Melbourne Victory boss Jim Magilton believes Saturday’s derby clash against the Heart is the perfect fixture for his side as they try and gain some momentum late in the season and pinch a spot in the finals.
Melbourne Victory boss Jim Magilton believes Saturday’s derby clash against the Heart is the perfect fixture for his side as they try and gain some momentum late in the season and pinch a spot in the finals.
Victory drew 1-1 with Gold Coast United in Launceston on Wednesday and head back to Melbourne to tackle their cross-town rivals in the final derby of the season at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
The match will be pivotal to both sides- chances of playing finals and Magilton said it was the best possible match to follow the disappointment of Wednesday’s draw with Gold Coast.
“It’s the perfect fixture for us,” Magilton said.
“I am not going to need to say much and it is probably the best match we can have.”
“Adrenalin will be pumping and hopefully we can maintain the composure I know we have.”
Magilton said the mood in Victory’s dressing room was low following the Gold Coast match, but thinks one win will quickly turn that around.
“We just need to win a game ugly,” he said.
“We have so many disappointed people in the dressing room and that is a good thing.”
“But the bottom line is we can-t sit there and feel sorry for ourselves.”
“We have got to use it as motivation for the game on Saturday.”
Magilton is yet to register his first win as Victory boss, but remains determined as ever to get his club up and running.
“In my first five games as manager of Ipswich I lost all five and that was pretty harrowing,” he said.
“I am more determined than ever to turn this around and succeed.”
“We can’t just sit here frustrated at not winning, we have to start winning games.”
Magilton is hopeful star midfielder Harry Kewell and skipper Adrian Leijer will shake off knocks they picked up against Gold Coast and be available to face the Heart, but was coy on whether Costa Rican international Carlos Hernandez would feature.
Hernandez was an unused substitute against Gold Coast, but Magilton said that was purely down to team balance.
“We decided to go with a different shape,” Magilton said.
“I wanted to give (Jean Carlos) Solorzano and Marco (Rojas) a chance.”
“But I will keep my plans (for Saturday) to myself if you don’t mind.”