Devastated by a heartbreaking grand final loss, Melbourne Victory will pick themselves up and attempt to keep their star-studded squad together for another crack at silverware.
Jeff Hopkins’ charges lost 5-4 to Central Coast on penalties in Sunday’s grand final at AAMI Park, after scores were locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra-time.
Victory also fell just two points short of the premiership to Melbourne City, leaving this season empty-handed.
“There’s a lot of upset players out there,” Hopkins said.
“But I’m sure, knowing the character of this group, it won’t be something to dishearten them.
“It will be something that will annoy them and drive them on to do better next year.”
Hopkins plans on sticking around for next season and hopes most of his squad will join him, contracted skipper Kayla Morrison and star midfielder Alex Chidiac.
Centre-back Claudia Bunge also has an option for another year.
“We’ve been working hard to keep as many of these players here as we can,” he said.
“And we’ll be doing doing the same over the next week or so to lock in as many as we can.
“Each season you refresh a little bit but I don’t think there’s much refreshing that needs done in this squad.”
Victory will hope star striker Emily Gielnik, who scored 12 goals this season, stays on – but she is unsure yet where her future lies.
“No matter what anyone says, I’m just ready to keep on going and where that is, I don’t know yet,” Gielnik said.
“Everyone knows I have a soft spot for Jeff and I love this club.
“I really wish I could give everyone an answer, but my gut feeling hasn’t told me where I need to be next year yet.
“So nothing’s off the cards, but I definitely don’t have an answer around that yet.”
The 33-year-old is determined to return to the Matildas fray.
“I came to Melbourne Victory to hold some more silverware and win and hopefully get myself back in that green and gold,” she said.
“And I’ll just go back to the drawing board and do it all again.”
Victory’s players have wrapped their arms around young gun Alana Jancevski, who missed the first penalty of the shootout and was distraught post-match.
“I had a good cuddle with her and I said ‘you’re going to get in this situation again and all you need to do is take another penalty and you’ll forget about this one’,” Gielnik said.
“I told her I missed one at the World Cup against Norway, nothing hurts more than missing a penalty.”
Hopkins said: “I’ve got no problem with anyone that misses a penalty.
“She was brave enough to stand up and take it and I know the whole team feel the same way.”
Source: AAP
