Could sacking your coach be a blessing in disguise? One step backwards can be three forwards

A lot of Melbourne Victory fans may look at that headline and think it was directed at them. Actually, it was, but it was equally directed at the Newcastle Jets. Some parallels can be drawn between what has happened at the Jets recently and what might happen, or maybe should happen at Melbourne Victory.

The sacking of Branko Culina still remains a mystery outside the club. No one can categorically tell me exactly why Branko was sacked. Whatever happened, it was quite brutal and seems unfair and reactionary, no matter what you think of Branko Culina.

But as a Jets fan, maybe it has worked out for the best. Branko talked a lot about the pre-season training and player formations, he talked about reducing injuries and building a club culture. He talked about attacking football and bringing youngsters through. (http://au.fourfourtwo.com/blogs.aspx?CIaBEID=2456). Could he walk his talk?

Within a week of his arrival, Gary van Egmond has mentioned the lack of intensity in training and the soft pre-season (http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/dutchy-cracks-whip-on-jets/2334615.aspx?storypage=0), in stark contrast to Branko's talk of character building 6am starts and 8 training sessions a week. "There's no intensity. It's a disaster" said van Egmond. Them's fighting words Gary!

Meanwhile, even the most fervent Victory fan has to admit Durakovic looks totally lost at the moment. He doesn't seem to command any respect, with even the lovable larrikin Archie Thompson quipping on twitter after his substitution "Master stroke". That's not respect, that's ridicule, and in a very public space.

Would the sacking of the coaching dream team of M&M (Mehm & Muskie) be a blessing in disguise? Some will argue that it took a good half season for Ange Postecoglou to get Brisbane in some sort of working order, and there have been times in his career when he looked like a deer in the headlights too (THAT interview with Craig Foster on the World Game a few years back). So the argument is, let Durakovic have more time and it will come together. Is it really too early to judge him?

Unfortunately, people are not generally so patient, and Ange didn't have Harry Kewell at his disposal. You would have to think that Victory management will be giving Durakovic at most until the halfway point of the season to have the MVFC machine steamrolling over other teams or he'll be gone. Maybe even the next Melbourne derby. When's that?

And as a Melbourne Victory fan, wouldn't you love to hear your new coach saying things like "We've been too disorganised, it's been a disaster. Here's what we're going to do to fix it......"?

Sackings are painful but football can be cruel. I don't know if Durakovic has some magical system he hasn't told anyone about, or if he just has a deep inner calm which will result in a transformation of the current Melbourne Victory. I do know that football is judged on performance and he hasn't got long to get things in order.

If he is replaced soon, Victory fans might be looking at a new dawn with renewed hope, and wondering why they ever thought it would get better as things were.

Back to the Jets, and yes, it is a shame that we'll never know if Branko's system of play would have worked. However, the remnants of his long pre-season must have shown in the first few games, and those games didn't really inspire confidence, despite two wins at home and only one loss in Wellington.

Players are running out of legs mid-way through the second half, we haven't been able to keep possession, the keeper hoofs the ball up the field aimlessly to the opposition and there's just far too many balls in the air or "over the top". We have some very, very good players, we just have to get the best out of them. Brockie's clever footwork proved he's still there, and Ryan Griffiths's open-play performances and free kicks are a revelation. And they're not the only decent players either.

One thing I'd love to replace are the words I'm reading in the local papers about our team - "fighting spirit" "grit and determination". That's great, and very necessary, but what about words like "sublime performance", "controlled dominance", "technical brilliance" or "clever interplay". The Jets had a reputation for fine, passing football, now lets bring it back. I don't want a team who builds up the yellow card count for trying to kick the ankles out of the opposition - that's the Mariners.

Culina seems to have stacked the team with hard man grunt in the midfield. You also have to wonder how much of that will survive van Egmond, or if it will transform itself into technical wizardry.

Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what van Egmond can do for the Jets the second time around. The change in coach, whilst achieved in an unsavoury manner, might just be the tonic we needed.

What about you, Melbourne Victory?