Mariner stuff not worthy of a whole thread

[style_cafe]

Didn't he stay at the Gosford Hotel recently? He might have caught an infectious disease. (jokes, apparently the rooms are ok)

I caught up with him at the game when he was here.
Such a good guy and so knowledgeable,I`ll miss his posts.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

Has anyone seen or heard from Joyful Penguin?
He hasn`t posted for nearly 2 months now.
I hope he hasn`t defected back to West Melbourne although I wouldn`t blame him.

Ah no. JP is great. Hope you’re out there and doing ok mate.

 

[Antlion]

When Is A Licence Not A Licence?
By Adrian Deans Mar 27 2019 10:05AM

https://www.ftbl.com.au/analysis/when-is-a-licence-not-a-licence-522928


Confusion continues to reign in the wake of Chris Nikou’s comments at the recent Football Writers’ Festival at Jamberoo.
In response to an extremely perceptive question from the floor [Who asked that, Adrian? Was it by any chance...you? - Ed], Nikou said that in the absence of a breach of conditions, Central Coast Mariners (like all current Australian clubs) were guaranteed their place in the A-League until 2034.

Seconds later there was pandemonium as the penny dropped. Michael Lynch and Tom Smithies were all over him, demanding to know exactly what that meant for promotion / relegation, and his answer couldn’t have been clearer.

"Under the current licences all Australian based teams have a right to be in the A-League until 2034. ...there is no prospect of promotion and relegation until then."

Once they heard the news, Remo Nogarotto and Joseph Carrozzi immediately claimed that such a timeline was news to them and expressed their displeasure that Nikou had spoken without board consultation. However, it is pretty clear to me that Nikou was absolutely right under the current agreements.

Sometime later, Nikou and the FFA issued a clarification, suggesting Nikou’s comments were a personal view.

The clarification went on to say that the current Club Participation Agreement (CPA) acknowledged the 2034 licences, but also made provision for the possibility of promotion/relegation being introduced within that time.

This (according to some) effectively limits the 2034 licences but I would suggest that making provision for a future event, articulated in a future document, is no more than a contract to make a future contract – which in contract law is typically “void on the basis of uncertainty”.

So where does that leave us?

I would suggest that the licences as currently stated give a right to continue until 2034, so on what basis could a team be kicked out of the A-League or relegated?

North Queensland Fury or Clive Palmer might like to have a go at answering that but there are only two ways, as far as I can see, that a current (Australian) team could be relegated before 2034:

• they fail to abide by the conditions of their licence; or
  
  
• they consent to an entirely new licensing system under a new CPA.
  

As far as a new licensing system is concerned, I would assume there is still a lot of devil in the detail to be negotiated. A club owner who has sunk millions into his club will be wary of giving up his licence before he has to – especially if the new operating model allows the clubs to be more viable / profitable.

So, will the FFA under residual powers or the new controlling entity have the right to enforce a new CPA (or parts thereof) against the wishes of a minority?

Either of these scenarios portend nothing more than a legal bloodbath with the potential to really put the boot into the corpse of Australian professional football.

So what is likely to happen?

The New Leagues Working Group and the Second Division Working Group will continue their activity and report very shortly. The Second Division group will be angling for promotion/relegation as swiftly as possible, but they will have no power to enforce that without the consent of the existing clubs to a new CPA.

The New Leagues Group will be most concerned with a viable competition structure which ultimately gives more power to the current clubs. Will they truly agree to P/R before 2034?

The New Leagues Group would know of the public’s desire for P/R, the FIFA insistence on P/R and even the commercial sense (for the good of the league) of P/R.

So I’m guessing there will be reference to P/R in any new CPA but it will be hived off into the future on the basis of various contingencies (the growth of the league to 16 teams and a financially viable 2nd Division for example) and will therefore continue to have either nil legal effect or once again be void for uncertainty.

So I, for one, am defending Chris Nikou on this. He walked into a snake pit of football journos on a pleasant Sunday afternoon, and was pilloried for (among other things) his:

• Slow progress over the creation of a new A-League operating model;
  
  
• Refusal to elaborate on the Ange Postecoglou resignation;
  
  
• Refusal to elaborate on the Alen Stajcic sacking;
  
  
• Refusal to justify the FFA’s endorsement of Sheik Salman as AFC president after the Hakeem Al Araibi scandal; and
  
  
• Apparent obfuscation over the voting rules regarding an abstention.
  

Somehow, he got a few laughs amongst all that, but he also gave an honest answer to a clear (some might even say brilliant [It was your question, wasn't it? - Ed]) question regarding the current licences and the prospects for promotion/relegation.

That answer, once known to the other FFA directors, was sadly revealing of their current state of unity and common purpose, but it must also be remembered that Chris Nikou and the rest of the FFA board will no longer have (full) control of the A-League clubs and their licences in the immediate future.

Nikou may be technically right today, but he probably won't be in a week or so.

Adrian’s latest book The Fighting Man is in the shops right now or available through Booktopia. Adrian also wrote Mr Cleansheets and will have a couple of exciting announcements shortly.

 

[Antlion]

Being a Mariners fan these last 5 years:

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

is the CoE pitch still terrible? What was the reason for the pitch being unusable? Lack of investment makes no sense given that seems to be what Charlesworth thinks will save his investment.....

 

[NoDiggity]

is the CoE pitch still terrible? What was the reason for the pitch being unusable? Lack of investment makes no sense given that seems to be what Charlesworth thinks will save his investment.....

It is improving. Generally the team will train Monday & Tuesday at COE, Thursday & Friday at pluim & home games they train a day before at the stadium (the days do vary depending what day the game is on).

 

[bikinigirl]

is the CoE pitch still terrible? What was the reason for the pitch being unusable? Lack of investment makes no sense given that seems to be what Charlesworth thinks will save his investment.....

. nominal spend on the CoE pitch because it is on Council land

. they are back there training part time because SM thought there was no link between the Football and Office teams

 

[bikinigirl]

Saw Donny Parkes at the CCLC before the game on Saturday, looked about half the Donny I remember seeing for all these years....I know everyone gets old , but geez

. wasn't sure what to do with this so searched for 'Donny Parkes'

. he has been in contact and is back in hospital again ... he asked that i try to get the word out to Mariners fans as he would appreciate any visitors or phone calls. if anybody would like to contact him let me know and i'll share details via PM

. a phone call seemed to lift his spirits considerably

...thanks

 

[Antlion]

Mariners fan's passionate plea
By John Davidson Apr 8 2019 11:31AM

A diehard Central Coast Mariners supporter has called for change at the struggling A-League club.
The Mariners have won only two of 23 games this season and are set to claim another wooden spoon.

Devoted fan Wayne Murray contacted FTBL with a passionate letter. It reads:

"I am one of thousands of true ‘Football people’ who also happen to be Central Coast Mariners Members, Fans and Supporters (yes, we do still actually exist!!!).

Before I go any further I want to acknowledge that yes our Club has become a joke, and a laughing stock of Australian sport. You have no idea how much pain and embarrassment that causes me to admit regarding the Club I love.

But I would also really appreciate it if people could recognise that our Club has a very proud and successful history over the period that the A League has existed.

Our record in Premiership wins, Championship wins, GF appearances, Pre-Season wins, AFC appearances, and developing Socceroos is exceptional compared to many other A League Clubs that have a much higher population base, and significantly greater financial resources than our Club.

And yet we have shown that we can thrive, and succeed. And we can do it again!

With no intention of disrespecting the fact that Mr Mike Charlesworth dug us out of a ‘financial hole’ a few years back (for which I will forever be grateful) it is now well past the point that it must be said that neither he nor his CCM Management team are the appropriate people to lead our Club forward.

Currently there is no obvious plan, ambition, competency, or understanding being shown. Plus there is next to no meaningful information being made available by the Club that would at least keep CCM Members and Supporters aware of the situation, and/or excited by future plans.

Player signings, re-signings, departures, releases, loans, Coaches comings and goings, a stream of English ‘expert’ directors that appear for five minutes then head back to the UK, are farcical.

The lack of ‘factual’ communication being offered by the Club Management to Members and Fans is monumental. It is now at the stage where long term Members such as myself and my family simply cannot bear to even attend games!

And that is after not having missed a home game in eight seasons.

Something has to change! I know Mr Charlesworth is sole owner of the Club as well as Chairman. And I welcome his continuing involvement as a major investor.

However, he is clearly not a ‘Football Person’, he is definitely a very clever and successful businessman, but being a businessman and running a Football Club are two distinctly different skill sets.

It would be wonderful if he stayed on as a major investor, but he has to relinquish the sole ownership and particularly the Chairmanship of the Club. It obviously is just not working. There is no mystery to it, we simply need a ‘Football person’ to chair and run the Club.

So I am calling on the FFA, the A League, other Club owners, and the Australian Football family to please help our Club recover from the problematic situation we are in. We all have our favourite teams, and follow them with a passion not seen in other sports.

But ultimately we are all part of the Football community, and should help each other in making our sport stronger in our country, particularly the A League. At the moment we are the Club with major problems, but in future it could be your Club that finds itself in difficulty.

So please rather than ridicule us, and call for our expulsion, relocation, demotion etc, take a moment and put yourself in our position.

The A League needs to strengthen and expand, not keep deleting Clubs and Regions from inclusion. The Central Coast has a population of approximately 300k, and is increasing every year.

We also have an exceptionally high Football participation rate, and one of the highest per capita membership/supporter rates. Can Australian Football and the A League really afford to alienate such fans and communities? That would seem to be very counterproductive to me.

There also needs to be an increased and concerted effort from the Central Coast itself. In particular the Central Coast Council, who really should be doing everything possible to help CCM, rather than putting obstacles in place.

Surely they must realise the financial and communal advantages of having the Mariners succeed. If CCM were to fail there would be absolutely no chance of ever persuading another national team from any sporting code to base themselves on the Coast.

The Central Coast football community also needs to step up its support and consistency in backing the Club, it is ‘our Club’, and offers a pathway and opportunities to the thousands of kids that play in the local junior Competition.

So please, FFA, A League, media, football universe, by all means have a laugh at our expense. But also back us up to regain our previous strong and proud history, just as we would do for you.

CCM for ever!!!

Sincerely,

WM
https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/mariners-fans-passionate-plea-523479/page0

 

[Tevor]

Well written but I don’t think the football community, especially the commentators will change. The rubbish that comes out of their mouths when they call our games is unforgivable. Every other club is grateful we will be demoted first I feel, giving them breathing space. I truely fear there is no way back to any where near the good old days. Not while Pikey is in charge and that isn’t changing any time soon.

 

[pjennings]

Mariners launch Yellow & Navy Foundation: Giving Youth a Chance

Earlier this month, the Central Coast Mariners officially launched the ‘The Yellow & Navy Foundation’, the not-for-profit arm of Central Coast Mariners, established to provide philanthropic support to aspiring young footballers in the Mariners Academy.

Senior sponsors and local businesses joined Club representatives at Crowne Plaza Terrigal to hear from long time Club identity, passionate player welfare advocate and Foundation Manager, Sharon Baxter, about the foundation’s role in assisting young footballers.

Through her years of involvement with the Central Coast Mariners, Sharon knows first-hand the challenges faced by young footballers taking the leap towards their dream of becoming a professional. From serving up home cooked meals for players living on their own for the first time to assisting with job applications and accommodation, Sharon has a wealth of experience identifying the needs and supports necessary for making sure young players at the Central Coast Mariners feel at home.

The path to becoming a professional footballer can be difficult for young athletes. Juggling training and match commitments with work, study and often living away from home, can easily become a stressful time, financially, emotionally and mentally. The Yellow & Navy Foundation will be responsible for helping break down these barriers for young footballers by offering support in three key areas: jobs & education; player welfare support & community engagement.

The Yellow & Navy Foundation’s mission is to “give youth a chance” both on and off the pitch, creating an environment for young footballers on the Central Coast to be the best they can be.

To date, the Yellow & Navy Foundation has already achieved:

• Assisted 30 players with accommodation who have relocated to the Central Coast
• Fully funded registration fees for Men’s & Women’s NPL First Grade teams
• Provided 50% funding of registration fees for NPL Reserve Grade teams
• Provided support for young players enrolling for tertiary education
• Formed relationships with local charity partners

The Yellow & Navy Foundation are calling on businesses and Central Coast residents to get involved by offering; homestays, employment opportunities, donations or scholarships that will all go towards helping young footballers achieve their dreams.

At the Foundation Launch, Men of Football Central Coast pledged their support by offering the first $1500 Scholarship for the Academy. The Scholarship will go towards funding C License Coaching Courses for players within the Mariners Academy. Men of Football joined inaugural Yellow & Navy Foundation Partners including: Southern Cross Austereo and Pinnacle Construction Group.

Foundation Manager, Sharon Baxter was humbled by the generous support from Men of Football Central Coast and spoke about her passion for giving youth a chance.

“Forming the Yellow & Navy Foundation is something that everyone at the Mariners is incredibly proud of,” Baxter said. “The Central Coast Mariners have always been the Community Club and for us to be able to formalise and increase our community work in the way of a foundation is a big step.

“Not only will the Club increase the fantastic work that’s already happening in the community, the Yellow & Navy Foundation will increase the focus on player welfare at all levels. This focus will ensure that the best young footballers in the country know that the Mariners are creating an environment for players to be the best they can be, regardless of their circumstances.

“The Yellow & Navy foundation will encourage and enable Mariners players to take on initiatives outside of football, like: continuing tertiary education; finding flexible employment opportunities and assist with living out of home expenses. Finding a balance for young players between training, playing, studying and working is crucial.

“For me personally, this is a great challenge and something I am very passionate about. I care about the wellbeing of our players and want to help them achieve their dreams. We want to offer them support in all areas of their life, so that there are no excuses,” Baxter said.

The Yellow & Navy Foundation is endorsed by Professional Footballers Australia who were represented by Emily Figueroa at the foundation’s official launch.

“It is hugely encouraging to see the Mariners committing to the holistic development of young people. Evidence suggests that the best youth development programs have a broad focus, which is a critical factor in producing world class players and people, so we commend the Mariners for this universal approach,” Figueroa said.

https://www.ccmariners.com.au/news/mariners-launch-yellow-navy-foundation-giving-youth-a-chance

 

[NoDiggity]

I was bored so wrote my starting 11 from the last two seasons. Thoughts?

Glover
Hiariej Baro Aspro Millar
Pain Oniel Brama Gem oar
Murray

 

[Forum Phoenix]

I was bored so wrote my starting 11 from the last two seasons. Thoughts?

Glover
Hiariej Baro Aspro Millar
Pain Oniel Brama Gem oar
Murray

My thoughts are:

Boredom is a dangerous ally when it comes to team selection.



I kid I kid.

Put the pirate mascot up top and the sauce bottle in goals and I’m in.

 

[Pirate Pete]

WTF. Has this been mentioned?

Battling A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners are facing relegation at the end of next season if they collect another wooden spoon.

Wellington Phoenix are also in the gun as they battle to hit a series of Football Federation Australia performance metrics by the end of 2019-20.

The current CPA (Club Participation Agreement) stipulates that any club which finishes last three years in a row, or four out of six seasons can be relegated.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...n/news-story/71d5ab9e0278c55e18f875ee72081230

 

[FFC Mariner]

Been posted already somewhere

 

[Wombat]

I was bored so wrote my starting 11 from the last two seasons. Thoughts?

Glover
Hiariej Baro Aspro Millar
Pain Oniel Brama Gem oar
Murray

It explains why we got wooden spoons.

 

[adz]

How low will the club stoop for a few clicks and headlines now... unbelievable, just leech off anything.


https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...CvxEQj883OC66gpZJvPeQA2DwquhZr7fAe76ANUi_sqTA

Central Coast Mariners midfielder Mario Shabow set tongues wagging on Friday night when he uploaded a photo of Israel Folau to his Instagram page with the hashtag #StandWithFolau

Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp was informed of the bizarre post while watching The Smurfs movie with his small children.

Mr Mielekamp said: “We’ve spoken to (Shabow’s) management and by the time we’d spoken to people he had taken it down of his own accord.”

Shabow’s Instagram post supporting Israel Folau

Usain Bolt with Mario Shabow during Central Coast Mariners training at Central Coast Stadium. Picture: Brett Costello
“ (Folau) is a big topic at the moment but not one this club has cause to be involved in.”

The post was screenshotted and posted to the Central Coast Mariners Members Facebook group where it was viewed and quickly commented upon and criticised.

Shabow, 20, is on a two year deal at the Mariners, signed in June 2018, following stints with both Western Sydney Wanderers and Newcastle Jets.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Club couldn't take it down fast enough - he wears CCM kit in his insta profile so he brought the club into it.
Given that CCM let people like Michael "I hate CCM" McGlinchey come back I wouldn't expect them to do anything but support this blatant homophobia.
Terminate his contract, f**k him off and sign someone who doesnt believe in hating people for their sexuuality.

 

[Wombat]

That sounds a bit racist and anti Muslim to me.

The bloke has a religious view and should be intitled to air it if he sees fit.

 

[adz]

I should have added one of these

Just seems like something we would do these days.

Hey there is something going on that will generate clicks and get the CCM name out there. Have one of our players post something stupid, delete it, pretend to be mad.