CLICK HERE TO SEE MARCOS FLORES BACK IN ADELAIDE

The Reds arrive in Melbourne today in disarray after a disastrous start to the season.

Sitting second bottom the spotlight is firmly on their Dutch coach who has been lambasted publicly in the last week.

Coolen signed a lucrative four-year extension last season at Adelaide shortly after signing with the club, despite initially missing out in the first round of job interviews for the North Queensland post.

One Reds insider told au.foufourtwo.com today four year deals were too long for coaches such as Coolen. “Who gives four year contracts out in the A-League? That’s an AFL mentality. He was very lucky he got such a deal.”

Coolen took the Reds to the finals in his first campaign, though he missed virtually the entire pre-season which was taken by his then assistant Phil Stubbins.

However, by campaign’s end, Coolen ditched a number of key staff and players – including star man Marcos Flores, club favourites Travis Dodd and Paul Reid as well as coaches Stubbins and Carl Veart.

This season with a stellar squad in place, many tipped the Reds to challenge the likes of Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners for a top two spot.

That hasn’t panned out with the club in disarray on the park, sitting second bottom following last weekend’s 4-0 thumping by a Mustafa Amini inspired Central Coast.

And doubts have been raised publicly by ex Reds coaching staff such as former Socceroo Carl Veart who described the team as lacking morale.

"They've decided to rip the heartbeat out of the dressing room and the players that were left behind, some haven't had the character to carry it," he was reported to have said.

"Morale is down and it hasn't picked up."

One of the men in charge of the Fury selection process, former FFA A-League boss Archie Fraser, told the Adelaide Advertiser Coolen didn't fit the criteria saying he missed out because he wasn’t a coach on the way up.

Fraser claimed Coolen didn't even make their top 20 candidates shortlist.

Fraser added: "In essence it appears Rini as coach has total control of the club, who comes and who goes, and it appears this has been allowed to happen under the new owners."

Meanwhile Fox Sports football commentator Andy Harper this week ripped the Reds saying it was a team in “need of an enema”.

"They are shot to pieces," said Harper."The players have to take responsibility but ultimately it's the coach who has to crack the whip."

Fox Sports football analyst Mark Bosnich added: "Not only has the confidence gone but I don't think there has been a real true direction…They look in doubt about the way they want to play and that's a dangerous thing."

Former Reds coach John Kosmina, who will appear alongside Kevin Muscat this morning to help promote the game in Melbourne, has been hurt by the team’s lack of spine.

“United are disjointed,” he said in Adelaide Now earlier this week. “At the moment they are a group of individuals masquerading as a team and the results are testament to this.

“And as far as the much touted review of operations at United, now that Rini Coolen has accepted full responsibility, I'm looking forward to his explanation of what's going wrong.”

The Reds play Melbourne Victory on Saturday at Etihad and Coolen will be desperate not to lose again against a Victory side which was beaten on penalties by LA Galaxy on Tuesday night.

Follow me on Twitter @Aidothejourno

CLICK HERE TO SEE MARCOS FLORES BACK IN ADELAIDE