City in the headlines

[belaguttman]

 

 

Melbourne derby provides the perfect setting for John Aloisi to ease Heart pressure

John Aloisi's future at Melbourne Heart uncertain

December 16, 2013    1:08

THIS is Melbourne Heart's biggest derby

It is without a win in 15 A-League matches. It has only one clean sheet in its last 17 games. It has scored just eight goals in 10 games but conceded 18. Melbourne Heart is bottom of the A-League ladder. In 37 games as head coach, John Aloisi's record is W8, D7, L22.

Penalty shockers to rival Harry's howler

December 16, 2013    1:37

Apologies - that's not really the way to start a story, but this is the narrative of John Aloisi's tenure as Melbourne Heart coach and illustrates why this weekend's Victorian derby is the club's most important yet.

THE BUILD-UP

Victory hosts the Heart on Saturday night and the scrutiny on Aloisi could not be greater. The manner of his side's loss to Sydney FC last weekend, particularly with Harry Kewell's headline-making penalty nightmare, has induced the football media to inspect every aspect of Heart's failings.

Listen to Simon Hill and Brenton Speed discuss the game on the Fox Football podcast. Download from the from iTunes store or for android users, on the iPP Podcast Player app.

Melbourne Victory lacking clinical edge

December 14, 2013    1:45

Heart was, for the most part, terrible against Sydney; sloppy at the back and profligate up front. What's worse was the lack of desire shown until the introduction of Harry Kewell. The former Socceroo showed his importance to Aloisi as his sheer presence and desire to compete lifted the whole team for the final 30 minutes.

Aloisi was forthright in his post-match press conference about his team's shortcomings: "We've only got ourselves to blame, again. We gave away two cheap goals but defensively our shape was good.

Coach John Aloisi makes a point at Melbourne Heart training. Source: News Limited

"But you can't afford to create so many chances, week in and week out, and not take them. You have to punish teams and we're not doing that. It's not good enough. It's killing me inside."

Being frustrated is understandable - what matters is being able to fix it. Aloisi has to prove he's up to the job. Does his future ride on this result?

THE PRESSURE

Given his status in the game and history as a player, Aloisi has been afforded a lot of sympathy in the media and laudable support by the Heart hierarchy. But as the stats indicate, the numbers are piling up against him in this role.

Heart CEO Scott Munn backed his coach again this week but also admitted that he couldn't guarantee Aloisi will see out the season.

"We're going to be very measured about how we go about things," Munn told Fox Sports. "We've shown in the past that we're not reactionary. We're going to give John every support we can and every chance to achieve.

A-League Round 10 Goals

December 15, 2013    2:32

"We're not happy with the results, the admirable draws, the near losses, they're not acceptable. We're in a results game. John knows that we're looking for results."

If Heart can't beat Victory on Saturday, it will equal Perth Glory's record for the worst start to an A-League season of 11 games without a win. (Want a saving grace? It hosts the equally winless Wellington Phoenix in round 12.)

The Melbourne derby is Heart's biggest fixture; as Herald Sun journalist David Davutovic pointed out, it's pretty much its grand final. So what is acceptable? Will Munn take another "admirable draw"? And if Heart loses, will it be the final straw for club or coach? If there is no improvement for this derby, of all games, where will the line be drawn?

THE GAME

Melbourne Victory is not without its own issues. As witnessed in the 2-0 defeat of Perth last week, Kevin Muscat's side hasn't been quite able to convert its dominance into results. His record so far is W3, D1, L3.

The much-debated "strikerless" formation has been held accountable by some pundits but Muscat has reiterated his commitment to the system he inherited from Ange Postecoglou.

Victory struggling to kill games off

December 14, 2013    1:01

"I'm not interested in changing the current structure. If results don't go accordingly, I believe in what we're doing at the moment. If we carry on with what we're doing and performing the way we have been then the results will look after themselves."

However, Victory had a season-high 23 shots in the 2-0 win over the Glory and has kept three clean sheets in its last four games. It's not perfect but the positives are there. The contrast with Heart couldn't be clearer.

Victory has a system and a philosophy in place, which, despite its flaws, represents a huge advantage over the demoralised and unorganised Heart.

John Aloisi can't turn his defensive structure and attacking tactics around in the space of a week. Instead he must aim to identify and eliminate the individual errors and instil his team with enough desire to overcome their crosstown rivals. We saw against Sydney that Heart can create chances; if it can put them away a little belief might just seep into the side, and that can go a long way.

This is a test for John Aloisi and his players. The answer will be in their performance against Victory.

Let's hope they make a game of it.

 

Hopefully the derby starts to become just another important game and not our club's 'Grand Final.' I think that this is a part of the problem. Of course we all know what the other problem is

[japiedog]

Sorry to harp on about my meeting the players at the airport after the Sydney match

a comment that a few made was , "we've got a big game coming up this week " 

to which I answered , Its a big game every week

Especially the situation we are in

[jw1739]

I've been saying this since Day 1. Every game is worth three points, no more, no less. From Round 1 to Round 27.

 

Yes the derbies have something else - local pride - riding on them, but the club must change its overall attitude problem. I'm utterly fed up with this "the next three games are very important" type of statement from Munn and everyone else. Equally fed up with crap such as "turning corners", "working hard behind the scenes" "we need to take our chances" "silly mistakes" and the whole lot of it.

 

MHFC just doesn't seem to get the message that we are in the A-League to actually win it. There's a whole six-month off-season to get all the behind-the-scenes stuff worked out - the season is for putting it into practice.

 

We don't seem to wake up until whatever we're doing is half over.

[belaguttman]

It's a small club mentality

[Murfy1]

Victory's Leijer and Broxham and Heart's Hoffman spill the change rooms secrets

 

Matt Windley   Herald Sun   December 20, 2013

 

[...]

 

MELBOURNE HEART

 

WHO ...

Has the most annoying habit?

Iain Ramsay: It wouldn't be one thing, it would just be constantly taking the piss. You feel like you can't have a normal conversation because somehow he'll be trying to take the piss out of you.

 

Has the weirdest pre-match superstition?

Patrick Kisnorbo: I've noticed when we go on to the field and we're passing the ball around while the coin toss is going on, any time the ball goes near him if you watch him he stands in his position with his hands behind his back and the ball can't touch his feet. So if it comes to him he'll actually pick it up, throw it to the side and say, `Don't pass it to me'. It's like he doesn't want to touch a ball until the game has started.

 

Is the biggest pest?

Aziz Behich: 110 per cent. You might tell him you're going for a quiet night with the missus and he'll constantly pester you all night saying, "You're under the whip".

 

Is the funniest?

Nick Kalmar: He's hilarious, has got a real dry sense of humour and the girls seem to think so too.

 

Is the quietest?

Mate Dugandzic: He's a very respectful guy. He doesn't mind getting in on the banter, but he makes sure he never makes anyone feel uncomfortable.

 

Is most generous?

Aziz Behich: He'd feed you his leg if there was no more food on the table.

 

Spends most time in front of mirror?

Andrea Migliorini: The new boy. He loves the mirror.

 

Is batting above their average in the girlfriend/wife stakes?

David Williams: Enough said.

 

Has the best car?

Harry Kewell: The Jeep Cherokee, it's a great car.

 

Has the best golf game?

Tando Velaphi: Harry will say he's got the best golf game, but I think Tando does from what I've seen. Harry's talked a good game, but I've never seen it, I can only judge what I've seen.

 

Is the best at FIFA video games?

Nick Kalmar: Aziz will tell you he's the best, but I reckon Nicky is.

 

Is the worst to room with on away trips?

Massimo Murdocca: It used to be Rutger Worm because it was like a train going through your room the amount he snored, now it would be Mass because of his poor banter I'd say.

 

Is the worst to sit next to on the plane/bus?

Aziz Behich: Because he'll just be constantly in your ear or he'll be physically flicking you or slapping you.

 

Is the smartest?

Andrew Redmayne: He's an absolute brain, knows so much about so many different things. He's really switched on.

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/victorys-leijer-and-broxham-and-hearts-hoffman-spill-the-change-rooms-secrets/story-fni2wcjl-1226787706628

Edited December 20, 2013 by Murfy1

[HEARTinator]

Sounds like Azizou is the kinda guy you'd want to punch in the nose on the odd occasion but the first guy you'd have in your team when scrapping for a win.

[Fentonthescreamingcactus]

Victory's Leijer and Broxham and Heart's Hoffman spill the change rooms secrets

 

Matt Windley   Herald Sun   December 20, 2013

 

[...]

 

MELBOURNE HEART

 

WHO ...

Has the most annoying habit?

Iain Ramsay: It wouldn't be one thing, it would just be constantly taking the piss. You feel like you can't have a normal conversation because somehow he'll be trying to take the piss out of you.

 

Has the weirdest pre-match superstition?

Patrick Kisnorbo: I've noticed when we go on to the field and we're passing the ball around while the coin toss is going on, any time the ball goes near him if you watch him he stands in his position with his hands behind his back and the ball can't touch his feet. So if it comes to him he'll actually pick it up, throw it to the side and say, `Don't pass it to me'. It's like he doesn't want to touch a ball until the game has started.

 

Is the biggest pest?

Aziz Behich: 110 per cent. You might tell him you're going for a quiet night with the missus and he'll constantly pester you all night saying, "You're under the whip".

 

Is the funniest?

Nick Kalmar: He's hilarious, has got a real dry sense of humour and the girls seem to think so too.

 

Is the quietest?

Mate Dugandzic: He's a very respectful guy. He doesn't mind getting in on the banter, but he makes sure he never makes anyone feel uncomfortable.

 

Is most generous?

Aziz Behich: He'd feed you his leg if there was no more food on the table.

 

Spends most time in front of mirror?

Andrea Migliorini: The new boy. He loves the mirror.

 

Is batting above their average in the girlfriend/wife stakes?

David Williams: Enough said.

 

Has the best car?

Harry Kewell: The Jeep Cherokee, it's a great car.

 

Has the best golf game?

Tando Velaphi: Harry will say he's got the best golf game, but I think Tando does from what I've seen. Harry's talked a good game, but I've never seen it, I can only judge what I've seen.

 

Is the best at FIFA video games?

Nick Kalmar: Aziz will tell you he's the best, but I reckon Nicky is.

 

Is the worst to room with on away trips?

Massimo Murdocca: It used to be Rutger Worm because it was like a train going through your room the amount he snored, now it would be Mass because of his poor banter I'd say.

 

Is the worst to sit next to on the plane/bus?

Aziz Behich: Because he'll just be constantly in your ear or he'll be physically flicking you or slapping you.

 

Is the smartest?

Andrew Redmayne: He's an absolute brain, knows so much about so many different things. He's really switched on.

 

 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/victorys-leijer-and-broxham-and-hearts-hoffman-spill-the-change-rooms-secrets/story-fni2wcjl-1226787706628

Good to hear that our reserve keeper seems to be a better golfer then footballer

[Libero]

ffs i read that with Hoffman's voice narrating it to me...

[Tony999]

David Williams batting above his average. Totally agree! As I mentioned before, when I was driving to work on Lygon Street a car pulled next to me at the lights, turned around it was David and his hot blonde missus.

[Tony999]

First word in an Herald Sun article: "HOOLIGAN"

[belaguttman]

from Michael Lynch

 

A defiant John Aloisi on Saturday night declared "I’m no quitter" and insisted he would not bow to media pressure to resign from his job as head coach of struggling Melbourne Heart.

The former Socceroo striker's team had just crashed 3-1 to Melbourne Victory, making life easier for its opponents by having defender Patrick Kisnorbo sent off after only 20 minutes and then gifting their visitors the opening goal through a goalkeeping blunder by Andrew Redmayne.

The coach was angry at prompting from his former national team-mate Mark Bosnich, a Fox Sports pundit, who had asked whether he would step down.

"Bozza doesn’t know me very well.  I think they should check to see if he's doing a good job," he retorted.

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"I got asked a question, should I go to the board and think about resigning. Well, if we were getting killed and I thought I wasn’t good enough for this job I would be the first to put my hand up, but (I believe) we have got a team that can beat anyone in this league.

"Tonight we were on top of them and the red card ended up costing us. Last week we should have punished Sydney FC but we didn't."

The coach was also angry that Victory striker Conor Pain was only given a yellow card after his rash challenge on Massimo Murdocca shortly after Kisnorbo’s dismissal for a studs up challenge on Pain.

Aloisi said it was one of a number of head scratching decisions made by referee Ben Williams during the course of the game.

Players were having difficulty in "understanding the consistency of the referee," Aloisi said.

"When Conor Pain goes in with studs up on Mass Murdocca, I don’t know if there is too much of a difference (to the Kisnorbo incident).

"In my opinion the referee had a terrible night, he didn’t control the game at all, It doesn’t make sense, but he’s the referee, he knows what he is doing."

 

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-heart-coach-john-aloisi-hits-back-at-mark-bosnich-20131222-2zsms.html#ixzz2o9ms6v9I

[malloy]

He says we have a team that can beat anyone.... How can he be so blind as to not see that he is the issue. Unless he already knows that he is gone when the new owners come in (if the rumours are true) and he has not been sacked and been told not to quit so the new owners can choose the new coach

[jw1739]

He says we have a team that can beat anyone.... How can he be so blind as to not see that he is the issue. Unless he already knows that he is gone when the new owners come in (if the rumours are true) and he has not been sacked and been told not to quit so the new owners can choose the new coach

Every club has a team that can beat anyone within a few divisions of each other - knock-out cup competitions prove this on a regular basis.

 

But overall words such as "can", "could", "should" etc. aren't what counts - the words that counts are "is", "was" etc.

 

The facts are that we have not won a match in the past 16 A-League matches, nor did we win a pre-season match against A-League opposition. We finished 9th last season and are currently bottom. I won't repeat it all, but those are the facts.

 

The first step towards changing a situation - any situation in life - is to face up to the reality of what that situation is. I just think that Aloisi and Munn, and all associated with MHFC, are in denial, close to being delusional, about the situation.

 

There's just no point in continuing to bleat on about "Believe." We just have to break out of this downwards spiral, and MHFC needs to give something back to its fans who have endured for so long.

[KSK_47]

 

Well, if we were getting killed and I thought I wasn’t good enough for this job I would be the first to put my hand up

 

Honestly. Does he watch EPL replays on his phone and pretend to be the coach of those teams while we are playing or something? 

Edited December 22, 2013 by KSK_47

[Alexxandro]

Thanks god for The Guardian!

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/dec/23/a-league-what-we-learned-this-weekend

 

 

A-League: what we learned this weekend

The pull of nostalgia; the Jets win ugly; it's strange out west; Phoenix rise; and how is John Aloisi still in a job?

 

 

 

How much longer can Aloisi last?

Sixteen games without a win. Four points from the first 11 rounds of Season 9. Rock bottom on the ladder. How on earth has John Aloisi managed to keep his job? Is his penalty-kick legacy really that great? Perhaps he has incriminating photos of Scott Munn or John Didulica taking selfies in Melbourne Victory jerseys from the pre-Heart days? Or is it that the board at Melbourne Heart have fallen for their own #HeartBelieve advertising campaign? Considering the standard, Aloisi is leading a charmed existence at the lamest club in the competition. Lord knows coaches have been sacked for a lot less. Witness the shamblesat Perth Glory this week.

After Saturday night’s loss in the Melbourne derby, and the usual laundry list of reasons why the world has wronged Melbourne Heart, it got to the point where Fox Sports pundit Mark Bosnich asked Aloisi whether he would consider resigning. Really. Of course, that won’t be happening any time soon. With only 10 teams in the A-League, coaching gigs don’t come up regularly, and once a coach gets in with the big boys, the natural instinct is to hang on like grim death. Somebody at the club, however, should put Aloisi out of his misery.

 

[Murfy1]

Sporting rivalies set aside between Kosta Barbarouses and Massimo Murdocca during Christmas

 

Matt Windley   Herald Sun   December 23, 2013

SPORTING rivalries will be put to one side tonight when Melbourne Victory's Kosta Barbarouses sits down to Christmas dinner with the family of Melbourne Heart's Massimo Murdocca.

 

The festive season can be a difficult time for A-League players, particularly those from interstate and overseas who won't have family around them to celebrate.

 

Victory's James Troisi will make a day trip to his native Adelaide while the family of Jesse Makarounas will fly over from Perth to spend the day with he and teammate Jason Geria, but for Kiwi Barbarouses his family is just too far away.

 

Barbarouses has played in Brisbane, Russia and Greece since 2010 and said he has spent just one Christmas at home in the past four years.

 

He and his fellow non-Victorians rely on their mates to crack the other end of their Christmas bonbons.

 

For Barbarouses that's his former Roar teammate, Murdocca, a born and bred Melburnian.

 

"We're enemies on the field but we're pretty close mates off it from our time up in Brisbane," Barbarouses said.

 

"He and his wife have invited me for dinner and whatever else they're doing on Christmas Eve which is really nice.

 

"He's Italian and his wife's Greek so I'm sure there'll be plenty of food. We haven't had much time to catch up down in Melbourne either because he lives quite far away and they train out in Epping most days, so it will be good to see him again and talk about what everyone's been up to over the past couple of years.

 

"He's got a little girl now who I've only met a couple of times so I'm looking forward to seeing him and his family.

 

"Then on Christmas Day I've got some friends here that I've known since I was about nine or 10 in New Zealand, so they've invited me for lunch and whatnot which is good."

 

Chilean Pablo Contreras has his wife and kids in Melbourne so they will spend Christmas together, while Brazilian Gui Finkler will spend the day with his wife and Ivorian Adama Traore likewise with his partner.

 

Across town at Heart some of the overseas players and foreign members of the coaching staff have flown their families to Melbourne for the holidays, while players with family functions have invited teammates who may have otherwise been at a loose end.

 

Barbarouses said footballers had to get used to life on the road.

 

"Football is like that. It turns out to be just like any other day," he said.

 

"Even when I was in Europe they get a Christmas break over there but we don't do that in the A-League. In the last four Christmases I've only been home for one of them.

 

"That can be tough, I'm pretty tight with my family so you do miss that, but you're obviously still motivated for the season because it's right in the middle of our season."

 

Victory and Heart will train today and again on Boxing Day.

 

 

http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/sporting-rivalies-set-aside-between-kosta-barbarouses-and-massimo-murdocca-during-christmas/story-fnk9a3dc-1226789177975

Edited December 23, 2013 by Murfy1

[Fentonthescreamingcactus]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/12/24/melbourne-heart-are-the-best-team-in-the-league/

[belaguttman]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/12/24/melbourne-heart-are-the-best-team-in-the-league/

LOL    

[Heart Inaugural]

According to SBS2's Thursday FC, Anthony LaPaglia is now an MHFC ambassador. Didn't really explain what his role involves and there is next to no media releases to clarify either. Whole thing reeks of Munn's any publicity is good ala Bon Jovi season 1.

 

Looking forward to a new admin that understand results not popstars build a club...

[Cinnamon]

Let's hope he isn't getting paid, seemed to be taking the piss when they mentioned it

Edited January 2, 2014 by Cinnamon

[KSK_47]

...and Bolts visit to training. And what ever those kids were

[Jestr]

Let's hope he isn't getting paid, seemed to be taking the piss when they mentioned it

Keep on laughing, they need to as that show is as funny as heart surgery.

[Melburnian]

So a Sydney guy who wore sky blue and loves his city has become our ambassador.

Makes sense. Good job club.

[jw1739]

According to SBS2's Thursday FC, Anthony LaPaglia is now an MHFC ambassador. Didn't really explain what his role involves and there is next to no media releases to clarify either. Whole thing reeks of Munn's any publicity is good ala Bon Jovi season 1.

 

Looking forward to a new admin that understand results not popstars build a club...

So is that Shane Delia.  http://shanedelia.com.au/melbourne-heart/

Also Craig Ondarchie. http://twtrland.com/profile/CraigOndarchie

 

WTF is a "Heart Ambassador"?

[LR9]

 

According to SBS2's Thursday FC, Anthony LaPaglia is now an MHFC ambassador. Didn't really explain what his role involves and there is next to no media releases to clarify either. Whole thing reeks of Munn's any publicity is good ala Bon Jovi season 1.

 

Looking forward to a new admin that understand results not popstars build a club...

So is that Shane Delia.  http://shanedelia.com.au/melbourne-heart/

Also Craig Ondarchie. http://twtrland.com/profile/CraigOndarchie

 

WTF is a "Heart Ambassador"?

 

I'd a assume it's just a glorified supporter who carries a 'celebrity' title.

Thing is, those two are actually heart fans though, come to games most week and are active within the community, along with George Donekian and a couple others,

 

Meanwhile there are those who are merely cross promoting using the club, such as Bon Jovi and the kid from that boy band (their name has legitimately slipped my mind).

 

P.S. Neat little L&S sweater, Delia.

[Alexxandro]

 

According to SBS2's Thursday FC, Anthony LaPaglia is now an MHFC ambassador. Didn't really explain what his role involves and there is next to no media releases to clarify either. Whole thing reeks of Munn's any publicity is good ala Bon Jovi season 1.

 

Looking forward to a new admin that understand results not popstars build a club...

So is that Shane Delia.  http://shanedelia.com.au/melbourne-heart/

 

 

"That is what I have found at Melbourne Heart. I have found a family of amazing people who care about more than just winning games."

 

That would be okay to say if we were winning games but this is just embarrassing. 

[Rutherglen Rambler]

That show is a steaming pile of shit. I stopped watching after they bagged Yarraside after the Adelaide game.

[Ando]

Fuck off. He spends his time on twitter blowing smoke up the collective arse of the RBB. 

[n i k o]

They're all cunts

[kingofhearts]

I tuned in for the first time tonight to Thursday fc and safe to say it will be the last time. Why were there just random people standing behind the hosts? What a waste of time

[Fentonthescreamingcactus]

Thursday fc reminds me of what a very shit verson of the footy show would look like

[n i k o]

Except without Sam newmans street talk

[Jestr]

So a Sydney guy who wore sky blue and loves his city has become our ambassador.

Makes sense. Good job club.

to make it worse he was born in Adelaide

 

Parents were first cousins       (I made it up)

[FB.]

According to SBS2's Thursday FC, Anthony LaPaglia is now an MHFC ambassador. Didn't really explain what his role involves and there is next to no media releases to clarify either. Whole thing reeks of Munn's any publicity is good ala Bon Jovi season 1.

 

Looking forward to a new admin that understand results not popstars build a club...

So Lapaglia and Bolton reunited again. Bit awkward :lawl:

Edited January 2, 2014 by FB.

[Ando]

Fuck me dead. This club sometimes...

[jw1739]

Fuck me dead. This club sometimes...

Just sometimes?

[Jestr]

Fuck me dead. This club sometimes...

Just sometimes?Just trying too too hard, giant bloody cheese factory!

We obviously haven't been embarrassed enough over last two years

Fkn why?????

Edited January 2, 2014 by Jestr

[KSK_47]

Purist football club

[jw1739]

IMO the club needs to receive just one short and simple message from now on - "Fix the f****** football first."

[Tommykins]

 

Newly-appointed Head Coach John van’t Schip firmly believes he can resurrect Melbourne Heart FC’s Hyundai A-League campaign, as he eyes the Club’s first win of the season against the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.

 

Van’t Schip returned to Australia yesterday afternoon and commenced his second spell at the Red and White on Friday morning, taking the reins at training at Epping Soccer Stadium.

Appointed as an interim Head Coach for the remainder of the 2013-14 season on Monday, van’t Schip spoke of his desire to reverse the fortunes of Melbourne Heart, a Club he remains “very close to”.

Van’t Schip had recently returned to Europe after assisting coaching staff as the Club’s Technical Manager in December, before accepting the offer to return for his second spell as Head Coach.

“When the Club asked me to help them out after I was back in Europe, I had a talk with my wife and decided to do it and help the Club as it’s a Club that I’m very close to,” van’t Schip said.

“I helped build up [the Club] a few years ago and still all the people inside the Club are very close to me and have been very nice to me so it [wasn’t] difficult to say ‘ok I will come and help out for the remainder of the season’.”

While van’t Schip recognised the assignment at Melbourne Heart will be challenging, he reiterated his firm belief in the team, and did not rule out guiding the Red and White to a top six berth.

“I believe in this team, otherwise I would not take the job,” van’t Schip said.

“They are of course at the bottom but it doesn’t say that it’s the quality of the team.

“For me and the players and the Club, it’s important to win games and get results but most importantly to start playing some more free football.

“It’s a mindset and the mindset has to change; in enjoying being on the pitch and expressing yourself as an individual and as a team.

“We’re going out like every club in the A-League to get as many points as possible.

“We know that we’re in a difficult position to reach the play-offs but the main thing is to start playing good football again and if you do that, the results will normally follow.”

While van’t Schip’s first assignment is against the Central Coast Mariners at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday, the Dutchman has not indicated he will make sweeping changes for his first match since taking charge.

“I’m not going to come here to just make changes,” van’t Schip said.

“I’m going to have a good look at players who are willing to play – who are not afraid and have no fear.

“But it’s about the team effort now that’s important and looking at some younger players and if they are knocking on the door, we’ll see if they can step in.

“I feel that we can still do some good things here and that’s why I also accepted to come back.”

 

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Vant-Schip-ready-to-resurrect-Red-and-White/82224

 

Nice little audio interview of that smooth Dutch accent.