Melbourne Victory flew back into the heat of a misfiring A-League campaign on Thursday but defender James Donachie says the future of coach Kevin Muscat and others at the club won't derail their season.
Victory face Adelaide United on Saturday night in another re-run of the club's original rivalry, a high-stakes clash that Donachie has declared "must-win".
They'll take the field just over 48 hours after returning to Melbourne from their Asian Champions League (ACL) efforts.
A tricky flight schedule meant waiting in China for a day after their 4-1 loss to Shanghai SIPG on Tuesday night, with a stopover in Sydney extending their transit.
Victory's opening ACL matches have yielded just one point - including a home 3-3 draw with Ulsan Hyundai last week - but Donachie feels they have provided a turning point.
"In the Ulsan game we turned over a new leaf," he told AAP.
"We were really positive with the way we were playing and the first 30, 35 minutes in Shanghai was the same.
"Then we copped a goal and dropped our heads a bit ... but the boys are positive. If we take the Ulsan game and the first 30, things are looking good."
Victory - and Muscat - can't afford a similar result at AAMI Park against the Reds.
Victory have lost their last three A-League games and are in danger of slipping out of the finals race unless they stop the rot.
Muscat, who is uncontracted for next season, could also lose his job without improved results.
Donachie - who is also playing for a new deal - said a lack of job security was part and parcel of the business.
"I don't think it affects players too much," he said.
"Football is a team sport but there's a lot of individual stuff that goes on. Contract talks are part of that.
"It's getting to that time now where players and the board will start talking with stuff like that. Us players have a lot of work to do . We've got a game every three days so we're pretty busy."
Donachie said he was relaxed about his future at Victory, saying he'd been approached about a new deal but "it will depend on if we can agree on something".
Instead, he's focused on the Reds.
"Adelaide is a big game because it could put us into fourth. It's a must-win," he said.
"I wouldn't say it's season on the line as there's still seven games left but in terms of big games though our season, this is certainly one."
Australian Associated Press
