This was extremely difficult campaign for the proud Victory team that is used to challenge for silverware and not to scramble to avoid the wooden spoon. It turned out to be historically weak season for the Royal Blues who never have had so few wins and so few points in their history.
From the start things didn’t look right with the new coach Marco Kurz and Victory opened the season with just 2 wins in the first 10 rounds (D3 L5). Kurz was eventually sacked in early January after 2:3 defeat vs. bottom-dwellers Mariners, but his replacement Salvachua couldn’t change anything and even before the COVID-break several regulars left the sinking ship.
Salvachua himself and more star players departed during the 4-month break, including top scorer Toivonen and main goalkeeper Thomas. With 5 of those that were regulars early in the season no longer there when things resumed in July, Victory could hardly save any dignity under their caretaker coach Brabner. Eventually Victory finished 10 points adrift from the nearest team above them after losing 4 of the 5 matches since the restart.
Chaotic running of the club, lack of quality amongst the youngsters given plenty of playing time, poor health for stars like Kruse and Nabbout all amongst main reasons for this awful campaign.
Victory were quick to appoint Brabner permanently and give him incentive to start building new squad. With Kruse hoping to be back after missing the entire last campaign injured and after positive impact made by winter arrival Rojas Victory have pieces around which they can build decent team and it is hard to see next season being as poor as this one. The hunger to return to the play-offs will be huge too!
