Patrick Kisnorbo will take over as coach of Melbourne Victory
Patrick Kisnorbo knows he has to meet the “expectation for success” at Melbourne Victory after taking over as coach on a three-year-deal.
The former manager of Victory’s cross-town rivals Melbourne City, Kisnorbo replaces Tony Popovic who quit after guiding his team to the A-League’s Men’s grand final in May.
Kisnorbo, 43, comes armed with extra experience having moved to France where he took charge of Ligue 1 club Troyes but managed just three wins in 40 matches before he was axed.
But he’s a title-winning A-League coach, having achieved the ultimate success with City and returns to Australia intent on taking Victory to the top again.
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“I’m incredibly humbled and honoured to be appointed as the head coach of Melbourne Victory,” said Kisnorbo, also a former Socceroo.
“The club has a rich history, an expectation for success, not to mention an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base, one that I have admired for so long and that I want to make proud and deliver success for.
“Significant building blocks have been set over the past few years in the club’s A-League Men’s and academy programs and I am looking to set the bar even higher for every player and staff member that steps out on the pitch with the Melbourne Victory badge on their chest.
“Our brand of football will reflect what you have come to expect of Melbourne Victory sides. We will be bold and brave, play attacking, quick football and I will have my team ready for any challenge that stands in our way.“
Victory chairman John Dovaston said Kisnorbo was the best man to “build on the foundations” set in recent seasons,
“We’re thrilled to welcome Patrick to Melbourne Victory as the club’s new A-League Men’s head coach,” Dovaston said.
“As we progressed through the process of securing our new men’s head coach, it became clear that Patrick was the best-placed candidate to build on the foundations set by the club over the past three seasons.
“While many of our members may never have pictured Patrick leading our boys in blue, he has grown up in football and the experiences he has had both domestically and internationally make him the best candidate for the role.
“He has transitioned from a player to a head coach and seen early success in the A-League with hard work, discipline and respect. It is that experience, his knowledge of the players, the playing landscape and his history with the highs and the lows of the game that has led to his appointment.
“Patrick knows what Melbourne Victory means to this league and to Victoria and understands the responsibility and weight of leading this great club along with our expectations for silverware.”
Kisnorbo’s first match will be against Northern NSW National Premier League side Lambton Jaffas in the Australia Cup as the A-League Men’s side returns to training on Wednesday, July 10.