"Just watching the press conference, he was open and honest and straightaway there seemed to be a good atmosphere. I'm not sure there are many managers like that in the A-League," Jeffers told The Age.

Magilton the player was an uncompromising midfielder with the range of passing one would expect from a product of Liverpool's fabled academy. Jeffers believes this grounding will provide the template for his Victory side.

"All managers want to play a lovely passing game," he said. "That doesn't always happen, but he'll definitely be encouraging the lads to knock the ball about and play a fluent, attacking passing game which should entertain the Melbourne crowd.

"The biggest challenge is it's the other side of the world," admitted the former Everton and Arsenal forward. "I can't say if he's like me, but when I arrived, I didn't know much about Australian [soccer] or much about the league, but Jim being Jim, he'll embrace it and he'll be watching all the football he can now and trying to get to know the league as soon as possible and getting his team to a style that can win football games in the A-League."

One of Magilton's first challenges will be to establish order in a club dogged by rumours of changeroom unrest. Jeffers has no doubt Magilton will succeed in this task, praising his man-managing abilities and knack of understanding players.