It desperately requires a manager with the class and experience to plot Victory’s next era of Australian and continental success.  

As Victory plan to regain their position as the A-League’s best, Victory are currently assessing their head coach options.

Former star player Grant Brebner will take over on an interim basis as the club finishes off its A-League season in July. 

But the A-League giant will not accept anything less than a return to the Grand Final winner’s podium over the next two seasons. 

And, of course, an AFC Asian Champions League campaign that extends beyond the group stage will also be a requirement for the new boss. 

A move towards a winter A-League can only help Victory and other Australian sides on the Continental stage.  

If Victory goes Australian with the appointment, there are some strong candidates who are more likely to stay around for two-four years and build. 

Tony Popovic is the strongest local candidate and comes immediately to mind.

Though his current club Perth Glory claim there has been no official approach, that still wouldn’t stop such a move. It all makes sense. 

Victory have a huge fanbase in the A-League and the club needs a top-class manager to lead it forward over the next few years

Popovic’s extraordinary Champions League success in 2014 would no doubt be a huge draw for Victory, who could build a new era over the next five years under the former Socceroo. 

However, Ufuk Talay has impressed many at Phoenix and is said to be in the mix.

Ricky Herbert and Arthur Papas are two other names with overseas and A-League experience (in Herbert's case, World Cup experience too) worth considering by Victory’s ambitious chairman Anthony Di Pietro. 

But if Victory look to a foreign coach, they’ll have to see off Chinese, East Asian, and MLS clubs to find a coach willing to give an A-League club a shot. 

With that in mind, the Victorian A-League outfit needs to be realistic but ambitious. 

Here are three names worth a look from the world market. 

Javi Gracia

The Spaniard was let go by English Premier League club Watford in 2019. 

Gracia had led the club to 11th in the English Premier League a season earlier, as well as to the FA Cup final where they lost to Manchester City. 

With the future looking bright, a contract extension was offered by the Hornets.

He went from an unknown to highly respected overnight, but a slow start to the 2019/20 season thanks in large part to a leaky defence and he was replaced by Quique Sánchez Flores.

Would Javi Gracia fit A-League club Melbourne Victory?

Some fans were bemused by the sacking feeling Gracia wasn’t given enough time to turn around the slow start. 

The 50-year-old Gracia from Pamplona has coached in Spain, England, Greece, and Russia over the last 12 years. 

He played in 430 matches in both major divisions of Spanish league football.  

“You can have good players but if you don’t have togetherness,” he told the Premier League show, “you won’t be able to achieve anything.” 

Gracia would be a realistic signing for Victory. 

Marco Silva

The 42-year-old Portuguese manager was sacked by English Premier League club Everton last December. 

He came in from Watford, where the UEFA Pro licence holder built his growing reputation in England following a stint at Hull City. 

Everton may have come too soon for Silva, who left with his head held high but ultimately couldn’t find a winning formula in his 18 months on Merseyside. 

Marco Silva has been linked with Benfica but could A-League giant Victory tempt him?

Speaking with Sky Sports earlier this month, the former Olympiacos boss said of his time at Goodison Park: “The market was difficult for us because we had a tough market the season before. 

"We did fantastic, the way we finish, and I said it would be key for us to get stronger this season and the season after. It was a key situation but it was a difficult market for us. 

"We signed young players again, and most of them came in the last week of the market. It’s always difficult It’s not to find excuses but we have to be open."

Silva is currently being linked with the Benfica job back home in Portugal. 

But at 42, he may look at expanding his football knowledge in a new market before returning to Europe once again. 

Jose Pekerman

For many, Pekerman should’ve been the Socceroos coach after the Pim Verbeek era in 2010.

It went instead to Holger Osieck. 

Pekerman would be an amazing choice, not just for the A-League's biggest club, but for the whole game: his breadth of knowledge and experience in world football is first class. 

Long known for his outstanding work with Argentina at youth level, the Argentine finished a six-year stint with Colombia’s national team in 2018. 

Could Pekerman (seen here at World Cup 2018 for Colombia) be headed to the A-League?

Colombia was eliminated from the 2018 FIFA World Cup after losing to England 4-3 on penalties. In 2014, hosts Brazil defeated Pekerman's Colombia in the last eight. 

Little wonder he's revered back in Colombia. 

He also coached Argentina’s national team in 2006 at the Germany World Cup. 

Pekerman won the FIFA World Youth Championship three times with his Albiceleste and twice won the U-20 South American Championships.

At 70, he has the experience and guile. Having his coaching nous and experience in the A-League would be incredible.