New Melbourne Victory Head Coach Giovanni Savarese believes the prospect of playing in Asian competition this season is something that should excite everyone connected with the club.
The 55-year-old touched down in Victoria earlier this week and has wasted little time getting to work on the training pitch with his new side, who face NPL Tasmania side Kingborough Lions United FC on Sunday, July 26, in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
A surprise appointment at the time Savarese arrives having most recently coached Major League Soccer (MLS) side Portland Timbers, where he guided them to the post-season tournament in four of the five seasons he was in Oregon.
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Furthermore, Savarese clinched the ‘MLS is Back’ tournament in 2020 and brings with him a very recognisable attacking style of play, one he admits he’s looking to implement right away at Victory.
“First of all, it is going to be a team that has a clear identity,” Savarese told Melbourne Victory’s in-house media team.
“An identity that will also be matching the club culture.
“Definitely the type of team that is going to look to be up front, to be more attacking-minded, but always with the mentality that as soon as we are on the field, every player is going to give everything that they have to make the fans very proud.”
The former Venezuelan international has been out of work since leaving the Timbers in 2023 and while there have been offers during that time, the 55-year-old believes the challenge of guiding Melbourne Victory back to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League suits him perfectly.
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“It started with the interview process. I felt that everyone I’d spoken to had a professional demeanour and I felt very much connected with everything that I saw.
“With the people that I spoke (to), with the culture of the club, the ethics of the club.
“So it felt organic; it felt it was the right place, and that is why I made the decision, as well as the Club, to enter into this adventure, and I am very happy to have chosen this direction.
“I am not a coach who goes to coach just because I am a coach. I need to identify myself with the club, with the philosophy, with the fans, the location; that is why I made those decisions with the clubs in the United States.”
Victory will compete on three fronts during the 2026/27 season, beginning with an Australia Cup Round of 32 clash against Kingborough Lions United FC in Tasmania this weekend.
Once domestic cup action is wrapped up Saverese’s side then turn their attention to the AFC Champions League Two which gets underway on September 16.
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One of three Australian clubs competing in AFC competition this season, Victory could face Korean giants FC Seoul, Japanese outfit Machida Zelvia and Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.
“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity,” the Victory head coach said. “Because not only are we going to play in the Australian league, but also having the chance to play against clubs that are outside this competition, I think is fascinating.
“This allows the team to grow. It requires a different way of managing because the travel is going to be long and we have to manage the team also in the right way to be able to achieve what we’re looking for for this season.
“But it’s exciting to be able to go beyond just the A-League and be able to compete in the Champions League of Asia.”
