Melbourne City are making huge strides in the Victorian capital as they aim to win their first-ever Hyundai A-League silverware this season.
Going back in time, it wasn’t until the sixth season of the Hyundai A-League that a second Melbourne club entered the competition, with the arrival of Melbourne Heart.
Given Victory was one of the leading clubs in the competition at the time, it was difficult to gain immediate traction in the city. They were very much in the shadow of the Big V.
Under Dutchman John van ‘t Schip, there were glimmers of potential.
But since the City Football Group takeover in early 2014, there’s been a real sense that the club is now a serious player in Victoria.
Their state-of-the-art training base at the City Football Academy is the envy of the Hyundai A-League.
They have huge financial backing and are establishing a squad that is expected to challenge for the Championship this season.
The side has improved steadily over the last couple of years and while there hasn’t been any Hyundai A-League silverware as yet, City did win the Westfield FFA Cup in 2016.
It was a sure sign that City had arrived and appear ready to challenge their bitter neighbours as the best team in Melbourne.
And with stars like Caltex Socceroos superstar Tim Cahill, Uruguayan striker Bruno Fornaroli and the likes of Luke Brattan, Scott Jamieson and Bruce Kamau, they might get their sooner rather than later.
City provide a genuine alternative to Victoria’s original A-League club, Victory.
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