and Greece, saw the duo team up again.
It created a history-making spell together at one of the most iconic clubs in world football.
With Ajax struggling and in the relegation zone, Valkanis joined Van’t Schip as his assistant in November last year and they guided the Dutch powerhouse up to fifth in the standings amid turmoil, on and off the pitch.
Not only did Valkanis become the first Aussie to work as an assistant at Ajax, he became the first Australian to coach the four-time European champions after deputising for two games in the absence of Van’t Schip.
It was something beyond his wildest dreams.
“We all know it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. The players it’s developed, the coaches it’s developed, the football it’s developed. The football that inspired so many other coaches to go out and coach,” Valkanis said.
“What I love about Ajax is they have a philosophy and don’t want to change. It’s a special place.
“When I went there back in 2011, sent through some scholarship from FFA that Han Berger had given me. I travelled throughout Holland and went to Ajax… I never imagined in my life that I would one day be an assistant or caretaker.
“It was a huge experience and one I’ll treasure because not many people can say they were a coach at Ajax. I thank John for giving me that opportunity.”
Van’t Schip has given Valkanis the leeway to virtually be the head coach wherever he has worked with the former Netherlands international.
“He’s given me so much responsibility,” Valkanis reflected.
It has helped shape former South Melbourne and Adelaide defender Valkanis on his coaching journey so far. One that has not come easily.
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As he discussed the perception of Aussie coaches abroad amid the trailblazing work of Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, the 49-year-old reflected on a particular period at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide.
“I remember the hours of work I did at Adelaide, mate I will always say that was like university. When Josep Gombau came and I was assistant to him (between 2013 and 2015). He was a great mentor,” he remembered.
“I used to turn up at 7 in the morning and I’d do what I had to do in terms of my role and responsibility. At 3pm, these guys were still there but he would send me home because he said go home, see the kids and wife because at 4:30pm I had to be with the youth team.
“I was head coach of the youth team, so I had a double role. With the youth team, I didn’t finish until 8:30 and then go home. For four years, I was doing two jobs. It was like eight years of works but that’s what it takes because I had a dream that I’d one day go into Europe.”
Valkanis has always been in a big believer in Australian coaches, who are landing more and more jobs abroad.
From Postecoglou and Joe Montemurro at Lyon Women, to Kevin Muscat (Shanghai Port), Peter Cklamovski (FC Tokyo) and Dario Vidosic (Brighton and Hove Albion Women).
In a previous interview with aleagues.com.au, Valkanis said: “I’ve been an advocate that I believe a lot of Australian coaches would probably do really well in Europe because we educate ourselves a lot, a lot.”
He retains that belief but added: “It’s still very difficult because even in this period after leaving Ajax, it’s very competitive. To get a head coaching role is not easy. You have to work hard and take the steps to have some success. Even build your name and reputation like Ange did to get to the top like he did.
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“The guys who do get the chance in Europe, it’s fantastic. I really believe and I’ll always say it, we really are students of the game and it’s not that easy to breakthrough. The amount of coaches who call for advice or guidance, sometimes the step is maybe you come as an assistant and you work with people.
“The competition out there is huge. The amount of interviews you go through. A lot of countries want their own coaches and promote their own coaches.
“I still believe we have very good coaches, there’s absolutely no doubt about that because we love the game. We’ve grown up in a country where the game is not the number one sport.
“Even as a player, we always promoted it and believed in it, showing people how great it is. We love it. Then we become coaches and we’re just engrossed in learning and developing and become better. We want to be better than our counterparts in Europe. We have to believe it can happen and go out and get it. Fight for those opportunities.
“It’s competitive but you have to believe.
“I always say, when I left Melbourne and I went as assistant with John. A lot of people said are you crazy because I uprooted by whole family and left. Let me tell you, it wasn’t a contract that was going to put that much money in the bank that was going to make everything safe. I took a big risk and that’s what it’s about. That’s my nature.
“For a lot of Aussie coaches, go out there and get it. A lot are out in Asia doing a great job. We have to keep pushing to help Australian coaches as well to give them opportunities”.
