Okon gone

[Big Al]

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2018/03/20/hopeful-start-okon-and-mariners-soon-grew-apart

Not a bad article, a little balance

 

[Tevor]

Another aspect is also how we played the last month or so, real lack of effort shown by most players. Guessing he lost the change room and a strong possibility they underperformed to put him under pressure and perhaps Tom, Wout and Alan may have knifed him as well. Not much has been said about how the team responded to the news. Wouldn’t be the first time players orchestrate the demise of a manager. If Tom and Wout stay then maybe they we’re influencers. SM is a smart CEO I think the club has been smart since he has been on board and I suspect they planned his resignation with the blessing of the leadership group of the team.

I thought it may have been the SFC rumours but maybe it was the players sick of plan A when they knew it wasn’t working for them and doing it better was a ridiculous plan B.

 

[Big Al]

Another aspect is also how we played the last month or so, real lack of effort shown by most players. Guessing he lost the change room and a strong possibility they underperformed to put him under pressure and perhaps Tom, Wout and Alan may have knifed him as well. Not much has been said about how the team responded to the news. Wouldn’t be the first time players orchestrate the demise of a manager. If Tom and Wout stay then maybe they we’re influencers. SM is a smart CEO I think the club has been smart since he has been on board and I suspect they planned his resignation with the blessing of the leadership group of the team.

I thought it may have been the SFC rumours but maybe it was the players sick of plan A when they knew it wasn’t working for them and doing it better was a ridiculous plan B.

If he was sacked then yeah players got him but we offered him a contract and the players were the ones at risk except the 3 imports who all have contracts but Tom and Baro have been good under Paul. Brama not so much. I expected more from him

 

[Tevor]

If he was sacked then yeah players got him but we offered him a contract and the players were the ones at risk except the 3 imports who all have contracts but Tom and Baro have been good under Paul. Brama not so much. I expected more from him

I think Tom and Baro would be good in any team under any coach as they are quality footballers. I liked Wout early on however suspect he was the first to lose faith in Okon Ball also I think he got frustrated with the officiating hence his lash outs. DDS will be interesting since most agree he hasn’t really improved under Okon and I don’t think Okon Ball is suited to him and his style. DDS would definitely want to be improving at his age and no doubt others have told him that he also has a way to go to be a serious Socceroos contender.

 

[yorkshireman]

Possibility that talks were underway before all went South so in order to save face (as remember we have been linked with contract talks with players only to reneg at the last moment) the board brought in conditions they knew wouldn't be acceptable and forced Paolo's hand. As. far as DDS goes, I have been massively unimpressed since about round 4/5 he seems to have shown little interest in general and definitely hasn't lived up to the hype.
On Alan, Tom and Wout... I cannot see experienced, professional players like these 3 being overly impressed with Okon, Christ, if Bozza can spot the issues (A-League hour this week) so clearly then they would probably have been having a say in this as mentioned by Tevor in his post above.
Possession based play works BUT only if it is coupled with speed and intent from all involved. We were slow and careless over the past few months in particular and as a result, the style failed miserably. I can only hope that our future lies with a coach who can motivate but demands the most from the players and doesn't take any mediocre efforts, I think back to Appiah's antics earlier with swearing at his team mates and wonder how the hell this was allowed. Did Okon let it slide, did he say something but have no consequences for a repeat? either way, not a good quality for a coach.

 

[scottmac]

Paul Okon was on borrowed time at the Mariners

Paul Okon has walked away from the Mariners with four games left in the season.

• RAY GATT
• The Australian
• 12:00AM March 21, 2018
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It was a meeting that lasted less than 10 minutes and led to him quitting as Central Coast coach, but Paul Okon’s tenure at the club had been in serious jeopardy for some time as their season went from bad to worse.

As revealed exclusively on The Australian’s website yesterday, Okon opted to walk out with four games still left in the regular season after refusing to accept certain conditions if he was to retain the job at the Mariners next season.

The Australian understands those conditions were put to him by Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp during what turned out to be a short and tense meeting at Okon’s home in Bossley Park yesterday.

It is believed they revolved around Okon having far less involvement in the club’s player recruitment process and improving his man management style.

It has also been suggested that the Socceroos legend’s relationship with Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth had cooled considerably over the past three or four months and played a part.

During the meeting Okon, who was in the final year of a two-year deal, was told if he wanted to stay on he would have less of a say on which players were signed next season.

He had signed three visa players this season, Dutch duo Wout Brama and Tom Hiariej, as well as Spanish striker Asdrubal.

The Asdrubal signing was one that came back to haunt Okon given the club refused to meet Irish striker Roy O’Donovan’s claims for an upgraded contract. O’Donovan eventually linked with the Newcastle Jets while Asdrubal lasted a little over half the season before being released to return to Spain.

Brama has hit suspension problems several times while Hiariej, who has been the best performer of the three, is now sidelined for the rest of the season after sustaining an injury in round 21.

Okon was responsible for bringing the talented Danny De Silva back to the A-League. He was signed on a three-year deal and it remains to be seen what the exciting midfielder will do now.

Okon’s relationship with Charlesworth has been on the slide for some time and it was clear the Mariners coach was unhappy that he wasn’t given enough funds to delve deeper into the transfer market. The Mariners have not spent the whole of their allowed $2.55 million salary cap and Okon wasn’t afraid to make that point after games.


“I wouldn’t say the relationship was poisonous but they didn’t seem to understand each other,” an insider said. “There was never a lot of connection between the two of them.”

Okon took over the Mariners just before the start of last season after Tony Walmsley was sacked during the pre-season. He was at a disadvantage starting so late and being restricted to a squad he had no say in putting together.

However, with more control over signings and a full pre-season, he was expected to do a lot better and, for a time, it appeared the Mariners were responding.

At one stage the club was in fourth spot, having been the only club at that stage to beat Sydney FC. However, things started to go pear shaped and they went 11 games without a win, slipping to near the bottom of the table.

Okon’s assistant Ivan Jolic has also left the club. Mariners national youth league coach Wayne O’Sullivan will take charge as caretaker for the rest of the season.

Mariners legend John Hutchinson, now coaching in the second tier of the MLS in the US, could come under serious consideration for the job.

Just what happens to Okon remains to be seen. He has been linked with the job at Sydney FC, who will lose Graham Arnold at the end of the season.

Mielekamp was reluctant to discuss the situation regarding Okon, but said: “We wish Paolo all the best. He has taken the club dramatically forward in difficult circumstances. It is now crucial that the club moves forward in a positive manner and everyone gets behind the boys on the field for the remaining part of the season.”

Okon said in a statement: “I will forever be grateful to the Mariners for the opportunity they gave me. I thank the players for their commitment and the fans for their support. Finally, I wish the club all the best in the future.”

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[Gratis]

I like all the talk about Okon walking out of the meeting...it was at his place.

 

[Gratis]

Hopeful start but Okon and Mariners soon grew apart
https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2018/03/20/hopeful-start-okon-and-mariners-soon-grew-apart

The main reason is because there's not enough jobs to go round. Without a second division, and slim prospects abroad, you'd have to be extremely unhappy to walk out.

Which leads us to the surprising news about Paul Okon departing Central Coast.

Talk about Okon leaving has been circling in the industry for some time – much of it with a rumoured link to Sydney FC – but you still don't expect to see a coach press the exit button without a firm destination.
Put simply, there seemed to be a mismatching of ambition. Okon clearly has big dreams; the Mariners’ management also does, but theirs might be shaded by a different vision of how it will happen.

The rumoured fallout over the "conditions" concerning next season’s contract needs framing against this bigger picture. In any event, you need total alignment to make any progress.

Okon was, quite visibly, frustrated. He wanted to challenge and challenge hard. He's a born winner. But the Mariners' management are privately arguing that they provided ample funds – 14 new players were brought in this season – and the results didn't stack up.

Did Okon get all the players he wanted? Or was he left with the ones passed over by others? It depends on your point of view.

The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in between, and each will have their own version of the stories.

At least the two parties were prepared to offer amicable statements about each other in the exit press release. It doesn't always work out like that.

If there is a silver lining to all this, it’s that Okon’s reputation has not been hugely sullied by his first foray into management. Clearly, he has some managerial talent.

He has shown an unwavering loyalty for possession-based football, which reflects the way he himself played the game. No team – not even Sydney FC – had greater possession statistics this season.

Perhaps with better players, and some more knowledge on how to execute this high-end philosophy, Okon might reach the level he seeks.

The Mariners' gig is a really tough one for an inexperienced manager: just ask Phil Moss and Tony Walmsley.

If I was him, I'd jump on the first plane to Yokohama to learn everything I could from Ange Postecoglou.

I'd also pick Graham Arnold's brain (as soon as he finishes with Sydney) relentlessly about how he overcame his initial hurdles as a manager. Now there's a priceless opportunity for improvement.

As for the Mariners, it's a curly one. They are determined to run the club on as minimal spend as possible, which is understandable.

But that will also prohibit them from attracting elite players and coaches.

As such, they'll have to be incredibly smart in their next moves. That's now three coaches who haven’t worked out as hoped.

It now makes far more sense for them to try with an experienced pair of hands that knows success.

A bid for Aurelio Vidmar or Mike Mulvey, two proven winners at this level, would at least demonstrate ambition.

They're both free agents and would relish the chance to follow Ernie Merrick's lead.

The next best options would have to be two ex-Mariners.

Tony Vidmar hasn't coached in the A-League, but has led the Joeys and is now the assistant coach at Melbourne City.

Likewise, John Hutchinson has just taken on the Seattle Sounders' second-tier job in the United Soccer League.

However, given both are future A-League coaches, there's no rush for either.

And having just started new, stable jobs, they'll probably wait a little longer before diving back in.

Either way, with yet another year having slipped by with the Mariners not in finals contention, it's time they began to get back in the game

 

[Ozhammer]

Only time will tell if this truly is a turning point for the club but for those fearing the worst, let us at least applaud the club for not taking the easy option of maintaining a status quo that sees the team languishing in ninth place.

My understanding is that Okon’s issues of failing to listen to others were his own undoing. His first act of removing Hutch alarmed me personally and I said as much at the time. Surely a coach coming in with so little time to get up to speed would see the benefit of retaining someone with as much team and culture knowledge as our former Captain (as Arnie did at SFC with Corica). I know for a fact that Hutch was just about the only thing (along with Monty) that held the team together under the Walmsley era, which speaks volumes to his character imo. That Okon then subsequently sidelined Monty the following season, suggests a weakness of character, who fears anyone that might challenge his absolute authority.

In addition, I understand that he would not listen to his strength and conditioning coach and at Jolic’s behest, the player’s programmes were continually downgraded, meaning their fitness was never at the required level. Balder is a very well qualified coach and his input should surely have been fully respected, in order to get the absolute maximum from the playing roster. When there were opportunities to make up on some of these shortfalls, he bizarrely elected to give the players extended breaks instead.

On the issue of recruitment, I understand that he was offered a well-credentialed English Championship striker who had netted more than 20 goals in the prior season but chose to go with an unfit, injured Spaniard and we all know how that worked out don’t we?

He also allowed a drinking culture to exist within the younger playing group, which culminated in a certain individual missing a training session after a couple of days ‘celebrating’. Furthermore, his virtual total lack of interpersonal skills also caused him to fail to simply be a mentor one on one with many of the players, which is a fundamental failure that could not be afforded.

On top of all the above, his slavish persistence with a specific tactical approach, meant the team stopped believing that he had the skillset to provide a credible game plan, with that lack of belief translating into poor results on the field.

Quite simply, this club needs a coach who can motivate and inspire an average squad to perform beyond the sum of its constituent parts. To get them to truly play as a team that leaves nothing in the changing room and never lays down. Someone who works even harder when things aren’t going to plan and clearly Okon was sadly not capable of this.

So there will be no crocodile tears in my household, although there will be some collective breath holding and finger crossing, whilst the search for our next coach is conducted, as this may well prove to be the most important decision to ever affect our beloved club.

 

[Big Al]

I like all the talk about Okon walking out of the meeting...it was at his place.

Also why is the meeting at his house and why is he not at training. Surely they’re training on Tuesday after the pathetic effort Sunday and then if so why not wait till Wednesday? What was the rush?
And don’t you say thanks for the offer I’ll have a think about it. Talk to my wife and kids about it and I’ll get back to you. Even of you not happy. Then comebacks and say i need this and that to stay.
Just sounds like it’s best for everyone. You could see he didn’t care and wanted to blame everyone and everything else but him

 

[yorkshireman]

Very well written Ozhammer!

 

[scottmac]

Only time will tell if this truly is a turning point for the club but for those fearing the worst, let us at least applaud the club for not taking the easy option of maintaining a status quo that sees the team languishing in ninth place.

My understanding is that Okon’s issues of failing to listen to others were his own undoing. His first act of removing Hutch alarmed me personally and I said as much at the time. Surely a coach coming in with so little time to get up to speed would see the benefit of retaining someone with as much team and culture knowledge as our former Captain (as Arnie did at SFC with Corica). I know for a fact that Hutch was just about the only thing (along with Monty) that held the team together under the Walmsley era, which speaks volumes to his character imo. That Okon then subsequently sidelined Monty the following season, suggests a weakness of character, who fears anyone that might challenge his absolute authority.

In addition, I understand that he would not listen to his strength and conditioning coach and at Jolic’s behest, the player’s programmes were continually downgraded, meaning their fitness was never at the required level. Balder is a very well qualified coach and his input should surely have been fully respected, in order to get the absolute maximum from the playing roster. When there were opportunities to make up on some of these shortfalls, he bizarrely elected to give the players extended breaks instead.

On the issue of recruitment, I understand that he was offered a well-credentialed English Championship striker who had netted more than 20 goals in the prior season but chose to go with an unfit, injured Spaniard and we all know how that worked out don’t we?

He also allowed a drinking culture to exist within the younger playing group, which culminated in a certain individual missing a training session after a couple of days ‘celebrating’. Furthermore, his virtual total lack of interpersonal skills also caused him to fail to simply be a mentor one on one with many of the players, which is a fundamental failure that could not be afforded.

On top of all the above, his slavish persistence with a specific tactical approach, meant the team stopped believing that he had the skillset to provide a credible game plan, with that lack of belief translating into poor results on the field.

Quite simply, this club needs a coach who can motivate and inspire an average squad to perform beyond the sum of its constituent parts. To get them to truly play as a team that leaves nothing in the changing room and never lays down. Someone who works even harder when things aren’t going to plan and clearly Okon was sadly not capable of this.

So there will be no crocodile tears in my household, although there will be some collective breath holding and finger crossing, whilst the search for our next coach is conducted, as this may well prove to be the most important decision to ever affect our beloved club.

Great post mate.

 

[shipwreck]

Anyone know anything more about the Maltese club and speculation regarding recruiting with them that was allegedly the turning point for Okon

 

[Coastalraider]

Anyone know anything more about the Maltese club and speculation regarding recruiting with them that was allegedly the turning point for Okon

Around the same time the Celtic and Swindon Town rumours were flying around, we were linked to this guy:

http://www.afr.com/brand/afr-magazi...buying-a-soccer-club-in-malta-20171127-gztf4t

 

[Woollybutt]

Far out, I go away for less than two weeks and everything happens. I was still in favour of an extension for Okon before I left, mainly because I didn't think we were an attractive enough proposition to get a better coach. But I'm not particularly fussed that he's gone. He showed some good signs, but he needs to sort out his interpersonal skills if he's going to improve as a coach. My number one hope for the new coach is that we make it a condition that they have to live on the Coast. If that means we miss out on some targets so be it, but you can't build a strong team culture with guys commuting from Bossley Park and Newtown (sorry Golec). If you aren't committed enough to move to the area then you aren't committed enough to being a professional footballer/coach. I highly doubt that played any part in Okon's exit, but I'd be delighted with the club if it did.

 

[Coastalraider]

Far out, I go away for less than two weeks and everything happens. I was still in favour of an extension for Okon before I left, mainly because I didn't think we were an attractive enough proposition to get a better coach. But I'm not particularly fussed that he's gone. He showed some good signs, but he needs to sort out his interpersonal skills if he's going to improve as a coach. My number one hope for the new coach is that we make it a condition that they have to live on the Coast. If that means we miss out on some targets so be it, but you can't build a strong team culture with guys commuting from Bossley Park and Newtown (sorry Golec). If you aren't committed enough to move to the area then you aren't committed enough to being a professional footballer/coach. I highly doubt that played any part in Okon's exit, but I'd be delighted with the club if it did.

I doubt the commuting component had a part to play in the decision, but I cant help but feel it would be hard for a team to be run via a commute. Hanging around to do extra video sessions, leading your team outside of work hours, catching up with the captain for a coffee blah blah blah, all these additional components to the role would be very challenging not being based on the coast.

One of our teams strong points had always been one that not only are we a family club, but our squad had a sense of family. Arnie and Hutch for example led our team through some dark tines, not being paid on time, not training on a full field etc, this culture was built outside of training sessions. This would not have been possible if the coach was a 2 hour drive away. Recently when our team was gifted extra days off, I wondered how much of that was the fact our coach had lost the hunger and didn't want to drive up!

 

[shipwreck]

I can't believe I've never thought of the commute like that before, I feel that is an excellent point. We rattle on about being the community club, kids used to get a kick out of seeing Hutch at Woolies or Kwassy having a beer with Lawrie at a Terrigal Pub.

This stuff is so crucial to the identity we used to have and its definitely deteriorated since then.

If you want to coach us, embrace our lifestyle and become ONE OF US.

 

[Big Al]

Players i can handle but the coach must be here on the coast

 

[yorkshireman]

This idea of locally positioned coach leads us into the idea of someone without an ego and also someone who lives and breathes the club they work for. As already mentioned in this post, this fits with a few NPL coaches. I cant see Rudan doing this can you?

 

[Insertnamehere]

This idea of locally positioned coach leads us into the idea of someone without an ego and also someone who lives and breathes the club they work for. As already mentioned in this post, this fits with a few NPL coaches. I cant see Rudan doing this can you?

Why does rudan come up every time there's a job especially ours? He's a friggin Muppet.
Didn't he chuck a hissy fit last time we overlooked him?