Mariners 2012 AFC Champions League megathread

[pjennings]

12 games in 48 days including trips to China and Korea in the run from 3/3 to the Grand Final on 20/4.

 

[garlo]

Thanks guys !

 

[midfielder]

The Mariners were the final team drawn in Group G, and will take on Tianjin Teda of China, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma of Korea Republic, and Nagoya Grampus of Japan, in their initial bid to claim Asian club football’s ultimate prize.

After the draw, Mariners Head Coach Graham Arnold was positive about his teams’ ability to excel in what can be considered a reasonably favourable draw - at least logistically - for the yellow and navy.

“Obviously the teams we play will be difficult, but if you look at where they are located the travel aspect has become a bit easier for us,” Arnold said.

“Tianjin is close to Beijing, as is Seongnam to Seoul and Nagoya to both Osaka and Tokyo.

“Obviously with the A-League starting later and the final rounds of the competition overlapping with the ACL we hope the dates of the games will be nice to us,” he said.

The Mariners’ participation in the 2012 ACL marks the second time in three years the club has competed in Asia’s top club competition.

In 2009, Central Coast’s finest finished fourth in a Group involving eventual winners Pohang Steelers of Korea Republic, Kawasaki Frontale of Japan and, as fate would have it, Tianjin Teda of the Chinese Super League.

Having learned the rigours of international competition last time out, the Mariners as a club are determined to make their mark on the tournament.

“We are focussed on the A-League, but now that we know who we will be playing we can begin our preparation for those teams,” Arnold said.

“Make no mistake, we will be leaving no stone unturned in attempting to excel in the 2012 ACL and want to represent the people of the Central Coast with distinction on the international sporting stage,” he concluded.

2012 Asian Champions League Group G
Tianjin Teda (China)
Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma (Korea Republic)
Nagoya Grampus (Japan)
Central Coast Mariners (Australia)

 

[Marquee]

Very tough group. We will be playing against Josh Kennedy (Nagoya) and Sash Ognenovski (Seongnam).

 

[dibo]

Why are there two threads? Why couldn't this go in the other one?

 

[Roy Law]

Very tough group. We will be playing against Josh Kennedy (Nagoya) and Sash Ognenovski (Seongnam).

Having seen Matty Simon run Ogmonster ragged in the past I am not too worried

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Tough group. But love Arnies conviction and intent. And he's right, we are a very different side than we were 3 years ago.
I think we can mix it with these teams. And forget Og. Dutchy Vs Og? I know who I'd rather have.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

We owe Tianjin a hiding given their appauling play acting last ACL.

Sweet god, that was just out of this world wasn't it.

 

[dibo]

I am more appalled by that spelling.

 

[marinermick]

Draw works out great with not too much disruption to domestic comp. The weekend after the Tiajin game we play in Perth on the Sunday. We can fly back through Perth and flight time is cut.

 

[dibo]

Threads merged into one - no point in having simultaneous, separate conversations about the same thing.

 

[marinerbhoy]

Trip to Korea in the school holidays coming up!

 

[yellowcake]

(I know, jumping the gun a bit 1/3 of the way through the season...)

So, if we were to maintain / repeat our 2nd place on the ladder and qualified for the GF again via the same (long) route as last season, we have:

Seongnam (at home) mid-week, between the home and away legs of the major-semi.
Seongnam (in Korea) mid-week, between the preliminary final and grand final.


Interesting preparation!

 

[Bex]

So we'll just have to win the Premiership then so we're not playing two games in the week leading up to the GF

 

[style_cafe]

The first 3 ACL games we played at home were probably the worst 3 games I`ve seen us play.
I just hope we have a go this time instead of laying down.

 

[kevrenor]

Draw works out great with not too much disruption to domestic comp. The weekend after the Tiajin game we play in Perth on the Sunday. We can fly back through Perth and flight time is cut.

Draw for us logistically is quite good, though it is one tough group!

Some more info set out here: http://back-of-the-net.com/2011-2012/Misc/acl12news.htm

 

[bikinigirl]

So we'll just have to win the Premiership then so we're not playing two games in the week leading up to the GF

. win the major semi?

 

[Roy Law]

The first 3 ACL games we played at home were probably the worst 3 games I`ve seen us play.
I just hope we have a go this time instead of laying down.

+1
It wasn't Lawrie's finest hour

 

[midfielder]

I understand how AU got in ... but does this mean we have two teams plus the third team in the A-League goes into a play off for a spot ...

 

[kevrenor]

I understand how AU got in ... but does this mean we have two teams plus the third team in the A-League goes into a play off for a spot ...

Yes