Since arriving at Melbourne Victory during the January Transfer Window, Connor Chapman has become a regular in navy blue, and continues to impress his new fans.
Victory’s number 14 has started all five games since touching down in Victoria, playing in a role many A-League fans may not recognise him in.
In A-League history, Chapman has grown to become a familiar face in central defence within the league, but has been enjoying a return to midfield, as Tony Popovic deploys the 28-year-old in a three-man midfield.
“I played there (central midfield) when I was over in South Korea, even in my youth growing up I played as a midfielder. I can play in both, I want to do a job, I’m here to do whatever the boss wants.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash with the Central Coast at AAMI Park, Chapman explained how quickly he has come to realise the expectation put on the playing group by the Club’s fanbase, understanding and appreciating the fans.
“It’s a privilege to play for this club,” Chapman stated.
“There is expectation every game, and that’s good. That’s something we need to embrace and hopefully we can embrace that this week, and do it for the fans, do it for ourselves, and do it for the staff and the Club.”
Chapman has gained invaluable experience with four other A-League clubs, and has always remembered his matches against Victory in Melbourne since the very start of his career with Newcastle.
“When I was at Brisbane, when you come to verse the Victory – you do lift, playing in front of the best fans in the league, playing at AAMI Park with the ground that we have here, I think players do lift.”
The Victory will be determined to bounce back following a disappointing result on Labor Monday, following an ideal preparation week, aided by remaining in Melbourne for two weeks.
Claiming all three points is the obvious goal for the Victory on Sunday who find themselves at the foot of the table, a position which Chapman says is not down to a lack of quality or effort.
“The last three or four weeks, we’re in every single game. You saw in the second half last week, we took control of the game.”
“I feel like we’ve got a very good team here. Right now we just have to work hard during the week, get there on the weekend, get the win, and then that’ll set us up for the last period of the season.
“We need to win tackles, we need to make sure that we’re winning second balls – we need to make sure that we’re doing all the simple things. With the quality that we have, things will turn.
“At the end of the day, that’s what gives us hope that we can still make the Finals, that there are still seven games left.”
Chapman has laid out the side’s goal of claiming maximum points from the Club’s remaining regular season fixtures, with Central Coast on Sunday the next challenge.
