Hmmm. Maybe it was premature of me to put the Central Coast in dead last on my 'Pick The Table' post.
Nah, still a good case to be made. 1) Management tried to get Arnold in to replace Lawrie. That should tell you something. 2) McGinchly and Travis aside their squad's still in that hard-grafting Mariners mould. Now that nearly everyone has made big steps forward in terms of squad quality I think they will be caught out. 3) Have they won anything yet?
As per point #3, I'll steal a quote from a US blog about the Gold Cup final: "They won second place!".
I will give them credit for one premiership on goal difference, two grand finals exits and making three of four finals series, but they still haven't beaten an equivalent side since December 2008.
And that's where the problem lies. It's got to do as much with morale as the cohesion of the team. The AFC Champions League was a lesson in comparison, whereby the Mariners didn't do all that well, but not horribly - they need to learn what they did right there and continue on that.
Heh, I'm trying to think of an Aussie side that didn't go through the ACL while in a major trough/rebuilding phase - Viddie's 2nd go maybe.
Both Melbourne and Adelaide have retained the core of their squads while bringing in new blood to fill up the ranks. I think they're going to do well (again for Adelaide), this time around.
Cockers with McKinna http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...drought-of-2009/2009/07/30/1248546823602.html
More on Travis.......... http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...-football-oasis/2009/07/30/1248546823608.html
And on McGlinchey......... http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...ll-oasis/2009/07/30/1248546823608.html?page=2
Merrick on the Mariners....... http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/victory-happy-with-lowkey-season-start-20090805-e9mw.html
Wilko on the game: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/clean-slate-mariners-out-for-victory-20090805-e9un.html
Full Time: Brisbane Roar 1-0 Central Coast Mariners Brisbane should have won by about three or four goals. Good game though and I enjoyed my first taste of Australian soccer.
Hey, glad you enjoyed it mate. I didn't get to watch it though but by all reports it sounded like a decent game. I'm worried about the attendance though, shocked actually
CAHILL signs for Central Coast! http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/a-league/cahill-signs-deal-with-mariners-237767
Yeah yeah, consistant, blah blah, unfashionable, getting the job done, etc etc- until they choke in the Finals............. again http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...good-to-mckinna/2009/09/28/1253989872376.html
But who's to say he had 'IT' in the first place http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...eclaim-his-mojo/2009/11/01/1257010108919.html