Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat has urged his players to embrace the lofty expectations the club will encounter heading into the next Hyundai A-League season.
Speaking at the Victory Medal in front of more than 900 guests at Palladium at Crown, Muscat praised the group’s achievements throughout 2015/16, but vowed to improve on the club’s sixth-place showing in the league.
“We should be proud of some historical achievements. We won the FFA Cup for the first time in the football club’s history,” he said.
“We spoke about wanting to get out of the group stage in the Asian Champions League and we managed to do that. The group should be proud of that.
“At this football club, we unashamedly reach for the stars.
“Expectation grew once again this season and we fully embraced that challenge.
“We wanted to defend the league and Championship trophies, we wanted to win the FFA Cup and we wanted to get out of the group stage in the Asian Champions League.
“Expectations were the greatest they’ve ever been at this club.
“At Melbourne Victory, we fight to achieve under great expectation, rather than flourish without any expectation.
“It’s in our DNA and I certainly wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Expectation can be a burden if it’s not seen as a challenge, because once accepted as a challenge, you immediately start looking for solutions.”
While firmly focussed on Victory’s upcoming two-legged AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Muscat vowed to make necessary changes to ensure more trophies are won at the club in the near future.
“Looking forward, it’s going to be a busy off-season in terms of recruitment, and I can assure you no stone will be left unturned to get things right for next season,” he said.
“We will have a revitalised squad built for immediate success.
“The ICC in July gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world’s greatest clubs in Juventus, at one of the world’s great stadiums, the MCG.
“We will defend the FFA Cup, we want to be in the Quarter Finals of the AFC Champions League, and of course we want to return to the top of the A-League.
“That’s our expectation and that’s our challenge.”
Tickets for Victory’s AFC Champions League Round of 16 home game are available by clicking here.
