After a year of constant criticism of everything the Mariners stood for and what the club was doing, I believe 2016-17 will be a bounce back season.
In many ways the Mariners mirror a more reflective mainstream community similar to many other parts of Australia than other clubs. Having no past NSL history and no real ethnic connections has in the past led to much figure pointing.
Many see this as not being acceptable in some way. Yet there is no logical reason that a lack of ethnic connection nor past NSL history make the Mariners any less a football club.
In many ways because the Mariners have had to fight for their survival against the league in the first place, and being questioned about why they are allowed to play with real football clubs, they have become more determined.
However in the face of all snobbery, the Mariners from season one have had an academy. The Mariners have provided more Socceroos than any other club.
The Mariners have invested more in player development and facilities arguably than the rest of the A-League combined. The Mariners are the only club in the A-League that has a direct link with a specialised football private school.
The constant criticism of the current owner has boarded on abuse by many in the media. However did anyone report on what he was doing or saying in great detail to fans on the Coast? Funny about that, I missed those articles as well.
Mike Charlesworth made one huge error, a massive mistake. Charlesworth rushed the appointment of his first CEO and then took his word rather than analysed what he was saying. It almost sent the club broke.
Charlesworth tried to bring in investors but none could be found. By this time Charlesworth had fired his mistake. He spent time and managed to get the current CEO who is doing an excellent job.
He said I have to save this club and to do that we are going to endure one or two years of extreme pain.
He appointed people he knew could run a club in Peter Storrie, and a coaching consultant in Harry Redknapp.
The Fox crew almost were salivating on negative things to talk about the Mariners last year. Of course not because anyone on Fox had lost a job or not got a job.
With the club on the brink of financial collapse and the COE stalled, Charlesworth – by a fair bit the poorest owner – steadied the ship. He reasoned in a no-relegation league you could have a bad year and rebuild.
Throughout all this however he maintained the core Mariner philosophy of developing young players of exceptional talent who can play in our teams and be sold to balance the budget.
Charlesworth saved the Mariners and developed a business plan to win the competition within five years.
So why does this make the Mariners the most important side in the A-League? Two general reasons. First the Mariners are showing how to convert people from other codes to football. Second we will still produce more Socceroos than any other side.
As a final note the Mariners fans may not be the loudest, nor turn up in the greatest numbers, but we know football.
We will be competitive again this year, Paul Okon is a masterstroke – at least I hope so.
Midfielder
Guest
Thanks apaway I am sure we will be better this year as will the entire league really looking forward to a big season .
apaway
Roar Guru
Well said, Mid.It was sad to see the Mariners have to endure last season, especially for a club who are one of the most successful in the league's history. The Walmsley era was a disaster, probably necessitated by some of the points you made, but Paul Okon is a much more palatable alternative than a self-appointed head coach. I find it a little strange that so many people view the Central Coast as "NRL territory." The NRL HAD a club there and it failed abysmally, rejected and unwanted by locals. Sure, the NRL plays games there throughout the season (Souths, Wests Tigers, Manly and the Roosters each move a home game there from memory) but it is the Mariners who have thus far been the only sporting club in the region to attract a consistent supporter base. And if a lot of those fans are converts from rugby league, so much the better!
Bondy
Guest
Midfielder Isn't funny Mr Football & Harry Houdini are feverishly playing football and the mariners down on the Coast they know we're thriving and aussie rules will never be taken seriously on the central coast , jealousy & envy are powerful actions ...
asanchez
Roar Guru
Good read Mid, The COE is coming up a treat, and it needs to do so, to bring much some needed and consistent cash into the Mariners. I disagree on the title of the article, as I think that all 10 clubs are just as important as each other to grow the A-league overall. But obviously I know the Mariners have the toughest task of them all, in terms of survival. However, if you look at the pure numbers of members and crowds they pull in year on year, the Mariners deliver consistently, even in their lean years on the field, they still do ok considering their population base up there. I wish them the best this season, I actually think the squad that Walmsley put together before he got the flick, is one of the better teams they've had in a while. Let's see how Paul Okon goes up there. Good luck Mid, it promises to be a great season.
Harry Houdini
Guest
"Today, Football close to 16, 000 players, RL 1, 800, Union under a thousand and AFL somewhere between 200 and 250 I am told." HA-HA - he Central Coast has 23 junior clubs in their catchment area. Within these 23 clubs there are over 7,000 players currently participating the Rugby League at various levels. AFL NSW/ACT Central Coast development co-ordinator Samuel Shergold said he was pleased with the growth of all nine local clubs. “The growth across the region in club participation and school based programs has been pleasing to see,” Mr Shergold said. “We had over 950 participants in our club competitions in 2015 and we are aiming to grow this figure in 2016 to over 1000 participants, if not more.
pauly
Guest
Or because you're only as strong as your weakest link...
Youngalex
Guest
Well it's a good job the Mariners. Did raid the western suburbs farm, because the Wanderers or any other team has not promoted the players from said area
Midfielder
Guest
Just to make the point a little clearer ... A better vid of the COE and the CC generally... does anyone out there after watching this think FFA want us out...Or we wanta leave... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlF9saDG3S8
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
There is a contingent in Sydney who see the Mariners as the primary reason as to why a North Sydney team will not eventuate under the existing model. They are correct in this respect however need to move on as the Mariners are not going anywhere.
Midfielder
Guest
Bob Just makes me wanta spit chips when I constantly read things said about us and often driven by Sydney media who have never reconciled that we should be in the competition.... This has lead often to social media and many fans saying things which are so untrue. If anyone looks at the vid of the CEO you see arguably Australia's best sporting facility and when finished arguably equal to anything in Asia and it will be finished. Our CEO has a particular thread on our forum... he posted this yesterday pertaining to a question on the COE from a Mariner poster...This is only hours old...This is community engagement and keeping us all in the loop... funny I bet this never gets reported in the press... Question posted on the CEO's thread from P Jennings """ Hi Shaun Moving away from the managerial discussions I want to know more about the COE and investment in the COE and the club. I had heard that one of the consortiums that were interested in the Jets was led by the Hawaiian businessman and part-time resident of Blue Bay Jeff Von Schmauder. Has there been any contact with that consortium in regards to investing in the Mariners and the COE? I have heard the next stage will be a gymnasium next to the swim school. When is this build likely to commence and is there a timetable for the following stages?""" Answer from the CEO """"Hi pjennings Jeff has actually purchased a suite in the building and has set up his offices right next to ours, so in short the answer is yes there has been contact and they have invested in the COE, mind you I would not wish to imply there was anything on a grand stage and football discussed as it has been a clean property purchase arrangement only. In regards to the next steps we are in the process of revisiting the master plan to ensure this are still on track and the main component that needs to be address is the traffic management on Wyong road, once this is completed it will pave the way for the next stages to get happening really quickly.""""
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Its prime real estate on the central coast, right next to Tuggerah train station, shopping centre and M1. The way real estate prices are going in Sydney and the Central Coast its probably already worth double the millions they paid for it. When its fully finished it will be worth a fortune and the operating revenue will help bankroll the Mariners for years to come.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
The Mariners are under no threat from a third Sydney team. A third Sydney team will probably give the league a boost like the Wanderers did. 3 Sydney team means 6 to 9 Sydney derbies a season instead of 4. Cronulla Sharks have already entered discussions with the FFA and have put their hand up for the 11th A-League club license out of Shark Park and will bankroll the new club. Of course, the Cronulla Sharks CEO is Lyle Gorman the former CEO of the Wanderers who set them up so nicely and should do another great job with this franchise. Great potential there and existing synergies with Gorman and the new Head of the A-League Greg O'Rourke, who was the president of the Sutherland Shire Football Association and on the board of Football NSW. The options the FFA are exploring are whether to run an 11 team comp and have a weekly bye, wait for the 12th team or wait till we have 13 or 14 teams. A decision and expansion timeframe is yet to be set. Rumours that Tim Cahill and Scott Chipperfield have thrown their hat in the ring to help out a Wollongong A-League team bid. Its all very positive and the FFA can even help bankroll the new expansion teams with the extra millions it will get from the new media deal later this year. The FFA board is split between maintaining the status quo and consolidating or expanding to 11 or 12 teams.
Harry Houdini
Guest
Nah, you cant even get rugby numbers right, and allegedly a sport you follow. Central Coast Junior Rugby Union was formed in 1980 and to date, has well over 1200 Junior Players registered across the coast. ( 2014) http://centralcoastjuniors.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=183 Quite frankly no one can believe anything you write, do you actually refuse to research deliberately ?.
Midfielder
Guest
CEO Master Plan will be totally finished roughly two years… http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/di/library/Central_Coast_Mariners/d5/7b/centre-of-excellence-opening_1wvsmbr1ejfp01whohbdeqniro.jpg?t=1076745451
Midfielder
Guest
Marcel Its funny we have had far more issue and attacks from Sydney media than any opposition from RL on the Coast. SBS have never wanted us ... Fox recently have a former coach someone who applied for a coaching position and did not get an interview and a father who's son was dropped from the squad and two I think are related by marriage. We have been given a harder time by many football folk especially in the media than any local resistance. TBH RL, Union, Surf Clubs everyone gets behind the Mariners even if they don't go to matches. While I will concede I may have been a tad over the top but the central theme is largely true.
Harry Houdini
Guest
Today, Football close to 16, 000 players, RL 1, 800, Union under a thousand and AFL somewhere between 200 and 250 I am told. Who told you ?, was it Punter, Bondy or Nemesis ...ha ha nemesis i bet.
Midfielder
Guest
In response to some on here who doubt our future... For those that wanta to say we are league in-spite of the massive shift in player numbers and many other indicators... Watch this...this is where the CEO is now... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61LNdQN3_7E
marcel
Guest
Mid...Im pretty sure we agree on all of that...maybe I just worded my posts poorly. Anyway..Cheers for putting the article together..as a supporter It must be tough listening to the constant deathriding that goes on.
Midfielder
Guest
MF Absolute F BS Please tell me FFA want to throw away the COE...
Midfielder
Guest
Sorta double post marcel Punter nailed it… many of our crowd are nrl folk who their kids drag there… do you fail to see how important that is .. Slowly many of those nrl folk are becoming football folk and the player numbers have been unbelievable. If you snip coffee in an inner city clique or can chat to neighbours who grew up watching great sides and player in European leagues then so be it… the CC has none of that history and if you are honest many other parts of Australia are similar. Whether the coffee shop clique and the already knowledgeable understand it or not, we are not the most popular code in Australia, we rank well behind both the NRL and AFL… In fact the the REAL GROWTH in Football will be as many have discussed when we learn how to convert the playing base and their connections to watchers on TV and going to matches… currently 18% compared to other codes 86% if this does not scream at you for a solution then I am not sure what will.. We are showing how to convert the player base … As to we have Football knowledge yes we do … not everyone needs to come from an ethnic background nor western sydney… when I talk to Mariner fans we are quite knowledgeable.. But back to the point… the single biggest issue in Football is converting the player base to a TV watcher… come to teh Coast and learn how its done .. rather than listen to the Sour Bitter ones who did not get their way with JON… We can show you how we have and we do…. just do the maths on players alone…