The Melbourne Victory midfielder has endured a frustrating couple of months with a groin injury but did feature in his club’s defeat by Wellington Phoenix at the weekend.

He is hoping to get some more game time when Victory faces Sydney FC in its final Pre-Season Cup game as the start of new A-League season draws closer.

Results have been disappointing so far but Brebner says a few disappointments do not trigger a crisis.

He said: “When you had a season like we had (last year) and then lose a couple of games, the media will jump on it a little bit.

“Sure, there’s a few things we need to iron out but let me assure you, we’ll be firing on all cylinders for that first game.

“I think the supporters can see that we’ve only lost a couple of regulars from last season and others have been brought in to add to the squad.

“Nobody is pressing any panic buttons here.”

Injury has so far limited Brebner’s involvement but he is hoping that a frustrating period is drawing to a close.

He said: “It is being managed, I played at the weekend and hopefully I can get some more time on the pitch against Sydney.

“Of course you want to be winning matches, but it’s getting the fitness levels right and being where you want to be in readiness for that first game.”

And when the serious business does get underway at the end of this month, Brebner insists Victory’s lofty status will not see the players having to cope with added pressure.

He said: “People can talk about pressure and the other teams all looking to beat you. Of course they want to beat you but then this isn’t the first time we’ve been in a pressure sitiuation.

“Look at last year. There was pressure when we made that unbeaten start and everyone wanted to be the first team to beat us.

“Later on, there was the pressure of being so many points clear and teams feeling they had nothing to lose against us. You could go on. There is always going to be pressure in football.”

And looking to hang on to your crown is probably a walk in the park compared with trying to keep a certain Sir Alex Ferguson happy.

Brebner was a youngster at Manchester United before moving on to the likes of Reading, Hibernian and Dundee United.

Apprentices in those days had certain chores to perform, from sweeping out the dressing rooms to keeping senior players’ boots spotless.

It seems Sir Alex expected things to be done properly.

Brebner joked: “I think being Scottish might have helped me a little bit.

"Although, yes, I have been shouted at by him. He used to bring a cricket bat along as he checked up on us.”

Thankfully it appears the bat was just for show and Brebner emerged from the Old Trafford segment of his career in one piece.

Still, having avoided the bat, the challenge this weekend is to avoid the Pre-Season Cup’s wooden spoon.