Mehmet Durakovic
Encyclopedia
Mehmet Duraković is a retired Australian
-Albanian
soccer player and currently serving football manager. As of June 2011, he is the currently serving head manager of Melbourne Victory. Born in Titograd, Yugoslavia, nowadays Podgorica
, Montenegro
, he spent most of his playing career as a defender and played in Australia in the National Soccer League
, with a brief stint in Malaysia with Selangor FA
, as well as serving as an Australian international player for the Socceroos. On 21 June 2011, he was appointed as head coach of Hyundai A-League club Melbourne Victory
.
, making 61 appearances and scoring 2 goals for the club. He was part of Juventus' 1985 NSL Championship winning team. A grand final winner with Brunswick in 1985, he also won a championship with South Melbourne in 1991.
, making 25 appearances and scoring a goal.
, making 138 appearances and scoring 5 goals. A prominent defender, Durakovic
was a legend for South Melbourne
. He was part of South Melbourne's 1991 NSL Championship winning team. A grand final winner with Brunswick in 1985, he also won a championship with South Melbourne in 1991.
of Australia
, signing with Sydney Olympic. He played for the club from 1998 to 1999, making 21 appearances, but failing to score a goal.
qualification campaigns. He is well remembered for scoring against Canada
to level the tie on aggregate in a 1994 World Cup qualifier, setting up a tie against Diego Maradona
's Argentina
. In his 12 year career with the Socceroos, he made 64 appearances and scored 6 goals.
Association Football Club in 2003.
.
after a horrific 5-1 loss to Gamba Osaka
in the Asian Champions League
.
football analyst Francis Awaritefe
signed as the club's football manager on the same day. As Melbourne Victory's manager, he signed Isaka Cernak
, Tando Velaphi
, Marco Rojas
, James Jeggo
, Jean Carlos Solórzano, Harry Kewell
, Fabio
, Lawrence Thomas
and Ante Čović
. These signings prompted many to belive that Melbourne Victory were going to be serious contenders for the A-League Championship and the A-League Premiership, and possibly the new champions or premiers.
However, during the season, Durakovic and his players came under heavy pressure, as they failed to score a goal in their first three games as well as losing 1-0 in their second game against fellow underperformers Adelaide United
. A 2-1 win in Round 5 against Wellington Phoenix and a heroic 2-all draw against reigning champions and premiers Brisbane Roar in the next round appeared to relieved the pressure on Durakovic, only for it to be repiled after a lackluster nil-all draw against the Central Coast Mariners and a two-all draw against Perth Glory at home, after squandering a 2-0 lead at the final half-hour of the match. Despite being undefeated at home, many Victory fans were frustrated at the team's ability to score goals and win matches, and many were calling for the sacking of Durakovic. The departure of Francis Awaritefe after just five months in his job only fuelled speculation about Durakovic's future at the club.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
-Albanian
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the country of Albania* Albanians, a people living in Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Italy and elsewhere* The Albanian language...
soccer player and currently serving football manager. As of June 2011, he is the currently serving head manager of Melbourne Victory. Born in Titograd, Yugoslavia, nowadays Podgorica
Podgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, he spent most of his playing career as a defender and played in Australia in the National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
, with a brief stint in Malaysia with Selangor FA
Selangor FA
The Football Association of Selangor , commonly referred to as FAS or simply Selangor, competes in Malaysian football competitions representing the state of Selangor Darul Ehsan. The team is based in Shah Alam city. They are currently playing in Malaysian Super League, the top-flight of Malaysian...
, as well as serving as an Australian international player for the Socceroos. On 21 June 2011, he was appointed as head coach of Hyundai A-League club Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
.
Brunswick Juventus
From 1985 to 1988, Mehmet Durakovic played as a defender for Brunswick JuventusBrunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles...
, making 61 appearances and scoring 2 goals for the club. He was part of Juventus' 1985 NSL Championship winning team. A grand final winner with Brunswick in 1985, he also won a championship with South Melbourne in 1991.
Footscray JUST
In 1989, Durakovic spent a brief stint with Footscray JUSTFootscray JUST
Footscray JUST is a defunct association football club from Melbourne, Australia.Established in 1950 by migrants from Yugoslavia they played in the Victorian leagues with a fair amount of success, winning five Victorian State League titles, and three Dockerty Cup titles...
, making 25 appearances and scoring a goal.
South Melbourne FC
From 1989 to 1995, Durakovic played with South Melbourne FCSouth Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
, making 138 appearances and scoring 5 goals. A prominent defender, Durakovic
was a legend for South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
. He was part of South Melbourne's 1991 NSL Championship winning team. A grand final winner with Brunswick in 1985, he also won a championship with South Melbourne in 1991.
Selangor FA
From 1995 to 1998, Durakovic played for Selangor FA. A prominent defender, Durakovic was a legend for the Malaysian outfit Selangor FA, where he played alongside compatriots Joe Biskic and Dave Mitchell.Sydney Olympic
In 1998, Durakovic returned to the National Soccer LeagueNational Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, signing with Sydney Olympic. He played for the club from 1998 to 1999, making 21 appearances, but failing to score a goal.
Gippsland Power
In 1999, Durakovic returned to Victoria, signing with the Gippsland Power. He played from 1999 to 2000, making 25 appearances but failing to score a goal.Return to South Melbourne
In 2000, Durakovic returned to South Melbourne FC, the team he had previously won a championship with in 1991. He ended up playing out his career with the club. He played with the club from 2000 to 2004, making 98 appearances and scoring a goal. He is South Melbourne's oldest player to date, taking the field when he was 36 years and 146 days old against Adelaide City Force in March 2002.International career
Durakovic had a lengthy and distinguished career with the Australia national football team from 1990–2002, playing in several FIFA World CupFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualification campaigns. He is well remembered for scoring against Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
to level the tie on aggregate in a 1994 World Cup qualifier, setting up a tie against Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
's Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
. In his 12 year career with the Socceroos, he made 64 appearances and scored 6 goals.
Port Melbourne Sharks
Mehmet Durakovic's managerial career began when he was appointed the new manager of the Port Melbourne SharksPort Melbourne Sharks
The Port Melbourne Sharks are an Australian association football club from Port Melbourne, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was formed in 1968 by local Greek Australians, and were promoted as Champions of Victorian State League Division 2 for season 2010.They will play season...
Association Football Club in 2003.
Victorian Institute of Sport
After he left the job of Port Melbourne Sharks Manager, Mehmet Durakovic became the manager of the Vicotrian Institute of Sport's football teamVictorian Institute of Sport Football (Soccer) Program
The Victorian Institute of Sport is run by the Victorian Institute of Sport, in Melbourne, for Victorian youth players. VIS runs this program for both men and women.-Program:...
.
Melbourne Victory Youth
In 2008, Mehmet Durakovic was appointed the inaugural manager of the Melbourne Victory Youth Team. He stayed in the role until 2011, when he was appointed the caretaker manager of the Melbourne Victory senior team, after Melbourne Victory sacked manager Ernie MerrickErnie Merrick
Ernest 'Ernie' Merrick is the Scottish former head coach for the Australian A-League football team, Melbourne Victory.-Melbourne Victory:...
after a horrific 5-1 loss to Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka
is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70...
in the Asian Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
.
Melbourne Victory
On March 12 2011, Mehmet Durakovic was appointed the caretaker manager of Melbourne Victory, temporarily replacing the sacked Ernie Merrick while the club attempts to find a new manager. He had an impressive tenure as Melbourne Victory Manager, achieving one Asian Champions League win and drawing every other Asian Champions league match he managed. This impressive run of results prompted Melbourne Victory to sign Durakovic as full-time manager. He was signed by Melbourne Victory as their new manager on a two year deal on 21 June 2011, with former The World GameThe World Game
The World Game is a Monday night television show on SBS in Australia dedicated to association football. It is currently hosted by David Basheer, former Socceroo Craig Foster, and Les Murray, the show analytically reviews and previews soccer and soccer issues from around the globe, albeit with an...
football analyst Francis Awaritefe
Francis Awaritefe
Francis Edgar Awaritefe is an Australian former football player, and is currently Director of Football at Melbourne Victory...
signed as the club's football manager on the same day. As Melbourne Victory's manager, he signed Isaka Cernak
Isaka Cernak
Isaka Aongor Cernak-Okanya , better known as Isaka Cernak, is an Australian football player who currently plays for as an attacking midfielder.-Early Life:...
, Tando Velaphi
Tando Velaphi
Tando Yuji Velaphi is an Australian football goalkeeper who currently plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League. Before joining Victory in 2011, he spent several seasons at , eventually developing into their first-choice 'keeper....
, Marco Rojas
Marco Rojas
Marco Rodrigo Rojas is a New Zealand association football player who plays as a midfielder for A-League team Melbourne Victory, and for the New Zealand national team.-Wellington Phoenix:...
, James Jeggo
James Jeggo
James Jeggo is a Australian football player. He currently plays for Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League.-Melbourne Victory:...
, Jean Carlos Solórzano, Harry Kewell
Harry Kewell
Harold "Harry" Kewell is an Australian professional football midfielder who plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League. Internationally he has received 55 caps, and scored 16 goals, while playing for the Australian national team...
, Fabio
Fabio Alves
Fabio Alves Macedo commonly known as Fabio, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for A-League club Melbourne Victory.-Club Career:...
, Lawrence Thomas
Lawrence Thomas (goalkeeper)
Lawrence Thomas is an Australian football player who plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League. He plays as a Goalkeeper...
and Ante Čović
Ante Covic
Ante Čović is an Australian football player. He is a goalkeeper who currently plays for Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League...
. These signings prompted many to belive that Melbourne Victory were going to be serious contenders for the A-League Championship and the A-League Premiership, and possibly the new champions or premiers.
However, during the season, Durakovic and his players came under heavy pressure, as they failed to score a goal in their first three games as well as losing 1-0 in their second game against fellow underperformers Adelaide United
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
. A 2-1 win in Round 5 against Wellington Phoenix and a heroic 2-all draw against reigning champions and premiers Brisbane Roar in the next round appeared to relieved the pressure on Durakovic, only for it to be repiled after a lackluster nil-all draw against the Central Coast Mariners and a two-all draw against Perth Glory at home, after squandering a 2-0 lead at the final half-hour of the match. Despite being undefeated at home, many Victory fans were frustrated at the team's ability to score goals and win matches, and many were calling for the sacking of Durakovic. The departure of Francis Awaritefe after just five months in his job only fuelled speculation about Durakovic's future at the club.