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That’s the message from Central Coast Mariners boss Alen Stajcic as his team continues to lay claim to one of the more remarkable stories in Australian sport this year, transforming from the A-League’s ugly ducklings into seven-point pacesetters at the summit of the table after a 2-0 win over Macarthur in Gosford on Monday night.
After claiming four of the last five wooden spoons, their managerial miracle man in Stajcic says their pre-season goal hasn’t changed, however a few cynics may have quietened down.
“There’s no need to reset the goals. The goal from the outset was to qualify for the Asian Champions League. Perhaps a few people would have laughed at that early on but they’re not laughing now,” he said.
“There’s obviously a long way to go. We’re not even at the halfway mark yet. We’re not getting carried away. It’s another match, another good performance, another victory, but there’s still 15 matches to go (before finals).”
“We’re on 24 points we know that usually to get in the finals you need 36 to 38 points, maybe even 40,” he continued.
While debutant Matt Hatch stole the show with a goal from his first ever A-League touch it was the Mariners inspirational leader in Matt Simon who led the way with an eighth minute opener for his sixth goal of the campaign.
The 35-year-old who is Central Coast’s all-time leading goal scorer is continuing to prove this season that he’s far more than simply a physical presence leading the line.
“I think he’s wanted to demonstrate that. It comes down to the individual. He’s taken the leadership to a new level. He’s carrying the team but also carrying himself and setting new goals for himself and I’m just really happy he’s having this renaissance in his career and showing he’s still one of the top strikers in Australia,” said Stajcic.
Another crucial element to the Mariners clinical attack has been Costa Rican import in Marco Urena. A 67-time international, he arrived on the Central Coast with high hopes having represented his country at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. After another enterprising display he’s starting to deliver on the hype.
“We haven’t seen many foreigners hit the ground running and he has and has really shown his quality in and around the box with his finishing and creativity,” Stajcic added.
“He’s a great team person, he wasn’t here when we chose our leadership group but he’s a fantastic person to have around the team, he’s such a helping hand with the young players and we couldn’t be happier with Marco.”
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