Victory target Popovic in bid to bring back glory days

Tony Popovic has emerged as a leading candidate to take charge at Melbourne Victory next season, a week after the club announced they were ramping up their search for a new head coach.

Victory cast envious glances as Popovic led Perth Glory to a maiden A-League premiership in his first year, and it’s understood he’s viewed as a figure likely to lead the Navy Blues back to former glories.

Though contracted at Glory until mid-2021, it’s been previously reported that Popovic, 46, has an opt-out clause which would enable him to depart after two years.

The timing would dove-tail perfectly for Victory who have struggled domestically under Spaniard Carlos Salvachua, who replaced the sacked Marco Kurz on an interim basis in January.

Whilst Victory have not ruled a fantasy approach to former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde to discover if he is serious about his desire to coach in Australia, Popovic presents a more realistic target.

It’s also not lost on CEO Trent Jacobs that home-grown coaches have delivered in the past for Victory, in the forms of Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat.

Whilst performing well in the AFC Champions League, Victory sit 10th on the A-League ladder, and are almost certain to miss out on the finals once the competition resumes.

It’s a league position which the club’s management won’t tolerate in the future.

Glory CEO Tony Pignata declined to comment on Popovic’s future when contacted by the The World Game, saying simply: “Tony is under contract and has another year to go.”

When asked whether Popovic had a get-out option, Pignata added: “I don’t comment on contracts.”

After the dazzling success of year one under the AFC Champions League-winning former Western Sydney Wanderers coach, Glory were hit by a player exodus with the likes of Jason Davidson, Shane Lowry and Andy Keogh all heading offshore.

They’ve lacked depth since and lie fifth on the table - 17 points adrift of champions-elect Sydney FC.

Owner Tony Sage’s failed attempt to sell the club to a discredited London-based cryptocurrency company shed light on how urgent the need is for a cash injection out west.

Victory, by contrast, have deep pockets and a huge membership base, and would be in a position to offer Popovic greater scope to bring in players on his personal wish list.

“We would like to think over the course of the next couple of months we would be in a position where the board can make a final decision. But if it takes longer so be it, we are not going to rush this process,” Jacobs told The Age last week.

Glory, meanwhile, may have seen the last of Swiss defender Gregory Wüthrich, who jetted home for “personal reasons” on Tuesday and may not return for the post-COVID-19 resumption.

Though his one-year contract expires at the end of this month, Pignata didn’t, however, rule out a return.

“He’s gone back for personal reasons and we’ve kept things open for when the league starts up again (possibly in August) and see what happens,” he said.

“The door is open for him to return.”