Yahoo Finance 'Humiliating': Furious fans descend on Melbourne Victory training
Melbourne Victory's aren't far removed from their last A-League championship, but the latest in a series of embarrassing losses has driven fans to directly protest the team.
Despite sitting atop of the A-League world as recently as their 2018 championship season, a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Melbourne City on Sunday night prompted fans to boo the team as they walked off - before an even more pointed message was sent at training on Monday.
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The Victory were second to last the previous season, and their continued poor form has outraged fans to the point where a group of 25 showed up at the club's training ground and unfurled a banner reading 'The line has been crossed' in front of players.
Images obtained by Fox Sports show players going about their usual training routine as the group tands behind them, with another image showing the banner held up outside AAMI Park with a flare lit in front of it.
The training invasion comes as the Victory were booed off the field following their loss to cross-town rivals City.
“One thing I’ve never seen in 15 years of the A-League here at Marvel Stadium is Melbourne Victory players have gone over to their supporters and they are absolutely furious,” Fox Sports commentator Michael Zappone said.
“They’ve received a massive spray from the fans, they’ve been booed by their fans and it’s not something I’ve ever seen before.
“It’s going to be felt right across this club and it’s going to be a huge week for the Melbourne Victory football club.”
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There has been plenty of criticism of the Victory in the wake of their latest loss, with coach Grant Brebner, a former midfielder for the club, taking full responsibility.
“It quite simply wasn’t good enough,” Brebner said.
“I’m not going to sit here and try to find excuses for it. It was an unacceptable 90 minutes … it was humiliating."
Brebner, who was appointed interim coach alongside Carlos Salvachua after Marco Kurz was sacked 13 games into the season, said the blame ultimately rested with him.
“I would say that the finger should be pointed at me for the sake of the football club," he said.
“I have always said that I take the blame for nights like tonight and I am not wanting to blame anyone else.
“I am the head coach of this football club, I am the one who needs to look at the game tonight, analyse the game and come up with reasons why that happened.
“It’s not finger-pointing, it’s not about scapegoating, it’s the reality.”
Australian footballing great Mark Bosnich described the loss as 'one of their most disgraceful performances ever' on Fox Sports, adding that he 'can’t remember a time when I can remember this club being so low'.
After 10 games, the Victory have just two wins and a draw to their name.
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