Melbourne City's planning for a historic fourth W-League crown will start this week - but the coach and the club's biggest star don't know whether they'll be part of it.
After winning a third-straight championship on Sunday with a 2-0 grand final win over Sydney FC, there's doubt over the future of coach Patrick Kisnorbo and Jess Fishlock, judged best afield in the decider.
Kisnorbo, who steered the side to last year's title, is on staff with City but splits his attention between the A-League and W-League.
And Fishlock, 31, went straight from the grand final to a week's leave as she contemplates where to play in the last years of her career.
Kisnorbo admits there's uncertainty around the history-making team but he will be back at his desk this week to begin building another team.
"As soon as I took the job over after we won it last year, I knew how important recruitment was, what players I needed to bring in and and how important it was for the club," he said.
"So we'll enjoy one or two days off now but then you have to start rebuilding for the next year as it's going to get harder again."
Kisnorbo, a NSL premiership winner with South Melbourne, said he didn't know whether he would continue next season.
"I am just enjoying the post-grand final celebrations. I don't know what is going to happen to me in the future," he said.
Club captain Steph Catley said she hoped Welsh international Fishlock would return to gun for a fifth W-League crown, including the 2014 title the pair won together at Melbourne Victory.
"She's my favourite player to play with in the entire world," Catley said.
"I'd love for nothing more her than to come back (but) it's a long off-season and heaps can happen in that time."
City made history by becoming the first national-level team to win three straight grand finals but Catley said she was taken aback by the animosity from rivals' fans this season.
Fishlock and Kisnorbo also said envy or "doubters" drove their title bid.
Catley suggested it was a sign of maturing league.
"People don't want to see the same time winning all the time," she said.
"We're still the new kids on the block. We came in and three seasons ago an we've won three championships so it's a hard pill to swallow.
"If that means that other people don't support us on grand final day then that's what we have to deal with."
Australian Associated Press
