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Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna is taking responsibility for finding the spark to revive his club’s stuttering A-League campaign following five successive losses.
The Mariners have slumped to ninth following a New Year’s Eve 2-0 home loss to Wellington Phoenix, which left them winless in six games.
They had a similar slump last campaign, failing to win any of their last five games.
That wretched form continued into the Asian Champions League where the Mariners failed to win any of their six group games.
Particularly worrying for McKinna is their record in Gosford, where they have only won once this season.
They haven’t experienced victory at home in five games since mid September, losing their past three.
“We don’t have a magic wand to get out confidence back,” McKinna told reporters.
“We just need to lift and pick our chins up and look for that spark.
“I think at the moment nobody is willing to give that spark and is looking for somebody else to do it and it’s going to take some individuals to step up.
“I’ll put my hand up, I’m responsible for it, so I will be looking for some spark about the place to try and inject it. That’s infectious once somebody does it.”
McKinna acknowledged his players could well be conscious of last season’s slump.
“Fitness wise the boys are the fittest they’ve ever been, the results don’t lie.
“But is it a mental thing? We have to look at that stuff over the next few days and chuck it all in the pot and try and come up with some recipe.”
Asked whether the Mariners have a team psychologist, McKinna joked:
“I need one just now, I tell you …. it’s certainly something the club has looked at in the past, it might be the answer.”
Young goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, deputising for Socceroos squad member Danny Vukovic, said the Mariners had to get back to their traditional style.
“I think we just sat back and gave them a bit too much space.”
Asked what his new year’s resolution was, McKinna joked:
“Try not being depressed.”
“All our great results have been away from home apart from the Gold Coast game (which we won 3-0).
“It’s hard for us to have a good crowd turn up today (Thursday’s season-best of 11,137) and get beaten.”
McKinna will regain Vukovic and Dean Heffernan from international duty and defender Nigel Boogaard for next week’s game away to North Queensland.
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