A-League: Kevin Muscat only interested in success for Victory

Kevin Muscat is not interested in personal glory, just success for Melbourne Victory.

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat. Picture: AAP

History and greatness beckon Kevin Muscat this season, but you wouldn’t know it talking to the single-minded, sometimes irascible, Melbourne Victory coach.

Muscat has never been one for personal glory or pats on the back because, as he constantly reminded me yesterday, it is always about “the collective — the players, the club, the fans — not me”.

Which is why it comes as no surprise that the former Socceroos defender couldn’t care less about becoming the most successful coach in the history of the A-League.

He might not want to understand the significance, but Muscat is looking at the real possibility of winning a third A-League title — a feat that would see him overtake the illustrious trio of Ernie Merrick, Ange Postecoglou and Graham Arnold, who have all won two championships apiece.

There is also the possibility of becoming just the second coach to enjoy back-to-back championships, something Postecoglou did with Brisbane Roar (2010-11 and 2011-12).

Throw in a Premiers Plate, FFA Cup, three grand final appearances (for two wins) and a coach-of-the-year award and it is nothing short of remarkable what the 45-year-old has achieved in just six seasons since taking the reins of Victory from Postecoglou three rounds into the 2013-14 season.

Only Arnold, who has three Premiers Plates, an FFA Cup, four grand finals (won two) and three coach-of-the-year awards to his credit, has a better record. But with Arnold now out of the club scene and at the helm of the Socceroos, it leaves Muscat, and Merrick, to rule the roost in the A-League.

Kevin Muscat, Ernie Merrick, Ange Postecoglou and Graham Arnold

“Until you told me, I hadn’t even thought about it,” Muscat told The Weekend Australian when the chance of making history was put to him. “That sort of stuff is not in my make-up.

“What I will say is that, yes, success needs to be celebrated, but my thinking now is that we are starting off the season at the same point as everyone else — on zero competition points.

“Last season, the season before, the season before that … none of it matters.

“I have to re-arm to earn respect, we as a team have to re-arm to earn respect. I am not here to defend anything.

“The past is great but now it is about working as hard as we can as a collective moving forward.”

How about going back to back? Surely that would be a feather in his cap?

But still Muscat doesn’t react. And yet again, it is about “the collective”.

“Those stats … they are not something that is going to define me as a person or a coach, so why bother with it,” he says matter of factly. “It’s not about me. I just want to give everything to the players, the squad, the club, the fans and that is what I have found over the years is the most important aspect for me.”

GRAPHIC: A-League 2018-19

Victory go into the new season as firm favourites for the title on the strength of one of the most spectacular recruitment drives in A-League history. The signings of Japanese superstar Keisuke Honda and star Swedish striker Ola Toivonen have set a stunning standard. Victory and Muscat mean business.

Still, Muscat swats away the talk of favouritism and pressure because it is an ever-present for Melbourne Victory, the biggest and most successful club in the national competition.

“That’s what makes the game great — we all have opinions,” he says. “I try and win that competition within a competition, you know, getting all those nominating for us (to win the championship).

“If there was a prize for getting more people to tip you, I’d take it in consideration, but the fact you gain nothing from it, it doesn’t even register on my radar. Maybe they can have a new initiative and give the side everyone tips to win the title a three-point start …”

So what are his expectations? Victory fans demand nothing less than success.

Just look at last season when the Victorians started the season very slowly and there were daily calls of “Muscat out” as the fans started to lose patience.

In the end, Muscat turned it around and delivered a slap in the face to those who doubted him.

“We are very narrow minded when it comes to expectations,” he says. “We have built a culture over many years at the club that we go into every contest to give ourselves the best chance to win.

“On the eve of the first game of the season (against Melbourne City tonight), all the energies are simply going into preparation to win that game.”