Melbourne Knights FC Official Website The Melbourne Knights Football Club can tonight confirm that it has accepted the resignation of Head Coach Ivan Franjic, effective immediately.
Appointed midway through the 2024 season following the departure of Ben Surey, Ivan led the team to a strong finish, narrowly missing out on a top-six finals berth by just two points. With a full pre-season and the opportunity to build his own squad, both Ivan and the Club had high hopes of building on that momentum in 2025.
However, a string of injuries—both long-term and short-term—dating back to the middle of pre-season severely disrupted squad consistency and performance. In light of these challenges, Ivan has made the difficult decision to step down as head coach of the Knights.
The Club sincerely thanks Ivan for his service and commitment, and while his time as Head Coach comes to an end, we look forward to seeing him play an ongoing role in the Club’s future.
Assistant Coach Josip Loncaric has also stepped down from his duties with the senior squad. However, he will continue in his role as the club’s Director of Football, where he has made significant strides in developing the Club’s junior program.
