This is for you Anthony Di Pietro. Don't f**k this up. You were barely in the job little more than a day and you have already made the biggest decision ever made by a Melbourne Victory chairman. The next step you take will ultimately define your chairmanship. Whatever you do, don't f**k it up.
If your first press conference as Melbourne Victory chairman is anything to go by you haven't exactly got off the right foot. You can't exactly sack the most successful manager in the A-League and then blatantly lie by telling us it was a mutual decision. We as football fans aren't stupid and we don't believe you. Sacking a manager is a difficult thing but when you announce such a decision how about showing some conviction in the action that you are taking. You looked about convincing as me trying to pass myself off as a football player.
Say what you want about Ernie Merrick's tactics and coaching abilities he has been a great servant to the Melbourne Victory Football Club and much of our success can be put down to him. It was always going to be difficult when it was time to leave his post but surely after all his efforts, a dignified departure was warranted, if not earned. Saturday's shambles of a press conference was definitely not dignified; in fact it was the complete opposite. I don't even think there was even a word of thanks in there. I'm not arguing that Merrick should or should not have been sacked but surely it could have handled a lot better than it was.
As I alluded to in my opening statement the next step you take, Anthony Di Pietro, is going to be an important one. You have stuffed up the departure of one manager, don't stuff up the arrival of a new one. It must be said that you haven't exactly started off on the right foot with that either. It was evidently clear on Saturday that there was no vision and that your decision appeared to have been made on the run and that was quite evident in your indecisive and evasive responses to the media. You weren't even able to give a clear and concise response as to why you had why had sacked Merrick. First you said it was because we didn't finish in the top four and then it was because we as a club wanted to do well in the AC and then it was all about qualifying for Asia. It smacked of someone who was ill prepared for the task at hand.
We don't want Ange Postecoglou just because he's from Melbourne and just won the double with Brisbane and we don't want Franz Straka just because he's available, is a great character and looks good in a beige jacket. Make a decision, but make the right decision. You have made what looks like a snap decision in getting rid of Merrick, but don't make the snap decision when it comes to appointing his successor. For a long time Melbourne Victory were the benchmark both on and off the field, now let's make it so again. But whatever you do, don't f**k it up.
