2007–08 Melbourne Victory FC season

Melbourne Victory
2007–08 season
Manager Ernie Merrick
A-League 5th
Pre-Season Challenge Cup 8th
AFC Champions League Group Stage (2nd)
Top goalscorer League:
Daniel Allsopp (7)

All:
Daniel Allsopp (9)
Highest home attendance 31,884 vs Sydney FC (10 November 2007)
Lowest home attendance 14,558 vs Chonburi FC (21 May 2008)
Average home league attendance 24,439
Home colours
Away colours

Season summary

Looking to capitalise on their successful 2006–07 campaign, Melbourne made some strong off-season signings including Costa Rican international Carlos Hernández to cover the hole left by the departure of Fred to MLS club D.C. United.[1] Again with the league's largest crowds and a record membership of over 20,000,[2] Melbourne were undefeated after 7 rounds but the season slipped away with some poor home performances and a mounting injury list. A late season rally gave Melbourne a hope of making the finals up to the second last round but they finished 5th, 4 points out of the finals.

Players

First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Australia GK Michael Theoklitos
2 Australia MF Kevin Muscat (captain)
3 Australia DF Daniel Piorkowski
5 Australia DF Ljubo Milicevic
6 Australia DF Steve Pantelidis
7 Australia DF Matthew Kemp
8 Scotland MF Grant Brebner
9 Australia FW Daniel Allsopp
10 Australia FW Archie Thompson
11 England DF Joe Keenan
12 Australia DF Rodrigo Vargas
No. Position Player
13 Australia MF Kaz Patafta
14 Australia MF Adrian Caceres
15 Brazil FW Leandro Love
16 Costa Rica MF Carlos Hernández
17 Australia MF Daniel Vasilevski
18 Australia MF Leigh Broxham
19 Australia MF Evan Berger
20 Australia GK Eugene Galekovic
21 Australia DF Sebastian Ryall
30 Australia GK Mitchell Langerak

Transfers

In
Player From League Date
Australia Mitchell Langerak AIS Australia VPL 23 February 2007
Australia Ljubo Milicevic BSC Young Boys Switzerland Swiss Super League 20 February 2007
England Joe Keenan Willem II Netherlands Eredivisie 30 March 2007
Australia Matthew Kemp Adelaide United Australia A-League 11 April 2007
Australia Evan Berger Marconi Stallions Australia NSWPL 29 May 2007
Costa Rica Carlos Hernández LD Alajuelense Costa Rica Primera División de Costa Rica 12 June 2007
Australia Kaz Patafta Benfica Portugal Portuguese Liga 20 June 2007
Brazil Leandro Love Vissel Kobe Japan J-League 25 July 2007
Australia Sebastian Ryall AIS Australia VPL 28 August 2007
Australia Steven Pace Preston Lions Australia VPL 30 October 2007
Australia Nick Ward Queens Park Rangers England Football League Championship 5 December 2007
Out
Player To League Date
Australia Michael Ferrante Wellington Phoenix Australia A-League 1 March 2007
Australia Mark Byrnes released - 1 March 2007
Brazil Fred D.C. United United States MLS 30 March 2007
England James Robinson Perth Glory Australia A-League 17 March 2007
Australia Vince Lia Wellington Phoenix Australia A-League21 March 2007
Australia Simon Storey Partick Thistle F.C. Scotland Scottish First Division 21 March 2007
Australia Kristian Sarkies Adelaide United Australia A-League 30 March 2007
Australia Adrian Leijer Fulham F.C. England Premier League 4 August 2007
Australia Eugene Galekovic Adelaide United Australia A-League 30 October 2007

Matches

Pre-season matches

2007 Pre-Season Cup

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA BP
Adelaide United 83120633
Perth Glory 83210421
Newcastle Jets 33102250
Melbourne Victory 13012240

2007-08 Hyundai A-League fixtures

Ladder

Pos
Team Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Central Coast Mariners 21 10 4 7 30 25+5 34 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage
2 Newcastle Jets (C) 21 9 7 5 25 21+4 34
3 Sydney FC 21 8 8 5 28 24+4 32 2008 Pan-Pacific Championship
4 Queensland Roar 21 8 7 6 25 21+4 31 2008 A-League Finals Series
5 Melbourne Victory 21 6 9 6 29 290 27
6 Adelaide United 21 6 8 7 31 29+2 26
7 Perth Glory 21 4 8 9 27 347 20
8 Wellington Phoenix 21 5 5 11 25 3712 20

Updated to games played on 20 January 2008
Source: theworldgame.sbs.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
1First place through to fourth place qualify for the 2008 A-League Finals Series.
2First place qualifies for the 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage.
3Winning the 2008 A-League Grand Final earns qualification for the 2009 AFC Champions League Group stage, unless the Grand Final winners are also first place, in which case the Grand Final runner up qualifies.
4Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for the 2009 AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.

2008 AFC Champions League

Warm-up matches

Matches

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Japan Gamba Osaka 6420148614
Australia Melbourne Victory 62131011-17
South Korea Chunnam Dragons 6132810-26
Thailand Chonburi FC 6123710-35

References

  1. "Victory sign Costa Rican star". The Australian. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. Ormond, Aidan (31 August 2007). "Victory Hits The Magic 20K Mark". FourFourTwo Australia. Haymarket Group. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
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