Mike Mulvey
Mike Mulvey | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1963 Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Football coach |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Coaching Brisbane Roar to 2013–14 A-League Championship; A-League Coach of the Year 2013–14; W-League Coach of the Year 2012–13; Queensland Coach of the Year 2014 |
Mike Mulvey (born 25 February 1963) is a football coach with dual Australian and English nationality, currently occupying the position of technical director at South West Queensland Thunder. His coaching career has spanned clubs in Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Mulvey gained prominence by steering Brisbane Roar to their historic third A-League championship during the 2013–14 campaign, an achievement that earned him the A-League Coach of the Year accolade. This followed his earlier distinction as W-League Coach of the Year just the previous season.
In December 2014, he received the title of Queensland Coach of the Year at the state's coaching awards ceremony.
Playing career
Originating from Manchester, Mulvey began his football journey as a trainee with Manchester United before relocating to Australia in 1982. He signed with the National Soccer League side Brisbane Lions (currently known as Brisbane Roar), where he spent several seasons. Subsequently, he joined his brother Phil at North Star, competing in the Brisbane Premier League.
Managerial career
Mulvey commenced his senior coaching career in 1998 as the inaugural head coach of Ipswich Knights. He later served as assistant coach at former A-League outfit Gold Coast United, stepping up as caretaker manager in February 2012 following the departure of Head Coach Miron Bleiberg.
After Gold Coast United folded, Mulvey took charge of Melbourne Victory's women's team, elevating them to W-League contenders and attracting attention from A-League clubs.
In December 2012, Mulvey was appointed interim Head Coach of Brisbane Roar, a role that became permanent by February 2013. Under his guidance, Brisbane Roar suffered only one defeat in their final seven regular season matches and advanced to the semifinals of the 2012/13 Hyundai A-League.
The 2013/14 season represented a high point in Mulvey’s career: he led Brisbane Roar to secure their second Premier's Plate and third A-League Championship within four years. The team clinched the Premier's Plate with a commanding 10-point lead—the second-largest margin in A-League history—and triumphed 2–1 after extra time over Western Sydney Wanderers in the Grand Final.
Despite these accomplishments, a sluggish start to the 2014–15 season, with only one victory from six matches, resulted in Mulvey’s termination on 23 November 2014.
In February 2015, Mulvey assumed the role of Technical Director at Sabah FA and soon thereafter was promoted to head coach. He subsequently transitioned to Malaysian Premier League club Terengganu as Technical Director in July 2016, briefly acting as caretaker manager before departing at season’s conclusion.
For the 2017 season, Mulvey was appointed head coach of Thai League 1 side Police Tero F.C., successfully maintaining the club’s league status despite operating with the smallest budget among competitors. Additionally, he was selected to lead the Thai League 1 All-Stars in an August 2017 exhibition match against the Thailand national team that ended in a 3–3 draw.
In April 2018, Mulvey took over as head coach of Central Coast Mariners following Paul Okon’s departure. He exited the club by mutual consent in March 2019.
Returning to Queensland in October 2019, Mulvey joined Western Pride FC as Technical Director and Youth Coach. In his debut season, he guided their U-18 squad to an undefeated Football Queensland Premier League championship. Subsequently, he assumed dual responsibilities as Technical Director for South West Queensland Thunder FC and Head Coach at Toowoomba Grammar School.
Coaching approach
During a 2014 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Mulvey's Brisbane Roar was recognized for showcasing "the most tactically astute and technically skilled football of the year." Mulvey highlighted his preference for a dynamic, possession-oriented, and high-paced game plan: "I dislike the long-ball style... My teams embody the football I admire – maintaining possession, distributing passes, and pursuing attacks."
Managerial record
| Team | Nationality | Start | End | Performance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Gold Coast United Youth | Australia | 13 September 2009 | 4 March 2012 | |||||
| Gold Coast United (caretaker) | Australia | 22 February 2012 | 25 March 2012 | |||||
| Melbourne Victory W-League | Australia | 20 October 2012 | 18 December 2012 | |||||
| Brisbane Roar | Australia | 18 December 2012 | 23 November 2014 | |||||
| Sabah FA | Malaysia | 1 April 2015 | 30 November 2015 | |||||
| Terengganu FA | Malaysia | 1 December 2015 | 17 July 2016 | |||||
| BEC Tero Sasana | Thailand | June 2017 | November 2017 | |||||
| Central Coast Mariners | Australia | 11 April 2018 | 10 March 2019 | |||||
| Western Pride (Youth) | Australia | 1 October 2019 | 1 February 2021 | |||||
| Overall total | ||||||||
Managerial successes
Brisbane Roar
- A-League Premiership: 2013–14 A-League
- A-League Championship: 2013–14 A-League