MANY would argue that stability is the key to any title defence – just ask any Newcastle Jets fan – but are Melbourne Victory taking the softly, softly approach a little too far.

Whilst Sydney FC and Gold Coast United seem to be playing a match every week there hasn't been much chance to check out the Melbourne Victory team in action during the off-season.

There have been those three matches against the Victorian Premier League select side but no real other opportunities to see the defending champions in action.

It has also been a relatively quiet off-season for many Melbourne Victory fans in terms of transfer rumours and signings. Once the signing of Carlos Hernandez had been confirmed and after that the somewhat surprising signing of Thai international, Surat Sukha it has been relatively quiet on the Melbourne Victory front.

There was also that short-lived rumour of Ney Fabiano departing for Costa Rica, the confirmation of the departures of Michael Theoklitos and the departure of Jose Luis Lopez for more game time but apart from that there has been nothing really to get the fans talking and speculating.

In past off-seasons there was always rumours to keep the fans amused but all we have got this season is the club telling us that they are looking at a defender from the Victorian Premier League - but no one has any real inside news on that one either.

I guess the softly, softly approach will all change next weekend with the match against Fulham where the vast majority of fans will get their first look at the side for the upcoming season - not that it has changed that much since we last saw them at the Telstra Dome, as it was known at that time.

I always find friendlies such as the upcoming one against Fulham and last year's match against Juventus a bit weird. There is nothing riding on the result and for me I find it difficult to really get into the game if there are no points on offer. You just take it in as a spectacle and hope to see a goal or two.

So with about a month to go until the new A-League season here's hoping that the Victory's understated approach pays the appropriate dividends when it really counts, because everyone knows that pre-season wins don't really mean anything when it all boils down to it.