Kevin Muscat named Ange Postecoglou’s replacement at Melbourne Victory

Foundation player and long-time captain Kevin Muscat has been named full-time manager at Melbourne Victory through the 2014/15 season in a press conference today at AAMI Park. The 40-year-old, who served as assistant coach under Mehmet Durakovic, Jim Magilton and most recently Ange Postecoglou, has previously been caretaker manager for the Victory including a single game in the 2011/12 season. Muscat has been been in negotiations with the club since Postecoglou departed for the Socceroos job after last Friday’s win against Brisbane Roar.

Having played six years with the Victory, Muscat is also among the group of young coaches who played in the A-League, joining John Aloisi at Melbourne Heart and Tony Popovic at Western Sydney Wanderers. Muscat’s debut in the top job will come on Monday November 4 when Wellington Phoenix come to the Etihad Stadium. Victorious in his only other endeavor as Victory manager, a January 2012 defeat of Newcastle Jets, Muscat gets a kind draw in his first game in charge with Wellington entering the match without a win yet this season.

Whether or not Muscat has the managerial chops that defined his predecessor will likely take more than a few weeks to determine. But there is something to be said for longevity and institutional knowledge, even in a league as young as the A-League. Along with Archie Thompson, Muscat has been a part of the Victory from the club’s inception makes the most sense as a bridge between the suddenly stunted Postecoglou era and whatever the club has in mind for the longer-term future.