THE Melbourne Victory camp is a visibly unhappy one at the moment, and that was blatantly obvious last Saturday at AAMI Park.

There was little evidence of its season being on the line against Newcastle Jets.

Under interim coach Jim Magilton, the team has been more organised on the pitch and trained with more intensity, so why hasn't that been reflected in the results?

Kevin Muscat is a Victory legend and there is little doubt he'll one day assume the coaching hot seat. But Victory's disastrous season casts a shadow over his influence, considering he's been the mainstay.

Muscat's two-year coaching contract was triggered the day he retired. Whether he will be ready to be senior coach at the end of it, for season 2013-14, is debatable.

The off-season appointment of Mehmet Durakovic strongly hinted that the board's perception at the time was that Muscat would be ready.

Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro, who has served on the board from the moment Muscat signed for the club in 2005, before the first A-League season, denied decisions had been made in Muscat's best interests.

"There's been such an aura about Kevin at this club over the years, sometimes it can be taken too far about what the influence or the decisions that are being made as to the background to those," Di Pietro said.

"I'd see Kevin as a coach of a club some day and wouldn't it be fantastic if some day he could be the head coach of Melbourne Victory? I think it's a long way off.

"All the reports we are getting is that the football department and the coaching structure is working well.

"He's got an appetite to learn and if it fits in with what the head coach wants, then we're happy with that."

Magilton and Muscat have forged a close bond - similar personalities and English club careers - and no doubt he has the Northern Irishman's full backing.

For a man yet to convince Victory fans he is the coach to take the club forward, would Magilton be better served having a new voice beside him?

Muscat naturally has closer bonds to certain players from his playing days. While players, managers and people associated with the club are loath to go on the record about Muscat, there is a perception this is causing issues at the club.

And the Herald Sun understands players have left the club for this reason, dating back to the club's inception.

This is one of the reasons why budding AFL coaches either join the media or assist at a rival club on retiring.

Muscat's personality, coupled with his status at the club, means he is more than an assistant. His influence since Magilton replaced Durakovic has diminished, but with no football manager to speak of it is still immense.

To contextualise, assistant coaches seldom hold meetings with players' agents.

Muscat has the potential to make a terrific A-League coach. One of Victory's best performances this season was the 2-1 win against Newcastle in Muscat's sole match in charge.

Would he be better served continuing his apprenticeship elsewhere? Moving out of his Melbourne comfort zone and learning, say, under Ange Postecoglou in Brisbane or Graham Arnold at Central Coast?

Or better still going overseas like Tony Popovic, currently assistant coach at English club Crystal Palace.

"It's clear from the one game he coached and from his work in the coaching courses that he does have considerable talent to become a top-class coach," SBS analyst Craig Foster said.

"I'm extremely keen to see all the next generation of coaches given the very best opportunity to develop to international level as quickly as possible. Will that happen in the present scenario? I believe it could be vastly improved.

"I wish Jim Magilton all the best if he stays and I hope he does well. However, looking beyond that, the education, development and mentoring of Kevin Muscat is a critical issue for Australian football."

The players appear to be burdened by his presence.

Matthew Foschini and Adrian Leijer were both anointed Muscat successors of sorts - the former was handed the No.2 shirt and the latter the captaincy.

Only they can say whether it's been a burden, but they have adopted some of Muscat's less desirable traits, Foschini with some wayward tackling and Leijer with backchat to referees, and it suits neither.

No matter which way you look at it, Muscat's shadow hovers over the club. Whether it's a help or hindrance is for the board, and possibly Muscat, to decide.

Originally published as Is it time for Kevin to go?