To see Melbourne's latest training session...

This week a searing “Dear Kevin” letter was published by Melbourne's The Age newspaper in which a long-time fan of Muscat's slammed the Victory leader for being “violent” and “dangerously counter-productive” to the A-League.

And in another editorial titled, “Is Kevin Playing the Wrong Sport” the former Socceroo is likened to an AFL “hard ball” player while Victory is lambasted for not taking stronger action against their skipper for his recent red card and subsequent kicking of a sponsor's hoarding.

The Age letter tears into the Victory talisman: “For many who follow this code in Australia, your behaviour is dangerously counterproductive in one key respect.

"It is not only your propensity to launch the most violent tackles on opponents, often from behind, but the snarling refusal to accept decisions that go against you and the browbeating of officials and opponents that sets an appalling example. Others believe if Muscat can get away with it, so can I.

“If that conduct is allowed to persist, the skilful players will be driven out of the game. Juninho, the little Brazilian magician playing for Sydney FC, already has made clear his fears about the way the game is played in this country by a few players like yourself.

“I am not concerned about you kicking an advertising hoarding. It is symptomatic of the modern game that your immediate apology was to a sponsor for the off-field incident, not to those you let down by the on-field behaviour.

"Nor am I convinced by you pointing to the disciplinary record of other clubs as if it was their propensity to commit fouls that determined their places on the A-League ladder. I know this is a contact sport and if it becomes basketball, we will all be the poorer.

“But the kind of tackling that injures others is something we can do without, particularly if we want to succeed in Asian competition. I want to see Australian teams that match others for skill, not physicality. So please curb your occasional but violent assaults on your fellow players for the greater good of the game.”

The letter, however, does praise Muscat for his hours of work in promoting the club.

However, following this embarrassing public rebuke in his home city, an editorial on an Australian sports website has also lambasted Muscat.

“He also whinges that he is 'convicted all over again for every foul I’ve ever committed in my life'," says SportsAustralia.com.

"But that is precisely the point. If he had an unblemished record and this was a one-off brain fade, then not much would have been said,” reads the editorial.

“The fact is that he has earned for himself a well deserved reputation for this sort of behaviour.

“This is a long term pattern that illustrates his Football character. That is what is being judged. Muscat’s only genuine trace of regret was that he feared he may have offended the club’s sponsor. Apparently he apologised to the sponsor as soon as he could.

“What about the offence to the Melbourne Victory fans, or to his team-mates, both of which were let down badly by Muscat? It is reasonable to conclude that his absence very much contributed to the home draw with Wellington and the loss away at Perth.

"He claims to be aware of his responsibility as a role model. That has not been demonstrated either by his actions on the field, or by his newspaper article. He disagrees with the referee’s assessment of the red-card offence, he receives praise from his coach and he indulges in self-justification in the newspaper.

“That is not being a good role model.”

Muscat makes a timely return to the champions' line-up ahead of this must-win fixture against Adelaide at Telstra Dome. Lying six points off fourth spot, a win would be a massive boost to the club's play-off hopes which has taken a battering in recent weeks.

However, while most A-League clubs are keen to promote media coverage, Melbourne Victory has gone into lockdown mode ahead of the Reds clash. Today's (Thursday) training session is the only one open to the media this week.

By contrast, Queensland Roar has three open sessions to the media scheduled this week ahead of their night crunch match with the Mariners. Similarly, Sydney FC has three media opportunities announced this week.

Even Perth Glory, which left on their mammoth trek to New Zealand yesterday (Wed) arranged two media sessions and had swimming legend Ian Thorpe on hand to help promote their franchise.

As one Melbourne insider tells au.fourfourtwo.com, “Victory is the only club that wins the league, but doesn't want publicity.”

To see Melbourne's latest training session...