Good CCM reports

[MrCelery]

Graham Arnold happy to fly under the radar with Mariners

BY: RAY GATT From: The Australian March 27, 2012 12:00AM

WHEN Central Coast Mariners came within seconds of winning last season's A-League title, critics shrugged their shoulders and claimed it was a result born more of hard work than ability.

Forget that the Mariners had been tipped as likely wooden spooners, for Brisbane Roar had won the Premiers Plate by the length of the Flemington straight, played the best football and was the best-coached side.

It was more of the same at the start of this season. Brisbane Roar was almost every pundit's pick to win the Premiers Plate/Championship double, while the Mariners, the ugly ducklings of Australian soccer, were thought to be a chance to make up the finals and not much more.

When the Gosford-based club hit financial strife and was forced to sell striker Matt Simon and then classy midfielder Rostyn Griffiths - both to the lure of the big money in Asia - it was again written off.


And the chorus of doubters grew louder as the Mariners hit a mid-season slump.

Now, despite having his first major trophy as a coach tucked away, Graham Arnold knows nothing is going to change. This season's minor premier will most likely take a back seat to the likes of Roar, Perth Glory and even Wellington Phoenix in talk of championship contenders.

In his two seasons with the club, the former Socceroos coach, who must be favourite to win the coach-of-the-year award, has become used to his side not getting much credit.

He won't go so far as to say it is a lack of respect, but Arnold understands the Mariners are never going to be up there with the glamour clubs like Brisbane Roar or Melbourne Victory, no matter how well his players do on the field. But that's the way he likes it. He is blue singlet not white collar. It's the way he was brought up.

"Sometimes it gets to you, for sure," Arnold said yesterday. "But that's sport. Certain clubs attract attention and others don't. You live with it.

"As a club, we are happy to fly under the radar. We don't like being favourites. Brisbane can have the favourites tag, but they can't have what we have now - this season's Premiers Plate.

"I am old school. For me, the minor premiership is the true mark of a team's performance during the season. It rewards consistency over 25 weeks.

"The finals are a different story. It's a new ball game."

Arnold said he was overcome with emotion after the 2-1 win over Wellington Phoenix in Wellington on Sunday to clinch the Premiers Plate.

"It's been a tough season for all sorts of reasons," he said. "We have had the financial issues, the fact we have only been able to train on half a field all season, losing Matty and Rostyn, going through that form slump and now having to fit in an Asian Champions League campaign.

"Things like that would have brought down a lesser club. But no one here has complained. They have shown wonderful character. It's a great dressing-room, full of determination, desire and passion."

 

[Wombat]

Spot on.

The team and coaching staff have been a credit to the coast. Now its time for us to repay the debt and roar them on to victory.

When BT has a baying crowd they is no better place to be in Australia and you can see other teams and officials wilt under the storm.

COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!

 

[MrCelery]

Mariners finally set to become big fish after years as league's minnows

Michael Cockerill (SMH)

March 29, 2012
Read later


THE Central Coast Mariners know all about finals matches - they've played more than anyone else. But what they don't know is what it's like to win a championship.

It's a big distinction, even though purists, such as Graham Arnold, will tell you the minor premiership is what matters. Consistency over a season is the ultimate goal. But in this country, in this league, it's the grand final which counts.

The Mariners have been in three of them, and lost them all. A year ago, in Brisbane, was the most excruciating of the lot. But here they are again, going into the business end of the season like they mean it. To bounce back from the devastation of losing like they did against Brisbane Roar confirms what we already knew - this is a special club. And there's a feeling on the eve of the play-offs that the Mariners are finally going to get what they deserve - a title.

Yesterday, at their rapidly evolving centre of excellence at Tuggerah, the entire squad and coaching staff welcomed the media inside the camp. Chairman Peter Turnbull was puffed up like a proud parent, as he should be. Off the field, Turnbull has been through the mill as he attempts to end the hand-to-mouth existence which has blighted the club's development during the first seven years of the A-League.

The Mariners are a small club who want to think big, and as the media briefing progressed, in the background a steady stream of trucks were delivering topsoil to the site of what - possibly by next week - will be a new training pitch. Things are on the move, although not at the speed Turnbull would like. If the centre does become the state-of-the-art $40 million project it's designed to be, then Arnold will have the best training facilities in the A-League, and Turnbull will have the revenue stream he needs. Instead of feeling sorry for the Mariners, people might actually envy them. And there's a lot to envy.

Take away the small irritations - such as the players paying for their own sandwiches on away trips, the shipping containers which double up as a gym, the fact they have spent long periods training at public parks - and the Mariners have something worth boasting about. Spirit. Perhaps it's because of the adversity they have such a powerful camaraderie. Or maybe it's because so many of their recruits have arrived at Bluetongue Stadium as discards with something to prove. Whatever the case, the spirit is real, and it's almost unique.

John Hutchinson sees it every day. One of four foundation players still at the club, the Maltese international is like a village elder, passing on the wisdom, and culture, to the new recruits, some of them barely out of school. That the Mariners have won the Premier's Plate at the same time they have blooded some of the most exciting youngsters in the country is a source of pride.

''We're always thrown around as the small team in the small town, but I'm very proud of what we've achieved,'' Hutchinson said. ''To see what the club is slowly growing into is something very special. The boys that come in, maybe they haven't been so successful at other clubs, but it's the culture we give them that makes the difference. We bring them in on that, what the club is about, what we all need to do to achieve our goals …

''Over seven years, I've never seen a Mariners team chuck the towel in. Players come here, they see the culture, they see that the boys are together, that we're friends, we're mates. I always know the guy next to me is giving 100 per cent, no matter what. We all pick up on that, and I think that's what's made us so successful.''

But not quite successful enough. Until the Mariners win the championship, they're the nearly-men of the A-League. They know it. This is the year they can put that right. After last weekend's win in Wellington, which secured the Premier's Plate, the entire squad plus coaching staff went out for beers. The old-fashioned way. ''[We were] just laughing and mucking around,'' Hutchinson says. ''But the thing is, everyone was there. Players, coaches, everyone. Is that what it's like at other teams? I doubt it.''

 

[Muppet]

God I hate Mike Cockerill. He should crawl back from whence he came.

 

[MrCelery]

Not sure what your beef is Muppet. He's always given us a fair airing. And in a media crowded with negative football articles, it's nice to be the focus of something upbeat.

 

[finally retired]

Not sure what your beef is Muppet. He's always given us a fair airing. And in a media crowded with negative football articles, it's nice to be the focus of something upbeat.

agree totally....I thought the article was very positive to the Mariners. He was stating the obvious...that we don't have cash like a lot of other clubs....but despite that we DO have heart and we have a culture that should be envied by all other clubs....
despite Cockerill being a Sydney "lover", he's written plenty of good things about us and is always suggesting that Sydney can learn so much from the way we operate.
I read the article in a positive light and will keep seeing it that way

 

[Muppet]

Not sure what your beef is Muppet. He's always given us a fair airing. And in a media crowded with negative football articles, it's nice to be the focus of something upbeat.

No beef per se other than a general comment about Cockerill and my thoughts on him. Totally agree that every bit of press in a crowded market is a good thing and I love Hutchos comments. Guess I'll crawl back under my rock.

 

[T]

From the World Game

Read Later

The reincarnation of Graham Arnold29 Mar 2012 | 12:54-Philip Micallef


Graham Arnold's image as an aspiring coach was at a low ebb four years ago as he sought to make a mark on the managerial side of football.



As coach of Australia's Olyroos, the former striker who played 54 times for his country was roundly criticised after the team's early exit from the football tournament of the Beijing Olympics.

He also was in charge of the national team during its unspectacular AFC Asian Cup campaign in 2007 when it lost to Japan on penalties in the quarter-finals.

His brief appointment as interim Socceroos coach came between stints as assistant to World Cup coaches Guus Hiddink in 2006 and Pim Verbeek in 2010.

The general feeling among many Australian pundits was that he was an able lieutenant but he lacked the qualities and experience to be a commander.

Fast forward to 2012 and Arnold is basking in the glory of a far more respectful stature after adapting himself effortlessly to the day-to-day routine of club coaching.

Arnold's star continued to rise at the weekend when his Central Coast Mariners side secured the A-League premiership in his second season as club coach.

This week he was rewarded for his efforts by being named A-League coach of the year by players' union Professional Footballers Australia.

This success arrived a year after the Mariners came within seconds of beating Brisbane Roar in an epic grand final that will be remembered for a long time.

Arnold, described by The Australian this week as “more blue singlet than white collar”, has done all this without any big names other teams could count on.

Rival coaches had the luxury of dealing with such crowd-pullers as Thomas Broich, Besart Berisha, Paul Ifill, Shane Smeltz, Brett Emerton, Nick Carle, Harry Kewell, Archie Thompson and Fred.

However Arnold had to make do with a blend of experienced players and emerging youths that has yielded a hard-working and dependable outfit that thrives on an uncompromising defence and a crafty midfield.

Never has the adage that a champion team is better than a team of champions rung truer.

The Mariners are a more refined outfit these days after shedding the “no frills” tag that was unkindly bestowed upon them since day one, probably because they were always seen as a battling team that punched above their weight.

The fluent passing game developed by Arnold is beginning to pay dividends because the Mariners seem to be the only team in Australia with the capacity to consistently trouble Ange Postecoglou's Roar.

Brisbane's 5-1 bashing in Gosford 16 months ago seems like a distant memory now.

And Arnold, 48, could only achieve this by keeping his players focussed in the good times and during a period of turbulence in the latter part of this season that could have aborted the Mariners' flight to glory.

He has strengthened the camaraderie in the dressing room that was the hallmark of his predecessor Lawrie McKinna and kept his players' feet well and truly on the ground.

Which is not an easy task considering the widespread media attention given to whiz kids Matthew Ryan, Mustafa Amini, Bernie Ibini and more recently Tomas Rogic.

A few weeks ago, when the Mariners were leading the competition by a commanding 11 points, I rang Arnold to ask him if he would be tempted to rotate his squad in the last rounds of the league so as to fit in the club's tough AFC Champions League commitments.

”Speak to me when we secure the title, we're not there yet,” Arnold wisely told me.

Arnold's point was that football is a strange and unpredictable game and has a way of making people look silly for making hasty statements.

Arnold's concern was vindicated almost immediately because the team suffered a form slump with the finish line in sight and it only secured its richly deserved premiership in the last round of the competition proper, beating Wellington Phoenix 2-1 away.

It is a measure of the self-belief that Arnold has instilled in his players that they overcame a difficult period in the face of hot Brisbane pressure by going back to the basics and grinding out results.

What the 2012 Premiers' Plate means is that the Mariners will be playing in next year's Champions League, giving the cash-strapped club another opportunity to raise its profile and boost its brand in Asia.

The Mariners have secured two draws in their opening matches against China's Tianjin Teda and Japan's Nagoya Grampus in this year's tournament and would have an excellent chance of reaching the knockout phase if they beat Korea Republic's Seongnam Ilhwa at Bluetongue Stadium next Tuesday.

A more immediate benefit of winning the premiership is that the Mariners will go into the finals series as favourites to win the title that has eluded them since the league started in 2005-2006.

The Mariners face Brisbane at Suncorp on Friday in the first leg of the major semi-final.

They feel quite at home at Suncorp and they won 2-1 the last time they played there.

And the Mariners' belief in their ability to go toe to toe with Brisbane is such that Arnold would be entitled to feel quietly confident about the outcome of the match.

And this is all due to the work behind the scenes that has made his former critics eat their words.

Graham Arnold may or may not lead the Mariners to their first championship but he has certainly come a long way as a football coach.

 

[Wombat]

God I hate Mike Cockerill. He should crawl back from whence he came.

Great article and very pro Mariners. Cockerill has always been an excellent journalist and he has stepped up a notch in my eyes.

Much more decent press like this and i'll have to retract the "broom up his arse" comment.

Good work Mike!

 

[MrCelery]

Not a CCM report exactly, but just a great bio on one of the Clubs greatest supporters:

Tough as old boots and now he's a living legend

April 6, 2012
Brisbane Times

The photographs may have faded but the memories have not dimmed for the first Australian to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley, writes Michael Cockerill.

THERE is a sepia-tinged photograph of Joe Marston which says it all. Ramrod straight. Chest puffed out. Hair parted perfectly. Arms to his side, feet together. The only thing missing is a salute. In front of him is the Queen Mother. Beside him, his teammates. It's Wembley, the old Wembley.

It's just before kick-off in the 1954 FA Cup final. Marston is about to play for Preston North End against West Bromwich Albion. The first Australian to play in an FA Cup final. And for a long time - until Craig Johnston scored on the same stage for Liverpool more than three decades later - the only Australian to play in football's most revered game.

What the photograph tells you about Marston is his sense of respect. Respect for authority, respect for his teammates, respect for the game. More than half a century later, the memory has dimmed, and appearances have changed. These days Marston is a grey-haired 86-year-old who walks with a limp. Three hip replacements will do that. Especially when you spent half of your career playing in heavy, steel-capped boots, kicking a leather ball held together by stitches, a football that became a medicine ball as it soaked up moisture like a sponge. Marston's best years were spent playing in sleet, and snow and driving rain, on cold, dreary, afternoons, when the lily-white shirt of one of England's most famous old clubs was usually caked in mud after the first clattering tackle. A man's game, in the most Corinthian way. Marston loved the honesty, because that's who he is. An avowedly honest man. Everything he's got out of life, he's earned. The most precious thing he's earned, the way he sees it, is respect.

Marston doesn't talk about himself easily. It's the way of his generation. But as the rain hits the roof on his townhouse in the back streets of Umina, and the kettle is boiled, the tray of biscuits presented, and he motions you to the two chairs sitting side-by-side in the study, there's an invitation to reminisce. If you're smart, and you don't ask too many questions, the answers will come at their own pace.

On the sideboard, a package from England containing the latest book about Preston North End. It arrived a few days earlier, but they still remember him at Deepdale. Until ill-health struck recently, Tom Finney, now Sir Tom Finney, would send his old teammate a Christmas card every year. A few years ago, Marston was included in Preston's official Team of the Century. He had arrived in England in 1950, after a four-day flight on a Lockheed Constellation. He came with his wife, Edie, because Preston had paid for two one-way tickets. It was officially a trial, but there was never any doubt about the outcome.

When Marston left five years later, the Lilywhites had risen from the second-tier to be a powerhouse in the old first division. He played 200 first-team games, including 196 straight. He also made a Football League XI and roomed with the boy wonder, Manchester United's Duncan Edwards.

In the end, Marston left not because the club wanted to lose him, but simply because he was homesick. Not rich, but rich with experience. A measure of the man is that he left on his terms. Which is why he's revered, to this day, in the blue-collar heartland of Lancashire.

There are photos and medals on his garage wall, and boxes full of newspaper clippings, to remind him of what used to be. But he carries another memento. On his left knee there's still a scar. He doesn't remember the game, or the opposition. But he does remember the pain. ''I got opened up from here to here,'' he says. ''They took me inside, and poured whiskey into the wound. Then they put in six stitches, and sent me back out there. I had a little slug from the bottle myself. In those days you didn't have substitutes. And I remember how cold it was. That's why there wasn't a lot of blood.''

Tough as old boots, is Joe. It's how he was taught by ''Digger'' Evans and Billy Orr when he came to first grade at Leichhardt-Annandale, aged 17, from a church team at Petersham. It was 1943. ''Those two blokes, they were hard as nails,'' he says. ''You didn't answer back, you listened. And you bloody well did what you were told.'' Joe met the love of his life, Edie, in the grandstand at Lambert Park. His other love was football. Blessedly, he's still married to both.

These days, Edie is in a nursing home 10 minutes away. Joe drives there every morning, and home every afternoon. He sometimes thinks about moving into the home, but there's shrubs to prune and the freedom of having his own television room. ''Besides, I'm not sure about the food,'' he laughs.

It's good to see him laugh. The laughter comes easily, in truth. Maybe that's because, by his own reckoning, he's a lucky man. When he got back from England, he'd finally saved enough to buy his own home. Before he left, he made paintbrushes for a living. When he came back, he returned to his old job. He's never been back to England since, despite being invited many times. ''We couldn't really afford it,'' he says, without rancour. Joe's first house was a fibro cottage in Lidcombe. He painted it himself, with his own paintbrushes. I ask him if he still has the shirt from his debut with the national team. He first wore that wonderful white jersey with the green and gold ''V'' in 1947, against visiting South Africa. He's got the cap: No. 97. But the shirt? ''Oh, that. I used it to paint the house.'' Laughing, again.

Marston went on to play 34 times for Australia over 12 years - either side of his spell in England. He also coached his country, once, in an unofficial match against the touring Italian side, AS Roma, in 1966. Only two others - Frank Farina and Graham Arnold - have captained and coached the national team. ''That Arnie, he's a good boy,'' says Marston. ''He once asked me for advice. I told him, 'Be your own man'.''

So who was the best Australian player he ever played with, or against? ''Reggie Date, definitely,'' he says. ''Great player. Great bloke. But boy he could drink. The selectors, they never liked Reggie. He was too much of a larrikin. They couldn't handle him.''

When Marston played for Australia, squads were picked by selectors, who then sat down with the captain to name the starting 11. That changed when Australia was re-admitted to FIFA in 1963, and Marston eventually tried his hand at coaching. He even had a brief spell in charge of Sydney Olympic in the early years of the NSL. But it wasn't his style. ''I'm not big on the politics,'' he says. Authority, as he sees it, should be exactly that. Not to be undermined.

Which is not to say he's stuck in a time warp. He's informed, enthused and complimentary about the modern game. It took a while, but the nation finally began to recognise Marston about 30 years ago, first with an MBE, and then with a host of individual honours, the latest as one of Australia Post's ''Living Legends''.

Various functions have kept him in touch with the game, but lately he's driving less, and his bad hip makes it hard to get up stairs. It's why he hasn't been to too many matches in Gosford over the past few seasons, although he still loves watching his beloved Central Coast Mariners on the box. ''Don't worry, I still yell at the TV,'' he says. Mariners skipper Alex Wilkinson is his favourite player. ''I love the way he can read the game,'' says Marston.

It would be better if Edie was still at home, baking in the kitchen, or his hip didn't cause him grief, or his eyesight was a bit better. But he's got his two daughters, and his two grandkids, and he's got his wit. He makes a point of coming out to the driveway to bid farewell when you leave, and you notice that he's still well-groomed, and the military bearing is still there. A proud, dignified, man is Joe Marston.''I've got nothing to complain about,'' he says. ''Life's been good to me.''

 

[marinermick]

Had the pleasure of escorting Joe and his lovely wife to the first ever Mariners match.

 

[Roy Law]

Peter Fitzsimon once wrote a book of Australia's sporting greats and didn't include Joe Marston. I have never forgiven him.

 

[Wombat]

Not a CCM report exactly, but just a great bio on one of the Clubs greatest supporters:

Tough as old boots and now he's a living legend

April 6, 2012
Brisbane Times

The photographs may have faded but the memories have not dimmed for the first Australian to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley, writes Michael Cockerill.

THERE is a sepia-tinged photograph of Joe Marston which says it all. Ramrod straight. Chest puffed out. Hair parted perfectly. Arms to his side, feet together. The only thing missing is a salute. In front of him is the Queen Mother. Beside him, his teammates. It's Wembley, the old Wembley.

It's just before kick-off in the 1954 FA Cup final. Marston is about to play for Preston North End against West Bromwich Albion. The first Australian to play in an FA Cup final. And for a long time - until Craig Johnston scored on the same stage for Liverpool more than three decades later - the only Australian to play in football's most revered game.

What the photograph tells you about Marston is his sense of respect. Respect for authority, respect for his teammates, respect for the game. More than half a century later, the memory has dimmed, and appearances have changed. These days Marston is a grey-haired 86-year-old who walks with a limp. Three hip replacements will do that. Especially when you spent half of your career playing in heavy, steel-capped boots, kicking a leather ball held together by stitches, a football that became a medicine ball as it soaked up moisture like a sponge. Marston's best years were spent playing in sleet, and snow and driving rain, on cold, dreary, afternoons, when the lily-white shirt of one of England's most famous old clubs was usually caked in mud after the first clattering tackle. A man's game, in the most Corinthian way. Marston loved the honesty, because that's who he is. An avowedly honest man. Everything he's got out of life, he's earned. The most precious thing he's earned, the way he sees it, is respect.

Marston doesn't talk about himself easily. It's the way of his generation. But as the rain hits the roof on his townhouse in the back streets of Umina, and the kettle is boiled, the tray of biscuits presented, and he motions you to the two chairs sitting side-by-side in the study, there's an invitation to reminisce. If you're smart, and you don't ask too many questions, the answers will come at their own pace.

On the sideboard, a package from England containing the latest book about Preston North End. It arrived a few days earlier, but they still remember him at Deepdale. Until ill-health struck recently, Tom Finney, now Sir Tom Finney, would send his old teammate a Christmas card every year. A few years ago, Marston was included in Preston's official Team of the Century. He had arrived in England in 1950, after a four-day flight on a Lockheed Constellation. He came with his wife, Edie, because Preston had paid for two one-way tickets. It was officially a trial, but there was never any doubt about the outcome.

When Marston left five years later, the Lilywhites had risen from the second-tier to be a powerhouse in the old first division. He played 200 first-team games, including 196 straight. He also made a Football League XI and roomed with the boy wonder, Manchester United's Duncan Edwards.

In the end, Marston left not because the club wanted to lose him, but simply because he was homesick. Not rich, but rich with experience. A measure of the man is that he left on his terms. Which is why he's revered, to this day, in the blue-collar heartland of Lancashire.

There are photos and medals on his garage wall, and boxes full of newspaper clippings, to remind him of what used to be. But he carries another memento. On his left knee there's still a scar. He doesn't remember the game, or the opposition. But he does remember the pain. ''I got opened up from here to here,'' he says. ''They took me inside, and poured whiskey into the wound. Then they put in six stitches, and sent me back out there. I had a little slug from the bottle myself. In those days you didn't have substitutes. And I remember how cold it was. That's why there wasn't a lot of blood.''

Tough as old boots, is Joe. It's how he was taught by ''Digger'' Evans and Billy Orr when he came to first grade at Leichhardt-Annandale, aged 17, from a church team at Petersham. It was 1943. ''Those two blokes, they were hard as nails,'' he says. ''You didn't answer back, you listened. And you bloody well did what you were told.'' Joe met the love of his life, Edie, in the grandstand at Lambert Park. His other love was football. Blessedly, he's still married to both.

These days, Edie is in a nursing home 10 minutes away. Joe drives there every morning, and home every afternoon. He sometimes thinks about moving into the home, but there's shrubs to prune and the freedom of having his own television room. ''Besides, I'm not sure about the food,'' he laughs.

It's good to see him laugh. The laughter comes easily, in truth. Maybe that's because, by his own reckoning, he's a lucky man. When he got back from England, he'd finally saved enough to buy his own home. Before he left, he made paintbrushes for a living. When he came back, he returned to his old job. He's never been back to England since, despite being invited many times. ''We couldn't really afford it,'' he says, without rancour. Joe's first house was a fibro cottage in Lidcombe. He painted it himself, with his own paintbrushes. I ask him if he still has the shirt from his debut with the national team. He first wore that wonderful white jersey with the green and gold ''V'' in 1947, against visiting South Africa. He's got the cap: No. 97. But the shirt? ''Oh, that. I used it to paint the house.'' Laughing, again.

Marston went on to play 34 times for Australia over 12 years - either side of his spell in England. He also coached his country, once, in an unofficial match against the touring Italian side, AS Roma, in 1966. Only two others - Frank Farina and Graham Arnold - have captained and coached the national team. ''That Arnie, he's a good boy,'' says Marston. ''He once asked me for advice. I told him, 'Be your own man'.''

So who was the best Australian player he ever played with, or against? ''Reggie Date, definitely,'' he says. ''Great player. Great bloke. But boy he could drink. The selectors, they never liked Reggie. He was too much of a larrikin. They couldn't handle him.''

When Marston played for Australia, squads were picked by selectors, who then sat down with the captain to name the starting 11. That changed when Australia was re-admitted to FIFA in 1963, and Marston eventually tried his hand at coaching. He even had a brief spell in charge of Sydney Olympic in the early years of the NSL. But it wasn't his style. ''I'm not big on the politics,'' he says. Authority, as he sees it, should be exactly that. Not to be undermined.

Which is not to say he's stuck in a time warp. He's informed, enthused and complimentary about the modern game. It took a while, but the nation finally began to recognise Marston about 30 years ago, first with an MBE, and then with a host of individual honours, the latest as one of Australia Post's ''Living Legends''.

Various functions have kept him in touch with the game, but lately he's driving less, and his bad hip makes it hard to get up stairs. It's why he hasn't been to too many matches in Gosford over the past few seasons, although he still loves watching his beloved Central Coast Mariners on the box. ''Don't worry, I still yell at the TV,'' he says. Mariners skipper Alex Wilkinson is his favourite player. ''I love the way he can read the game,'' says Marston.

It would be better if Edie was still at home, baking in the kitchen, or his hip didn't cause him grief, or his eyesight was a bit better. But he's got his two daughters, and his two grandkids, and he's got his wit. He makes a point of coming out to the driveway to bid farewell when you leave, and you notice that he's still well-groomed, and the military bearing is still there. A proud, dignified, man is Joe Marston.''I've got nothing to complain about,'' he says. ''Life's been good to me.''

BRILLIANT ARTICLE AND THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN A MONTH THAT I HAVE TO PAY HOMAGE TO COCKERILL.

ONCE AGAIN, WELL DONE MIKE.

 

[MrCelery]

The 'little' club that could

by John Davidson on Aug 23, 2012

In all fairness, the Central Coast Mariners, the A-League’s smallest club, should have gone under years ago.

They have always been run on a shoestring budget, the tiniest in a competitiom of relatively little budgets. They represent the smallest area, spend less on players than other clubs and hail from a region that is historically not strong in football. To cap it off, they have faced ownership issues since day one, with fans waiting for the Russian cavalry, and play in one of the smallest arenas in Bluetongue Stadium.

They have always done it tough, battled for players and battled to stay alive. They are still battling today.

But despite all this they have not only remained afloat – they have thrived. Sure, they may not have won any grand finals but they have been in four, and only James Holland’s outstretched hand in 2008 and last gasp goals from the Brisbane Roar in 2011 have denied them. They have been minor premiers twice, second once and only missed the finals twice in seven seasons. The Mariners have legitimate claims of being the A-League’s most successful club.

The fact that they are still around today can be put down to the hard work of several people, including coaches Lawrie McKinna and Graham Arnold, chairman and owner Peter Turnbull, long-time CEO John McKay and Alex Tobin.


The Mariners have virtually been the blueprint for an A-League franchise – engage with the fans, connect with the local community and develop players. Despite the Central Coast having a population of around only 300,000, the Mariners get good crowds. They have built strong links with local football clubs and bodies. Their average attendance last season was 9,505, which ranked them fifth highest in the league. Sure, the Central Coast has no other professional sports teams, but it also had no history in professional football or of teams in the NSL.

The Mariners have had to build a football history from scratch and done a great job.

Consistency has been a big reason for the Mariners success. McKinna was in charge for a long time while Arnold has taken over where the Scotsman left. McKinna is back now as a GM of football, and continues his good work at the club. The Mariners have always had a fairly stable playing roster – the likes of Adam Kwasnik and John Hutchinson have been with the club since day one. And the boardroom also has longevity, as while Turnbull has had his issues to deal with, he and McKay have formed a solid and consistent management presence. Compare that to the likes of their bigger, southern neighbours Sydney FC.

As I have written before, the Mariners have been able to transplant much of the Northern Spirit NSL apparatus with some success. But arguably the biggest achievement the club has managed it its eight-year existence is its scouting, discovery and development of players. For a small and under-resourced outfit, the Mariners have punched above their weight when it comes to producing talent that go on to higher stages.

Think about it – Mile Jedinak, Michael Beachamp, Danny Vukovic, Dean Heffernan, Matt Ryan, Rostyn Griffiths, Musti Amini, Bernie Ibini and Tom Rogic, to name a few. It’s an impressive line-up of players who have either gone on to play for the Socceroos, overseas or in junior national teams. Developing players and selling them on has help kept them afloat and kept them competitive. But just how have they managed to finetune and improve young players to such a high degree?

According to head coach Arnold, it comes down to pairing them with the right type of senior players. The likes of Patrick Patrick Zvaansvijk and Alex Wilkinson have been excellent mentors, and the recent addition of Mile Sterjovski continues that trend. "We try and give confidence to the kids and a put a lot of work into them," Arnold says. "We get the right type of people around them. We always try and recruit senior players who encourage younger boys on the field, even if they do make a mistake. It's a good mix, a good blend."

Apart from Rogic and Ibini, the Mariners have a few more exciting youngsters to unleash on the A-League this season. One is central defender and Olyroo Zac Anderson, an addition from Gold Coast United. Another is fellow centre back Trent Sainsbury, a former Young Socceroo, and the promotions from the Mariner youth league side, midfielder Anthony Caceres and striker Mitchell Duke. Arnold expects Anderson and Sainsbury to battle it out for Alex Wilkinson’s vacant spot. “Trent has a lot of potential, and I have all the confidence in him and Zac Anderson,” Arnold says. The head coach likens Caceres to a “young Stuart Musialik”, and Duke, a fast and powerful forward, to former Mariner Matt Simon. “He’s rough and ready,” Arnold says.

Many pundits will write the Mariners off this season, with the loss of their captain and foundation player Wilkinson, and the forced sale of two players last season. There have been few new player additions, apart from Sterjovski, and Ryan may end moving to an English club. At the same time the likes of Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and others have been revamping their rosters and changing coaches. But write off the Central Coast at your own peril. Consistency has been at the heart of their success. The little club that could would love nothing more to fly under the radar and prove everyone wrong. They’ve been doing it for the past seven seasons, and I wouldn’t bet on them doing it again.

 

[Bex]

I like the article. Only criticsms I have are that it's a bit dramatic the whole "club doing it tough" thing. e.g. "ownership issues since day one", "one of the smallest arenas in Bluetongue stadium".

As far as ownership goes we've been one of the most stable I would have thought, even if there's been a fair bit of speculation lately.

And Bluetongue stadium is a brilliant stadium for football is it not? The only argument I could think of here is that it's limited capacity probably cost us a home grand final. But as far as week to week football, I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the country.

And then there's "...wouldn't bet on them doing it again." Isn't the saying "wouldn't mind betting on them doing it again"? Or am I mistaken?

 

[Gratis]

The 'little' club that could

by John Davidson on Aug 23, 2012

So many reasons to be proud of this club, couldn't be a happier supporter and fan. Go CCM!

 

[patrick_vieira4]

the article failed to mention that during the 07-08 season when you won the minor premiership & lost the grand final to the jets, you rorted the salary cap & had one of the more expensive teams in the league. i say this because back then there was only 1 marquee allowed for every club. yours was vidmar. but as injury replacements you signed both alvin ceccoli & john aloisi - on wages much, much higher than the person they were replacing & were then considered out of the cap. so in theory you ran three marquees in a league that was only allowed 1. gorman or someone labelled it a "creative loophole" and the moment that season was over, the rule of injury replacements being paid the same or less than the person they were replacing came in as it "promoted unfair competition".

it also fails to mention that ccm were the first club to be bailed out by the ffa (season 2, i believe?) & have continually been supported through most seasons with aid from the ffa - i daresay the most ffa-sponsored club (other than wsw now). everytime an article mentions that the ffa has bailed out clubs, it says "adelaide, brisbane & newcastle" and fails to mention that on several occasions they've bailed out ccm and basically kept them alive.

the little team that could? the little team that was carried through.

go back to windale, jets bogan.

cool story bro

 

[Gratis]

you rorted the salary cap & had one of the more expensive teams in the league

Yeah ccm are known for their massive wage expenditure, they basically bought their success hey.

Yep. Good one, genius.

 

[Ravana]

the article failed to mention that during the 07-08 season when you won the minor premiership & lost the grand final to the jets, you rorted the salary cap & had one of the more expensive teams in the league. i say this because back then there was only 1 marquee allowed for every club. yours was vidmar. but as injury replacements you signed both alvin ceccoli & john aloisi - on wages much, much higher than the person they were replacing & were then considered out of the cap. so in theory you ran three marquees in a league that was only allowed 1. gorman or someone labelled it a "creative loophole" and the moment that season was over, the rule of injury replacements being paid the same or less than the person they were replacing came in as it "promoted unfair competition".

it also fails to mention that ccm were the first club to be bailed out by the ffa (season 2, i believe?) & have continually been supported through most seasons with aid from the ffa - i daresay the most ffa-sponsored club (other than wsw now). everytime an article mentions that the ffa has bailed out clubs, it says "adelaide, brisbane & newcastle" and fails to mention that on several occasions they've bailed out ccm and basically kept them alive.

the little team that could? the little team that was carried through.



cool story bro

yeah yeah, jog on.

 

[Wombat]

the article failed to mention that during the 07-08 season when you won the minor premiership & lost the grand final to the jets, you rorted the salary cap & had one of the more expensive teams in the league. i say this because back then there was only 1 marquee allowed for every club. yours was vidmar. but as injury replacements you signed both alvin ceccoli & john aloisi - on wages much, much higher than the person they were replacing & were then considered out of the cap. so in theory you ran three marquees in a league that was only allowed 1. gorman or someone labelled it a "creative loophole" and the moment that season was over, the rule of injury replacements being paid the same or less than the person they were replacing came in as it "promoted unfair competition".

it also fails to mention that ccm were the first club to be bailed out by the ffa (season 2, i believe?) & have continually been supported through most seasons with aid from the ffa - i daresay the most ffa-sponsored club (other than wsw now). everytime an article mentions that the ffa has bailed out clubs, it says "adelaide, brisbane & newcastle" and fails to mention that on several occasions they've bailed out ccm and basically kept them alive.

the little team that could? the little team that was carried through.





cool story bro


I'm not your bro Bogan boy.

Your post is like you....lame.