Melbourne Victory skipper Adrian Leijer has refuted rumours that there was a power struggle between former coach Mehmet Durakovic and his assistant Kevin Muscat, before the former was sacked by the club.
Melbourne Victory skipper Adrian Leijer has refuted rumours that there was a power struggle between former coach Mehmet Durakovic and his assistant Kevin Muscat, before the former was sacked by the club.
Speaking on Fox Sports News Leijer denied the two did not get along but also admitted he is excited for new coach Jim Magilton to put his stamp on the playing squad.
“In terms of Kevin and Mehmet, I don-t think there was ever a problem there,” Leijer said.
“Times change and now we-ve got Jim Magilton and it will be nice to work under him.”
Despite only arriving in the country on Saturday and witnessing the Victory snap a three-match losing streak with a win over Newcastle Jets, Magilton will take the reins for the first time today at training.
And it-s a move Leijer is excited about, backing the Northern Irishman to turn the club-s fortunes around.
“He-s a strong leader. He had a great playing career and now it-s time for a new experience for him coaching abroad, and I-m looking forward to working under him,” Leijer said.
“He-ll definitely be the one trying to turn things around. I-m looking forward to having someone like that around the change room.”
Something else Magilton will bring to the club is opportunity, opportunity for players who have been on the outer to get some game time and show what they can do.
Danny Allsopp certainly got noticed on Saturday night when he scored against the Jets and Leijer thinks more players than the striker may get their chance.
“I think Danny Allsopp has had a frustrating time and to see the way he went about it on Saturday night lifted all the boys, he-s had a difficult time and he put in with passion, effort and his work ethic was first class, and it shows the boys who haven-t been playing there is a new chance here.”
While there is a new chance for many with Magilton taking over, the management change has denied fans and many in the media what they were really clamouring for… a coaching battle between infamous foes Kevin Muscat and Adelaide United manager John Kosmina, especially given their volatile history, which involved the manager grabbing then Victory player, Muscat by the throat.
“It could have been interesting, what happened between those two is always going to be remembered, they both bring a lot to the game, a lot of emotion, a lot of talking points and I suppose the game misses people like those two.”
Leijer is hoping to make his return from injury against the resurgent Reds but said a decision will be made later on in the week.
