Number Five: Kaz Patafta
Nationality: Australian
Age when signed: 17
Appearances: 14 (1 goals)
Years: 2007-08
The young playmaker came to Melbourne Victory on loan from Portugese powerhouse Benfica for the 2007-08 season in search of regular game time. Unfortunately that never came for the prodigiously talented midfielder who had to settle for a spot on the pecking order below the likes of Carlos Hernandez, Grant Brebner and Adrian Caceres. His confidence shot, he returned to Benfica where he fashioned a release from his contract to join Newcastle Jets, where he again failed to make a sizeable impact, totalling 33 appearances in four years.
Number Four: Marcos Flores
Nationality: Argentinian
Age when signed: 27
Appearances: 24 (4 goals)
Years: 2007-08
Marcos Flores seemed at the time like the perfect signing for a new regime under manager Ange Postecoglou. The advanced playmaker was seen as the vital creative pivot that the Victory had sorely missed without Carlos Hernandez, while also combining the supporters love of pissing off rivals Adelaide United. But the Argentinian seemed disinterested in a uninspired spell in Navy Blue colours, which saw the marquee man replaced at seasons end.
Number Three: Glen Moss
Nationality: New Zealander
Age when signed: 25
Appearances: 14 (0)
Years: 2009-10
It was a close fight between Kiwi international Glen Moss and Australian stopper Michael Petkovic for the battle of the Victory’s worst ever goalkeeper. The Kiwi’s however have one upped the Aussies this time as Moss the Teflon man ousted all on comers with his less than assured displays of goalkeeping. The one redeeming factor of his stint in a Victory kit was the fact his poor form was the reason future Socceroo Mitch Langerak got his A-League start. To his credit, he has re-established himself as a solid A-League keeper with Wellington Phoenix.
Number Two: Ricardinho
Nationality: Brazilian
Age when signed: 26
Appearances: 19 (2 goals)
Years: 2010-11
Added to the Brazilian scrapheap piling up in Australia is Ricardinho, the forward who came with so much expectation as the Melbourne Victory international marquee for the 2010-11 season. With Archie Thompson set to miss half the A-League season, much of the goal scoring pressure was placed firmly on his shoulders, and it proved to weighty of a challenge. A number of sub appearances and a knee injury curtailed his impact and the mid-season return of Danny Allsopp signalled the beginning of the end for the forward. There were rare glimpses of his quick feet, encapsulated in his debut goal against Brisbane Roar.
Number One: Harry Kewell
Nationality: Australian
Age when signed: 32
Appearances: 25 (8 goals)
Years: 2011-12
It was one of the most hyped transfers in Australian football history as Melbourne Victory threw the kitchen sink and then some to land golden boy Harry Kewell for the 2011-12 season. With the eyes of an entire nation creating a pressure cauldron for the most gifted player of our generation to play under, the bar for success was always going to be high for Kewell on his return to the motherland. While his form in a Victory shirt wasn’t anywhere near abysmal, the performance levels weren’t what the fans expected from such an expensive outlay. Kewell saw out one year of his three-year contract and later returned to Australia with rivals Melbourne Heart. Cop that Victory fans.
Flop XI
