Central Coast Mariners coach promises that help is on its way

Central Coast Mariners coach Mike Mulvey has pledged that up to four new faces could arrive to invigorate a group that has shipped 12 goals in its past three games.

Mariners coach Mike Mulvey is searching for a winning formula. Picture: Getty Images

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Mariners boss Mike Mulvey promises that fresh troops are coming, but in the meantime it’s his shell-shocked existing corps who have to avoid setting another unwelcome record.

Central Coast’s season from hell will register a new low on Wednesday night if they fail to beat Melbourne City at Central Coast Stadium - a result that would see the club equal the longest streak of games without a victory in the A-League.

Held jointly by the long-extinct New Zealand Knights and by Melbourne City and standing at 19 games, equalling that record would be another blow to the fortitude of a squad who Mulvey admits is suffering under the cumulative strain of a winless campaign that has accrued just two points from 12 games.

With the transfer window open, Mulvey pledged that up to four new faces could arrive to invigorate a group that has conceded 12 goals in its last three games.

“It's part of a manager's job, to keep quality in the joint and make sure we don't drop standards,” Mulvey said. “At times we all have dropped standards, myself included. We're on a journey, one that at the moment is very, very unpleasant at times.

Mariners coach Mike Mulvey is searching for a winning formula. Picture: Getty Images

“But I told the players three weeks ago that I need to look at how I can help them. That was to ensure we bring in some extra bodies in the transfer window and that is going to happen.

“At least one or two, maybe three or four. We've got the room in the squad and also the capability and so the club is backing us 100 per cent on that.

“You can't rush to do it all in one go, but we're trying to bring a couple of bodies in to get the players over the line.”

In the immediate term experienced centreback Kalifa Cisse continues to pay a price for a sending off against Sydney FC that Mulvey termed “not good, not acceptable, and born of frustration more than anything else”.

That dismissal precipitated a collapse against Sydney, and Cisse served a one-match ban last weekend in the equally depressing 3-2 defeat in Wellington.

Mariners defender Kalifa Cisse won’t be recalled against Melbourne City. Picture: AAP

But Cisse will not figure against Melbourne City, even though Kyle Rowles is also out after his own red card against Phoenix, and Mulvey appealed to those who are selected to maintain some form of belief that the season could improve.

“Keep going, you've got to keep going,” he said. “Against Sydney we were the better team for the first 25 minutes, didn't give them a sniff. We did the same against Wellington, but then you go from that to what happened in the second half.

“It can crush your spirit if you're not able to get on with the next thing, because any success you have in life is a lot more important if you've overcome some obstacles along the way. We're having a lot of obstacles, but we'll keep on keeping going.”

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