Melbourne Victory have named former Melbourne City boss Patrick Kisnorbo as their Isuzu UTE A-League head coach, replacing Tony Popovic.
A Championship and Premiership-winning coach with City, Kisnorbo returns to Victoria on a three-year deal until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Victory were on the look out for a new coach following the departure of Popovic after the 2023-24 Grand Final loss to Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
They have turned to Kisnorbo, who left French second-tier side Troyes in December before overseeing an 8-0 demolition of Premier League side Newcastle United as the A-Leagues All Stars Men’s coach last month.
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“I’m incredibly humbled and honoured to be appointed as the head coach of Melbourne Victory,” Kisnorbo said.
“The club has a rich history, an expectation for success, not to mention an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base, one that I have admired for so long and that I want to make proud and deliver success for.
“Significant building blocks have been set over the past few years in the club’s A-League Men’s and Academy programs and I am looking to set the bar even higher for every player and staff member that steps out on the pitch with the Melbourne Victory badge on their chest.
“Our brand of football will reflect what you have come to expect of Melbourne Victory sides. We will be bold and brave, play attacking, quick football and I will have my team ready for any challenge that stands in our way.”
Prior to his big move to France in 2022, Kisnorbo guided Melbourne City to maiden A-League Men trophy – the 2021 Premier’s Plate before delivering the club’s first Isuzu UTE A-League Championship.
It capped a double for Kisnorbo in his debut season as head coach in the A-League Men.
He won two Premierships and a Championship before being lured to Ligue 1 by City Football Group (CFG)-backed Troyes in November 2022 – becoming the first Australian to coach in one of Europe’s top five men’s leagues.
Kisnorbo was unable to avoid relegation in 2022-23 and he departed the French side by mutual consent in December last year.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Patrick to Melbourne Victory as the club’s new A-League Men’s head coach,” said Victory chairman John Dovaston.
“As we progressed through the process of securing our new men’s head coach, it became clear that Patrick was the best placed candidate to build on the foundations set by the club over the past three seasons.
“While many of our members may never have pictured Patrick leading our boys in blue, he has grown up in football and the experiences he has had both domestically and internationally make him the best candidate for the role.
“He has transitioned from a player to a head coach and seen early success in the A-league with hard work, discipline and respect. It is that experience, his knowledge of the players, the playing landscape and his history with the highs and the lows of the game that has led to his appointment.
“Patrick knows what Melbourne Victory means to this league and to Victoria and understands the responsibility and weight of leading this great club along with our expectations for silverware.”
Kisnorbo’s first match will be against NPLM NNSW side Lambton Jaffas in the Australia Cup as the A-League Men’s side returns to training on Wednesday, July 10.
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Victory’s managing director Caroline Carnegie said: “After an extensive recruitment process, it became clear that Patrick was the best fit for Melbourne Victory moving forward.
“Patrick has spent almost a decade crafting his coaching in a range of roles with youth, women’s and men’s teams and success has followed him on his journey throughout Australia.
“As a club, we want to play an attacking brand of football that excites our fans and this was foremost in our minds throughout the search process. It is clear that Patrick’s style of coaching and football methodology, along with his experience within the A-League and its framework, is well placed to deliver what our fans want to see.
“Patrick will do so with the ongoing support of our existing football department, who will remain at the club in a bid to propel Melbourne Victory to more silverware.”
