Melbourne City FC would like to confirm the departure of A-League Men’s Assistant Coach, Petr Kratky, who has been appointed Head Coach of Indian Super League club, Mumbai City FC.
After initially starting as a volunteer, Kratky took up a coaching position within the City Academy in 2018 before working his way into the senior Men’s coaching ranks in 2021.
Throughout his time at City, Kratky has overseen the development of several current Socceroos, including; Jordan Bos, Connor Metcalfe, Marco Tilio and Aiden O’Neill.
He stepped into the first team coaching ranks prior to the 2021/22 season as an Assistant Coach where he was part of the back-to-back Premiership winning sides.
During his tenure, Kratky stood in as interim Head Coach on three occasions, boasting a perfect winning record across all three fixtures.
Kratky is set to follow a familiar path as former City Assistant Coach Des Buckingham, who made the same move from Melbourne to Mumbai in 2021 where he enjoyed three successful seasons before his recent move back to his former club, Oxford United, in England’s League One.
Everyone at Melbourne City wishes Petr well in the next step of his coaching journey and we look forward to following his progress closely. We thank him for his large contributions to the Club over the past six years.
Former City Assistant Coach, Ralph Napoli, will re-join the Club effective immediately and be on the sideline for Tuesday’s AFC Champions League home fixture against Zhejiang.
Melbourne City FC Director of Football, Michael Petrillo, said:
“I am delighted for Petr to have this opportunity to take the next step in his football journey.
“He joined Melbourne City as a volunteer and has worked diligently to progress through the ranks of the Academy to the first team, becoming a valuable and well-respected coach in the process.
“It is one of the great benefits not only for our players, but for our staff to be a part of the City Football Group, which provides a pathway to advance their careers on a global scale. Petr goes with our best wishes and I am sure that Mumbai have secured a great coach following the same path as former Melbourne City Assistant, Des Buckingham.”
“We are also delighted to welcome Ralph Napoli back to the Club to replace Petr. Ralph is very familiar with the way we work having been a part of the City family for many years, making him a perfect replacement which allows for a seamless transition of coaching staff.
Petr Kratky said:
“I remember first arriving at the Club and immediately knowing that this was an organisation I wanted to be in long term.
“Melbourne City is renowned for the high-quality people that make up the environment and I feel privileged to have learnt so much from everyone during my time at the Club.
“I would like to express my thanks to the players and staff, including Director of Football, Michael Petrillo and Football Operations Manager, Pedj Radinovic for their ongoing support during my 7-and-a-half-year journey at City.
“I am excited to embark on this new opportunity at Mumbai City FC and to continue working within the City Football Group.
“Lastly, I would also like say a big thank you to our members, fans and everyone who is a part of the Melbourne City family. This Club will always have a special place in my heart.”
