The emphasis on an holistic approach, especially to fitness, differs greatly from the UK where players play twice as many games in a season that stretches from early August to May, not late August to January/February. Ice baths and rehydration is very much the order of the day after a game – sliding off for a bevy with the lads has to wait.

“There is definitely a lot more emphasis on sports science and sports medicine, so much more than at most clubs in Europe. In recent years the top clubs have developed and invested heavily in it, but on the whole we are well ahead and way in advance than most of the teams in Britain anyway. The boys have really taken it on board. It was something that was foreign to myself and Grant Brebner because we had played in Europe. At the start we might have needed a slight bit of convincing, but I have no doubt there is room for it in our code.

“The fact that there are so many games over there means the emphasis is on getting you up for the next match, which is in three days time, whereas the emphasis here is that you are not shooting off home, you are not going to get a beer just yet, you have got to recover. That’s why I say we have been given the best opportunity. We are grateful for it and that’s got to have played some part in the success we have had to date.”

But, he says, it’s not the only reason for Melbourne’s transformation.

“I think that’s one of the contributing factors, another is that the younger boys who were here last year – and they were young boys – are becoming men. A good example of that is Adrian Leijer who was a young boy getting his first kick in senior football then and he has gone on to become a regular and one of the top players in the league this season.

That combination of new faces and players [Brebner, Fred and Rodrigo Vargas have been the most significant signings] have allowed us to step up. The start we had also gave us a decent kick-off. We had a good start last season as well – we went top of the table after beating Sydney 5-0 – but weren’t able to maintain it. The experience of that helped us this year. We fell away then, we were determined not to this time.’’



Muscat came back to Australia at 31, knocking back a larger wage in England (he could have stayed with then Championship side Millwall) in favour of a return to his roots. He was nursing injuries – he had been forced to miss the 2004 FA Cup Final because of ligament damage – and has found the Australian system, with its shorter season, longer preparation and fewer games, has enabled him to become fitter than he has for years.

He may well have provided a template for several of his former team-mates who could look at his experience and learn that they should not leave it too late to come back if they want to have a significant impact on the A-League. “I think it may have extended my career. Players want to stay in Europe for as long as possible, and [for a long time] I was in the same position. I wanted to come back at an age and stage when I still had something to offer rather than at the end of my career. I have no doubt that if I had left it a couple more years, possibly it would have been too late to get the body back on track.