Not many Hyundai A-League coaches can lay claim to having a 100 per cent winning record, but that’s exactly what Kevin Muscat can boast after he oversaw Melbourne Victory’s 2-1 triumph over the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park.
Not many Hyundai A-League coaches can lay claim to having a 100 per cent winning record, but that-s exactly what Kevin Muscat can boast after he oversaw Melbourne Victory’s 2-1 triumph over the Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park.
Victory sacked Mehmet Durakovic on Friday and Muscat stepped up as caretaker coach for the Jets clash while the incoming Jim Magilton recovered from his jetlag and waited patiently to take the reins.
And although Muscat’s coaching record reads an impressive one game for one win, the 38-year-old is happy to let Magilton takeover for the remainder of the Hyundai A-League season and act in the more familiar role as an assistant.
“I am more than happy to take a back seat now that I have got a 100 per cent record and let the real boss do his stuff,” Muscat said after the win.
“It’s been a tough couple of days, an emotional couple of days as well, but the nature of our business is we had to pick ourselves up and that’s what the squad did.”
“We had a game plan with Harry (Kewell) and Danny (Allsopp) coming off and inside Archie (Thompson) and for long periods of that first half … I don’t think the Jets coped with it.”
Muscat said both he and the players had Durakovic in their thoughts prior to the game.
“My last thoughts before the game were with Mehm and as soon as the final whistle went it was the same emotion,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate for Mehm that it has come at this time, but the football club have got to move on…because it’s bigger than any individual at the club.”
And despite the fact that new boss Magilton has only been in Melbourne since Saturday morning, Muscat is already impressed with what he has seen.
Muscat said he and Magilton briefly discussed the game against the Jets prior to kickoff, but admitted the new boss had little impact on how the team played.
“I spoke to him briefly (on Saturday), but he had just come off a plane,” Muscat said.
“It was more about discussing football in general … but he did have input on a few things.”
“He seems to be very professional as he wanted things for him as soon as he got off the plane.”
“He has hit the ground running and he will be at our recovery session and he will take the reins from there.”
