Popovic keen on title pursuit, not addressing contract

In the wake of his side's 2-1 win in the Melbourne Derby, Melbourne Victory boss Tony Popovic says he's in no rush to adress his expiring contract before the A-League Men season concludes.

Melbourne Victory boss Tony Popovic says he’s content to wait until after the season to address his expiring contract with Victory, with his eyes on pursuing a title with Victory. He did acknowledge, however, that there were complex circumstances beyond football he would need to consider. 

Victory moved to within five points of the A-League Men summit and mathematically secured finals football in defeating Melbourne City 2-1 on Saturday evening, Damien Da Silva’s 86th-minute header breaking the deadlock after first-half goals from Tolgay Arslan and Bruno Fornaroli. 

With a trip to second-placed Wellington on tap for Friday before they end the season with home games against Brisbane and Western Sydney, the four-time A-League Men champions remain a chance of crashing the top two party in the weeks ahead and need to triumph in just one of those three fixtures, at least, to guarantee a home elimination final. 

Against this backdrop, however, Popovic is coaching on an expiring contract, coming to the end of a three-year deal signed ahead of the 2021-22 season. The rumour mill has linked him to numerous overseas jobs this campaign and a recent report even claimed a sensation return to Western Sydney may have been in the offing but, when asked about his future following the Derby, he confirmed he was content to ‘park’ the matter until the season.

“Worry about it then,” he said. “I'm not concerned about my future. My concern is this club -- to put ourselves in a great position to try and win a title. 

“I have great support here with the staff, with the board, with the fans. I'm enjoying it and let the focus be just on a great group of players.”

Unbeaten in their last four games and winners of three of those, Popovic’s side would appear to be finding form at just the right time with finals looming, shrugging off a lean midseason patch in which Victory fans became increasingly rancourous. 

Though he’s one of Australia’s most decorated coaches, winning premierships and an Asian Champions League title with Western Sydney and an Australia Cup in his first season with Victory, an A-League Men title has proven elusive and is at the centre of his thoughts. 

“This result or last week doesn't change anything for me,” said Popovic. “Maybe it changes it from your perspective, or how that would look if we didn't have the results or had the results. 

“Nothing changes for me. We're more delighted that we've won the games recently. My personal situation, [is] a lot more complex, not in terms of the football but in terms of personally where my family is situated all over the world at the moment.

“So there are many things to consider. 

“But definitely the results don't change anything in terms of the process or plan that we have moving forward. We just want to keep winning, and hopefully have a great result in Wellington and welcome back our fans here and keep pushing for that title.”