Milligan rallies Victory troops

Victory has yet to win a match since Jim Magilton took over from Mehmt Durakovic as coach, but the on-loan Australia defender remained positive the two-time A-League champion will make the finals.

“Anything less than that would be a huge disappointment to the players first and foremost,” said Milligan, who will return to his Japan club JEF United at the conclusion of Victory's involvement in the A-League season.

“With the players we have and the pride that runs through the team from the fans to the boardroom, we have to be successful.

“We, as players, are the ones that have to turn things around and we are fully aware it has to happen sooner rather than later. But we have the squad here, from what I have seen, to definitely be able to do that.”

Victory is four points adrift of sixth-placed Sydney FC, which denied it a crucial win with Sebastian Ryall’s 90th minute equaliser.

Rather than worrying about the side's inconsistant form, Milligansaid it is only a matter of time before Victory's talented squad clicks.

“The quality of squad is right up there and it’s just a matter of getting everybody on the same wavelength again," he said.

“The facilities are world class, you have everything you need and in saying that we don’t have any excuses now.

“We need to get out heads down and work hard and be a lot more solid defensively to shore things up once we get in front. If we d that we’ll go a long way.”

Milligan threw his support behind increasingly under-fire Magilton.

“He’s excellent. He’s been good to me and has given me a chance. He knows what he wants from the players but it’s always tough for a new coach coming in.

“He wants to get across his point of view and the players, I feel, are starting to take to that. He said after the Sydney game that we were very good in patches but we need to turn that into a 90-minute performance, rather than just bits and pieces.

“He’s a very positive. It’s hard to change things fast but hopefully now we can implement his game plan and get some results.”

Ignored in Australia’s last two squads, Milligan is hoping to catch the eye of Socceroos coach Holger Osieck during his stint here, adding: “Holger has shown that if players are performing in the A-League they will be given a chance, so there’s always that possibility.

“But first and foremost, we need to sort out our form at club level and get some wins under the belt and perhaps then things might follow from there.

“When a team is winning and individuals are doing well that’s when the rewards come.”

Milligan is eying a call as early as next month when Australia faces Saudi Arabia in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Melbourne.

Meanwhile, Victory faces bottom club Gold Coast in Tasmania next Wednesday night in a game it must win if it is to keep its finals hopes on track.

“That’s one we really need to win,” said Milligan, whose appearance on Thursday night was his first competitive game since November 20.

“I’d been away from the A-League over three years and coming back you can see the game here is continuing to get better. 

“I’d only had two training sessions before the match, so it will take a little time for me.

“It was about getting through the 90 minutes, getting on the ball a bit and getting a bit of match fitness and sharpness.

“Overall, I don’t think we were that bad defensively but maybe we need to calm things down a little at times.”