Patrick Kisnorbo has conducted his first interview as Melbourne Victory head coach and detailed his excitement at leading the team into a new era.
Welcome to Melbourne Victory. I’m sure you’re excited to get started.
Firstly, you know, I can’t wait. I’m very humbled and honoured to be at such a great and big and historic Club. There’s a lot of work to be done, but first and foremost, it’s very exciting to be at a Club like Melbourne Victory.
Why was Melbourne Victory the right fit for you?
The first thing, you know, you look at history. Obviously it’s got a big and honourable history. The Club plays a great, great brand of football. It has amazing fans. It’s really family-orientated. I want to be part of that journey with the playing group, but also with the fans and the Club.
What’s your style of play and what should fans expect to see from Melbourne Victory under Patrick Kisnorbo?
I think besides the yelling and screaming from the sideline, I want to play an attacking brand of football, dynamic. But I want for us to have an identity that we have for every game. We want to play a brand that is exciting, quick, hard-working, and honest. One where we have great habits with the team and great behaviour on and off the pitch. These are things that I want, but obviously it starts at training, so they’re the things that I want to work on and implement as quickly as possible.
You’re a Melburnian, born and bred. What do you think Melbourne Victory means to the state, to the city and how important is success at Victory?
For me, it’s just exciting to be a part of something that fans are so passionate to be part of. And I want to experience that. And again, I’m very lucky and humbled to have the opportunity to do that.
You’ve got experience in the Academy space before, especially with young Victorian talent. How did your previous experience help you in your role?
I think it’s really important to have our own talent come from our own academies. We’ve seen that recently, through Jordi Valdon and Alex Melenaou, these types of players are creating a pathway for the Academy and I think it’s really important that we create our own pathway within our own Club to produce our own young players to represent the Club.
We know you from the other side of the dugout here at AAMI Park. But now you’ll be on our side. Tell us a bit about how that will be for you now that you’re the Victory coach.
The past of the past. I just worry about what’s ahead of me and what’s ahead of me now is a lot of hard work working with great football staff, everyone involved at the Club and the players, that’s the most important thing at the moment. What’s happened in the past is the past. We need to start to look to the future and that’s what I’m really excited to do.
The first Melbourne Derby will obviously be highlighted on everyone’s calendar heading into the first couple of rounds of the season. I’m sure it’s the same for you as well. Are you looking forward to that?
Yeah, of course. You know, there’s a long way to go before that. But on the day, I’m the Melbourne Victory coach and I’m solely focused on Melbourne Victory playing and behaving and performing the way we want. That obviously will come through pre-season, but you know, my main focus is the team and everything else that goes with the Club. So look, I know there will be some media around, but my focus is the players that are out there and the staff and the supporters that come to the game.
What’s your final message to the fans heading into the new season?
I know it’s going to be a bit different, but for me, just know that I’m here to do everything I can to make this Club continue its success. I want this to be a learning Club where we learn and process and perform to create our desired outcomes. We’re going to be a hard-working team, an honest team, and I’m sure with the great staff available here, we’ll do everything we can to push and continue to push the Club forward.
