The Central Coast Mariners endured a horror 2014-15 campaign, sacking manager Phil Moss and setting a club-record winless run. Can Tony Walmsley turn things around?
Transfers
The Mariners have added depth across the park from external and internal signings. Jake McGing and Joshua Bingham have made the step up from the youth squad, Roy O’Donovan, Mitch Austin and Harry Ascroft have joined from overseas while Paul Izzo and Daniel Heffernan moved from other clubs within Australia.
These signings largely replace those released at the end of last season and cover an area of particular concern last season – up front. Bingham, O’Donovan, Heffernan and even Austin can play in the central striker’s role and will provide welcome reinforcements to a side that only scored 26 goals in the 27 regular season games last season.
Ascroft and McGing will be competing for a spot in the heart of defence alongside Jacob Poscoliero and Eddy Bosnar, with Ascroft in particular arriving from Dutch side VVV-Venlo with high expectations. Paul Izzo endured a difficult debut against Wellington in the FFA Cup, but the 20-year-old has played for Australia at various youth levels and has a bright future ahead of him.
Last season
It was a horror start to the season for the Mariners, enduring a 12-match winless run after an opening win against Newcastle Jets. Phil Moss survived until the Asian Cup break, but he was eventually axed in March after failing to make a significant change in the club’s fortunes. The side finished in eighth, missing the finals for the first time since 2009-10 and suffering off the pitch as well with below-par attendances. Central Coast do not have the resources to compete at the level of the Melbourne clubs and Sydney FC this season, but a finals place is certainly achievable this season.
Manager
Tony Walmsley initially returned to the club as technical director, before taking on the added role of head coach once Phil Moss was sacked in March. With just eight games left in the season there was no chance of securing a finals place, but the Englishman showed enough improvement in the side to earn a contract for the coming season.
The 49-year-old continues in his dual role this campaign, but with only a one-year contract he could be simply holding the position until the newly-retired John Hutchinson has the appropriate qualifications to take over.
Strengths
The squad is bursting with young talent in most positions and several of these players have a significant number of A-League matches under their belts. Storm Roux is a New Zealand international at right back, while 22-year-old Anthony Caceres is an automatic selection in central midfield. Youth internationals Harry Ascroft, Paul Izzo, Liam Rose and Anthony Kalik would also be expected to feature in the first team over the course of the season.
Weaknesses
The squad needs to find a regular goalscorer – last season Fabio Ferreira finished equal top-scorer with three and only played half the matches after a move from Adelaide during the campaign. Roy O’Donovan has been in fine form during the pre-season, but until he starts producing the goods in the A-League the problem is far from solved.
Key Player – Anthony Caceres
The young playmaker is one of the first names on the teamsheet after cementing his place in the starting eleven last season. However, despite his silky skills the 23-year-old struggled to make a consistent impact in the final third, only scoring once all season. By adding more goals to his game and building an understanding with new strikers Heffernan and O’Donovan, Caceres can lead the Mariners to greater heights.
Best XI
(4-2-3-1): Reddy; Roux, Poscoliero, Ascroft, Rose; Mongtomery, Rose; Ferreira, Caceres, Fitzgerald; O’Donovan.
Prediction – 6th place
Although there is no real star power beside the new arrivals at Central Coast Stadium, there appears to be enough solidarity and cohesion within the squad to secure results against the weaker sides in the league. Provided one of the new forwards steps up to the plate and reaches double digits in scoring, the Mariners will be able to secure a return to the finals.
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