Central Coast Mariners CEO Mielekamp faces down club critics
Fans are staying away, the team hasn't won a match in 10 months and buyers are circling, but Central Coast CEO Mielekamp says his biggest priority is keeping the club at Gosford long-term.
A resolute Central Coast Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp says the club is staring down its biggest battles both on and off the pitch.
Pundits, former players and the football loving public have been lining up to take potshots at the club as it slumped to yet another loss last weekend.
It takes the team’s tally to 320 days without a win and solidifies their 2018-19 winless run as the worst ever start to an A-League season.
Away from football, things aren’t much brighter with the club facing serious questions over its long-term viability.
“This is the toughest of times and it’s going to take a lot of real strength to get us through
this,” Mr Mielekamp said.
“It’s hard, but it comes with the territory, and the only ones who can get us out of this is us.
“If there was one key message that I want to get out there at the moment, my absolute priority and focus is to make sure the Central Coast Mariners stay on the Central Coast.”
The Express Advocate travelled as a guest of Mr Mielekamp’s on a supporter’s bus to Friday night’s match against Sydney FC at Jubilee Stadium in Sydney’s south.
Along the way the boss gave a full and frank assessment of an $8.5 million offer to buy the club fielded last week.
“That offer didn’t commit to the Mariners staying on the Central Coast. There is a concern that if there was a change of ownership to someone who wanted to take the Mariners elsewhere, that it could actually happen.”
He said moving individual games away from the Central Coast wasn’t on the table at this stage but the club needed to work to ensure that remained the case.
Mr Mielekamp also revealed changes can be expected to the team in the January transfer window with on-loan striker Ross McCormack recalled by Aston Villa and the Mariners actively looking to recruit during the January transfer window.
He said the club was spending more than it ever had on recruitment but still was spending $2 million less than the league’s top clubs.
Mr Mielekamp acknowledged the on-field results needed to be turned around but said there were no “easy fixes”.
In other news, Mr Mielekamp confirmed talks with Central Coast Council in regards to securing management rights of Central Coast Stadium had turned a corner.
“We were told previously, under the administrator thanks but no thanks, but that’s not the answer we’re getting now.
“The answer we’re getting now is let’s have a look at it. We intend to start presenting stuff to council in the next four weeks.”
What commercial fishers are doing to protect the humpback highway
With thousands of whales about to hit the “humpback highway”, commercial fishermen are trialling new gear to stop them from becoming entangled. Read what they’re doing here.
Prominent horse trainer gallops to court after drink driving bust
A prominent Central Coast horse trainer who was caught driving over twice the legal alcohol limit at 3am had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his words when police pulled him over.