Kosta Barbarouses on why he left Wellington and why Melbourne Victory wasn’t the easy way out

KOSTA Barbarouses says it wasn’t meant to be this way. He didn’t plan on returning to Melbourne Victory. And he doesn’t plan on getting too comfortable.

Returning to Victory wasn’t Barbarouses’s plan. (AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)

KOSTA Barbarouses says it wasn’t meant to be this way.

But now that he is back at Melbourne Victory the pacy winger is hellbent on making the most of his second coming, not falling into a false sense of security.

“Coming back wasn’t part of the plan, to be honest,” Barbarouses told the Herald Sun.

“I had to leave Wellington for pretty personal reasons, which I don’t really want to delve in to, but it certainly wasn’t planned for me to come back to Melbourne.

“Stuff came up and it was a discussion point for a couple of months and then when the Phoenix came out with the statement it was soon after that that a few options came in.

“I gave it a bit of thought, but it was an easy decision (to then sign for Victory) in the end.”

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Barbarouses takes on Bruce Kamau in this year’s Melbourne derby. Picture: AAP

Barbarouses enjoyed a successful three years at Victory between 2013-16 and was an integral part of the 2014-15 championship.

He left for Wellington on a three-year marquee deal in 2016, but cut that short by two years in June.

The New Zealand international’s return to Victory was followed by the re-signing of James Troisi and the return of Mark Milligan.

All three players are known quantities for coach Kevin Muscat — and proven performers at that.

But did Barbarouses think about the potential trap of being too comfortable in his surrounds?

“It’s a good question,” he said.

“I didn’t know Jimmy and Millsy would be coming, so I didn’t factor their side of things in to it, but with myself personally it was definitely a consideration.

Barbarouses has missed four games this season for the All Whites. Picture: AFP

“But during my three years here previously I always had that drive to do well, to play better.

“I don’t think I felt that comfort — that my spot (in the team) was a given — and so I still felt that pressure to perform.

“Coming back here, I still get those butterflies going into games. I like that and I feel like I need that because I’m not an excitable sort of guy.

“It’s definitely not a case of, ‘I’ve been here before, I feel comfortable, I’m not being challenged’.”

Barbarouses is on a two-year deal. But, at 27, the overseas itch is still there to be scratched. He had a stint in Russia and Greece between 2011-13, but four and a half years later he still feels like he has unfinished business.

“I could go on for ages about how I could have stayed longer in Greece, for whatever reason I didn’t,” he said. “But I would like to give it another go one day.”

Barbarouses celebrates in the 2015 A-grand final. Photo: George Salpigtidis

Barbarouses has played five games for Victory this season, but has also missed four because of All Whites commitments.

He is the first to admit “I don’t think I’ve hit my straps fully”, but now that his schedule is cleared of international duty Barbarouses feels his best is still to come.

“I feel like I’ve been good in patches, but I think I’ve only been in the team in patches and that’s no coincidence.

“Things haven’t clicked 100 per cent yet, but then you look at some of the stuff we did (against Wellington) and the goal I scored the week before, there are little things I can take confidence from.

“Knowing I’m going to be here and available for the rest of the season now is going to help a lot.”