The post-mortem in Gosford has begun just two days after Central Coast Mariners’ season ended, with three players released.
Ex-NPL Victoria trio Francesco Stella, Tomislav Uskok and Dan Heffernan have all been cut by the club as it looks to put behind it a dreadful 2015-16 season full of unwanted records, capped off by a first ever wooden spoon.
Having joined Central Coast in January from Avondale, 24-year-old Stella made just eight appearances for the Mariners, averaging only 36 minutes per performance.
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Heffernan was plucked from Heidelberg United after starring in the FFA Cup and state level competitions, but failed to impress. The striker made only seven appearances for the Yellow and Navy, registering a measly single shot at goal.
A product of Melbourne Knights, Uskok also struggled to hold down a berth in Tony Walmsley’s first team, starting and finishing only two matches.
Central Coast said in a statement that it thanked all three players for their contributions to the club. The cuts are likely to be the first of many after a disastrous season on the New South Wales coast.
The Mariners finished the A-League season dead last with just 13 points and only three wins – only the now defunct New Zealand Knights have registered a worse return in the league’s history.
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