- Melbourne Victory boss Patrick Kisnorbo took over at the club in June
- The shock decision comes just days before Victory’s derby this weekend
Melbourne Victory head coach Patrick Kisnorbo has announced he will be leaving his role at the club to pursue an opportunity overseas.
The shock announcement comes on the eve of Victory’s huge derby clash against Melbourne City this weekend, with Kisnorbo having overseen just 12 games at the football club since arriving in June.
Succeeding new Socceroos boss Tony Popovic, Kisnorbo would go on to enjoy a successful spell at AAMI Park, leading the Victory to the Australian Cup final in September. He would go on to lose just two games while in charge.
According to Yahoo SportsThe 43-year-old is leaving to take up a new role in Japan.
With Victory third in the table, three points clear of Auckland at the top of the ladder, Kisnorbo’s decision to ditch some powerbrokers is seen as a major blow.
Speaking about the shock decision, chairman John Dovaston said: “We are disappointed to see Patrick leave the club so early in his anticipated journey with us, but Patrick has advised us that this is an opportunity he wanted to take for his own development as a coach .’
Patrick Kisnorbo will leave Melbourne Victory after joining the club earlier in June
Chairman John Dovaston said he was “disappointed” by Kisnorbo’s (pictured) decision to leave the club
The club confirmed that senior assistant coach Arthur Diles will take over in the meantime.
CEO Caroline Carnegie added: “We thank Patrick for his service and wish him well.
“As our attention turns to the rest of the season, we know Arthur is in an excellent position to build on the strong foundations established as we ultimately aim for silverware.
“Arthur has a deep understanding of team dynamics and is well equipped to ensure stability, maintain focus and provide leadership as the team moves forward.”
The Victory manager had signed a three-year contract with the club earlier in the winter after being sacked by French side Troyes.
It came after a disappointing run with the Ligue 2 club, which saw Kisnorbo relegated after winning just one of their last 10 games in all competitions.
He also knows a lot about this weekend’s opponents, City, having worked with the club as an assistant coach and City’s head coach for four years.
He would oversee 72 games in charge of the club before leaving for Troyes in November 2022.
More to follow…
