Diles happy with Victory squad as Nduka nears Big Blue debut
Arthur Diles says Melbourne Victory are content to stand pat for the rest of the transfer window, happy with their squad and focusing on recapturing lost momentum in a Big Blue showdown with Sydney FC
Arthur Diles says Melbourne Victory are content to stand pat throughout the rest of the transfer window, happy with the squad that’s been assembled under his charge and focusing on recapturing lost momentum in a Big Blue showdown with Sydney FC.
Sitting ninth on the A-League Men table – albeit just five points behind second-placed Sydney – Victory has made just the one addition during the midseason window, utilising the club’s new partnership with Tony Bloom-owned Jamestown Analytics to identify and bring in Japanese striker Charles Nduka to add depth behind Nikos Vergos.
Admittedly, Victory hasn’t often done much business during the midseason window, bringing in two signings in each of the last two seasons. But they do have some level of success during the period, too, notably signing future two-time Victory Medalist Damien Da Silva during the 2023/24 midseason window in their recent history.
Nonetheless, speaking as his side prepares to resume hostilities with the Sky Blues, Diles said he didn’t envision the club making any further moves during the current window.
“No, no. That’s it, unless something happened from our end which we didn’t expect and weren’t foreseeing,” said Diles. “We’re very happy with the squad that we got. We’re very happy that we’ve got a lot of fit bodies at the moment, and this is a squad we believe that can do what we want to do.”
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Of course, it is noteworthy that in Nick D’Agostino (Brisbane Roar), Ryan Teague (Melbourne City), and Daniel Arzani (City), three former Victory players have returned back to the A-League Men somewhere other than AAMI Park this season – the latter two a part of the side that fell to their new employer in last year’s decider.
Victory had been linked with moving for D’Agostino and did go on to sign a striker in Nduka, and did make contact with both Teague and Arzani about a potential return. Nonetheless, with limited salary cap space to juggle, an uncertain salary cap outlook beyond this season due to collective bargaining agreement negotiations, and what Diles said was a level of ease with the side’s current ranks, a reunion wasn’t on the cards.
“Things like that, midseason is always difficult here in many ways,” Diles explained. “Salary cap space, your current squad, the planning that you’ve done previously. You build a squad hoping that, come January, you’re not dipping into the transfer market, because you’re happy with what you have and you’re happy with what’s coming through underneath.
“We’re very fortunate. We haven’t had to have a lot of change in this window or go looking for a lot. And that’s credit to the club for the work that we’ve done putting this squad together. Sometimes you’ll make contact with players and, for whatever reason, they don’t come, or we can’t have them here. That’s football.
“Irrespective of where these players have come from, where they go, that’s on them. Football is a funny place at times, especially in Australia. You probably see in Australia more than in other places; you could be 23 years old and have had five A-League clubs already. That’s probably not normal in other places around the world, and in Australia, you see that. Not saying that’s a good thing or a bad thing or the right thing. It’s just the way it is here.
“We can only focus on the players that we have at our disposal. We’re very happy and confident with every player that we have here. And you know, we wouldn’t change a thing.”
Nduka, for his part, is edging closer to making his debut in one of the biggest games on the Australian football calendar, logging minutes with Besart Berisha’s VPL1 side during a preseason friendly earlier this week.
“Charles is tracking well,” said Diles. “We keep building him up, and he’s very close to being part of the matchday squad.
“He’s very close. Whether he’s in or out, we’ll make that decision on Sunday. But yeah, he’s getting very, very close.”
Goalkeeper Jack Duncan, meanwhile, appears set to return on Monday after a two-game absence with a concussion, while Jason Davidson will also be back in the squad following his suspension for yellow card accumulation. Skipper Roderick Miranda was described as being “touch and go” as he recovers from a knee injury but Jordi Valadon and Josh Rawlins are both available after returning from Olyroos duty.
The reinforcements come at an important time for Victory, who had what was a four-game winning run snapped by back-to-back defeats across the past fortnight.
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A tepid loss to Western Sydney at AAMI Park two weeks ago was followed by a controversial 2-1 defeat against Original Rivalry foes Adelaide last Saturday; a late offside call denying Matt Grimaldi what would have been a certain winner up one end before Ryan Kitto sealed a dramatic win for the reds.
Diles and Victory fans’ fury over that decision was carried into the week by the club’s brass, who pursued an official explanation from Football Australia over the call and who, in a letter to members sent by managing director Caroline Carnegie, raised concerns over officiating standards.
Diles, however, said that his and his player’s agonising had ended on Saturday evening, with focus instead turning to a game in which a win would likely see them back into the top six.
“We’ve got to get our momentum back, that’s for sure,” said the coach. “That’s how we’re looking at this match, absolutely. It’s important. It’s a big match at home, which I always discuss; we love playing here in front of our fans. It’ll be a big crowd. It’ll be a big occasion. And, you know, one we’ve got to stand up for.
“[There’s been a] real positive response [to the Adelaide loss]. That’s something we put behind us. After that match, that was done for me. It’s not something that I like talking about or that we wanted to talk about.
“We talked about what we need to do as a team to improve. We were still in the match-up until the 97th minute. That’s on us. That’s not on any referee; that’s on us, and we’ve got to be better. There are moments when we have to be better.
“The most pleasing thing was that the performance from the [Wanderers loss] to last week was a lot better. It looked more like us in many ways, with and without the ball -- that was the most pleasing part. The result is a result, but the performance was a lot better. That’s so important for us.
“We take the confidence from that and the nice extended week, and the process we’ve put together this week, and the content we’ve put into being really up for this one on Monday.”