Central Coast ‘gaffer’ lauded for the work he has done with the Mariners this season
Mark Jackson has lifted defending A-League champions Central Coast Mariners to another level this season ‘on and off the field’.
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Mark Jackson had the “hardest job in the A-League” when he replaced title-winning coach Nick Montgomery at Central Coast, but the Englishman has raised the bar even higher, with the Mariners on the brink of the treble.
Having already won this season’s A-League premiership and the AFC Cup, the Mariners can clinch a third honour in their 2023-24 campaign, as well as back-to-back championships, by beating Melbourne Victory in Saturday night’s grand final in Gosford.
It’s a season made all the more remarkable considering the Mariners lost four successive matches in a poor start to their title defence under Jackson, who replaced Montgomery in September last year.
Many doubted the decision to give the former MK Dons manager the job after such a forgettable beginning.
However, the Mariners didn’t hit the panic button and were subsequently rewarded with a campaign that now just requires one more win to become the greatest season in the history of an A-League club.
“The ‘gaffer’ (Jackson) said at the start of the season that we want to compete in every competition we’re in, so we’ve given ourselves the best opportunity to come away with the treble this year,” Mariners attacking weapon Christian Theoharous said on Tuesday.
“All year we’ve had our sights on three trophies, so it almost feels like if we don’t win (the grand final) and we don’t get this third trophy, it’s not the season we wanted, but at the same time, we’ve achieved so much this year with creating history.”
Ex-Victory prodigy Theoharous lavished praise on Jackson and his assistant Danny Schofield for the work they had done this season.
“It’s almost the hardest job in the A-League after losing a ‘gaffer’ (Montgomery) that did do so much for the club,” he said.
“It’s not easy coming in and replacing that but they’ve done just that, even more really, teaching us about football, not only the way they play but about football and the details.
“It’s a privilege working under these guys … such people that not only love football, but love their players and look after their players on and off the field.”
Unfortunately for the Mariners, Schofield won’t be in the dugout alongside Jackson at Industree Group Stadium on Saturday night, having been suspended for one match after he was banished to the stands for dissent by referee Alireza Faghani for dissent in Central Coast’s 0-0 semi-final second-leg 0-0 draw with Sydney FC.
Schofield will be prohibited from being in the dressing-room, tunnel, field of play, technical area, or any area where the players are preparing for the match within two hours of the grand final’s 7.45pm kick-off.
Alex King has edged out Faghani in the battle to control the grand final.
A-League commissioner Nick Garcia claimed King, who has also been named referee of the season, had “set the standard for referees” in the competition.
The assistant referees will be Kearney Robinson and Brad Wright, while Adam Kersey is the fourth official. Heading the VAR team will be Shaun Evans.
Originally published as Central Coast ‘gaffer’ lauded for the work he has done with the Mariners this season
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