Former Northern Ireland midfielder Jim Magilton has been named head coach of the Melbourne Victory until the end of the A-League season.
The Victory announced that the 42-year-old Magilton, who managed English Championship side Ipswich Town for three years, would take over the club early next week after arriving in Melbourne earlier Saturday.
Magilton has been an assistant at Irish club Shamrock Rovers and was reportedly shortlisted for the Northern Ireland manager's job that went to Michael O'Neill this week.
Starting his playing career with Liverpool, where he remained until 1990, he later played for Oxford United, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town. He scored five goals in 52 internationals for Northern Ireland.
He takes over the Victory from Mehmet Durakovic, who was fired on Friday seven months and 14 matches into his contract.
The Victory are in eighth place in the 10-team A-League, with losses in their past three matches.
