Ernie Merrick

Ernie Merrick

Personal information
Full name	Ernest Merrick
Date of birth	(1953-01-15) 15 January 1953
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Template:ALeague NUJ (coach)
Youth career
	Shettleston
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1975–1978	Frankston City
1979–1984	Doveton
Managerial career
1979–1984	Doveton (Asst.)
1986	Frankston Pines (Asst.)
1987–1988	Preston Lions FC
1989–1991	Sunshine George Cross
1992–2004	VIS
2005–2011	Melbourne Victory
2011–2012	Hong Kong
2013–2016	Wellington Phoenix
2017–	Newcastle Jets
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ernest 'Ernie' Merrick OAM (born 15 January 1953) is a Scottish-Australian coach, who manages A-League soccer club Newcastle Jets. He was the former head coach of the Hong Kong national football team and A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix. He is the most successful coach in A-League history.

Coaching career

Melbourne Victory

In his first season at Melbourne Victory in 2005/06, the club failed to live up to its championship aspirations. With Socceroos Archie Thompson and Kevin Muscat in the squad, and the experience of 2 European internationals in Geoffrey Claeys and Richard Kitzbichler, expectations from the Melbourne fans were high. But they were left disappointed when the club finished the season 7th out of the 8 teams. After a promising start which saw them 1st after round 8, when they beat eventual champions Sydney FC 5–0, the team then won only 3 of the last 13 games.

During the second season, The Victory won the 2006–07 A-League Premiership, 12 points clear of second placed Adelaide United. Melbourne Victory faced Adelaide United in the A-League Grand Final at the Telstra Dome on 18 February, winning the match 6–0 with Archie Thompson scoring an incredible five goals.

The 2007–2008 season was a return to the disappointment of Merrick's first year in charge however, with the team finishing outside the Top 4 spots and thus failing to progress to the Finals Series.

Melbourne Victory finished second in the group phase of the 2008 Asian Champions League. Gamba Osaka won the group and went on to win the Asian Champions League.

In the 2008–2009 season, Melbourne Victory won the treble; the Pre-Season Cup, the Premiership and the Grand Final. In the Grand Final, Melbourne Victory defeated Adelaide United 1–0 to secure their second championship under Ernie Merrick's coaching.

During the 2009–2010 season, Melbourne Victory, despite severe season-ending knee injuries to key players, Billy Celeski, Matthew Kemp and star striker Archie Thompson once again reached the Grand Final. Sydney FC took out the title after extra time on penalties. Kevin Muscat and Marvin Angulo missed their penalty kicks, allowing Sydney to take out the championship.

Merrick in 2010

On 12 March 2011, Ernie Merrick was sacked from his post at Melbourne Victory. The board of Melbourne Victory stated that they were unhappy with Victory's season and the 5–1 defeat by Gamba Osaka in Japan in the opening match of the Asian Champions League. Anthony Di Pietro, chairman of Melbourne Victory, said "Our club sets extremely high standards and we are disappointed with the results of the recent A-League season and also our start to the Champions League campaign" and that "Our intent is to continue to be the benchmark club in the A-League. We wish to be successful in Asia and believe this decision will assist in taking us to that level." Merrick was the last foundation coach to be sacked.

Ernie Merrick was awarded coach of the year in 2007 and again in 2010.

Hong Kong national football team

The Hong Kong Football Association, on 16 December 2011, confirmed the appointment of Ernie Merrick as the new National Head Coach. On 26 October 2012, it was confirmed that Ernie Merrick left his position as the team's Head Coach.

Wellington Phoenix

On 20 May 2013, Merrick was announced as the head coach for Wellington Phoenix on a two-year contract, with an option for a third year.

On 5 December 2016, Merrick resigned from the Phoenix following a 2-0 loss to Adelaide United.

Newcastle Jets

In May 2017, Merrick was announced as the new coach of Newcastle Jets, following the sacking of Mark Jones after Newcastle Jets finished bottom of the league in the 2016–17 season.

Personal life

Merrick was born in Edinburgh to a circus family. Before entering the head coaching ranks, he was a PE teacher as well as an amateur football player.

Coaching statistics

As of 7 March 2015

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Melbourne Victory		2005	2011	170	74	41	55	043.53
Hong Kong		16 December 2011	26 October 2012	4	2	0	2	050.00
Wellington Phoenix		20 May 2013	5 December 2016	94	31	15	48	032.98
Total				268	107	56	105	039.93

Honours

Coach

With Melbourne Victory:

• A-League Championship: 2006–2007, 2008–2009
• A-League Premiership: 2006–2007, 2008–2009
• A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup: 2008

Personal Honours:

• A-League Coach of the Year: 2006–2007, 2009–10
• Order of Australia: 2014

External links

• Melbourne Victory profile
• Oz Football profile