A report in the Herald Sun today says that Brebner is focused on being back in action for Melbourne as soon as possible.

“Last year was personally one of the worst I’ve had in terms of how I felt,” he said.

“There was probably only two games where I felt 100 per cent and we . . . were hoping and praying it was going to get better through work off the park. But it got to the stage where it was obvious I needed to take an enforced break.

“I just couldn’t give my best (so) how long do you want to go on with it? Do you want to get it right or spend the rest of your career an 80 per cent player?”

Source: The Herald Sun

Brebner’s return would certainly give Ernie Merrick an interesting selection headache, with José Luis López, Leigh Broxham and Brebner all playing a similar defensive midfield role. And those aren’t even the only options available: Steve Pantelidis, Steven Pace and Kevin Muscat have all slotted into that position.

It’s an exciting prospect, really. Especially when you consider the plethora of attacking options around. Me thinks we’re in with a pretty good chance this year.

Frankly, I thought the Brazilian was on his way out, but Ernie Merrick has decided to keep Love on hand:

“We need to keep as many attacking players in the squad as we can. We’ve really got no shortage of defensive or midfield players.”

Ernie Merrick (Herald Sun)

Carlos Hernández appears a certain selection for the Asian Champions League, leaving either Grant Brebner or Joe Keenan to get the drop. While Keenan has not managed to work his way into Merrick’s favourite eleven, Brebner hasn’t started since December. Both have struggled with injury.

Of course, Merrick could leave them both out and sign some fresh foreign talent instead – but considering the club’s current inability to attract new Australian players, this appears unlikely.

Coaches have to get their 30-player squad lists in by the 11th of February. One of the stipulations is that each team can only have three foreign players.

This means that one of Melbourne’s four internationals is going to miss out on the Champions League.

Our international players are:

• Carlos Hernandez
• Grant Brebner
• Joe Keenan
• Leandro Love

Who should Merrick leave out?

Vote in the sidebar and leave your comments below.

Before he came to Melbourne, Brebner spent all of his professional career in the UK, with a 4 year posting at Manchester United in the mid-1990s setting off 12 years in which he appeared for 6 different teams, played over 240 games and netted 24 goals. Manchester United was a training ground: he never played for the English champions during his time there. Reading, Hibernian (his home town team) and Dundee United were more appreciative. Reading in particular enjoyed one of the Scot’s best seasons, in which he scored 10 goals in 41 matches.

Brebner also played for the Scottish Under 21s team, though he has never appeared for his country’s senior team.

Before signing with the Victory last year, Brebner played for Melbourne on a trial basis in two matches. During the first of these, a match against the Central Coast Mariners, he helped Melbourne to a penalty shoot-out win – first by getting the 2-2 equaliser in the dying minutes and then by scoring the winning penalty. Not bad. Merrick thought so, saying:

“There’s not too much more you can do when you’re on trial than come in and win the game, is there?”

During his first season with Melbourne, Brebner was a permanent fixture in the starting 11, starting 21 games (out of a total 24). His season may not have been characterised by the type of goal-scoring that made him a hit at Reading – he only managed a solitary goal, in a home fixture against the Perth Glory – but his attacking side underpinned what proved to be the A League’s most potent offence.

Grant Brebner brings the house down!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpiZdINZKd0 [/youtube]

Read more about Brebner:

• Melbourne give Brebner a way out, 26 May, 2006, BBC Sport
• Grant on Wikipedia
• Profile on MelbourneVictory.com.au