Club legend John Hutchinson is people’s choice to succeed Mike Mulvey at Central Coast Mariners

Calls are growing for Mariners legend John Hutchinson to be offered the chance to try to resurrect the Central Coast, but it remains to be seen whether the club’s record appearance holder would be tempted given the scale of the challenge.

John Hutchinson, assistant coach, during Central Coast Mariners training, at the Centre of Excellence, Tuggerah. Picture: Peter Clark

Calls are growing for Mariners legend John Hutchinson to be offered the chance to try to resurrect the Central Coast, but it remains to be seen whether the club’s record appearance holder would be tempted given the scale of the challenge.

As the shell-shocked club came to terms with the exit of Mike Mulvey hours after a shambolic 8-2 loss at home to Wellington, the search for a sixth coach in five and a half years is likely to be delayed for weeks.

A short-term appointment will be made within the next 48 hours to see out the rest of this season, with the club considering an outside caretaker or assistant coach Nick Montgomery for the final six games.

TIME: MARINERS ACT FAST AFTER PHOENIX DRUBBING

RIGHTS: STADIUM DEAL CRITICAL TO MARINERS’ FUTURE

After that a long-term choice will be made in the off season, amid increasing questions over the future of the club itself after a fifth disastrous campaign in a row.

Mulvey was sacked on Saturday night after a defeat that mirrored an identical loss to Newcastle almost a year ago just as Mulvey was being appointed.

John Hutchinson has previously turned down a role at the Mariners. Picture: Peter Clark

With the club eight points adrift at the bottom of the table, the field of well-credentialed candidates willing to take over is unlikely to be wide.

Mike Phelan, interim assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United but still nominally the Mariners sporting director, is due to fly here during the EPL’s international break next week [Monday 18th] to hold talks with club owner Mike Charlesworth, two newly-appointed directors and CEO Shaun Mielekamp over the club’s whole direction.

Hutchinson would be a hugely popular choice with supporters, after making more than 250 appearances for the club and acting as assistant coach before leaving to earn his coaching spurs at Seattle Sounders FC 2 in the US.

Last year he returned to Australia as assistant coach of A-League entrants Western United, but it’s understood the club would not stand in his way should the Mariners come calling.

However, Hutchinson turned down the offer of a role at the Mariners two years ago, and the plight of the club has since worsened.

The mariners acted swiftly on Mike Mulvey after Central Coast’s belting at the hands of Wellington Phoenix. Pic: Getty Images

Key to the long-term thinking will be Sydney-based investment banker Anton Tagliaferro, the owner of a club in Malta and who joined the Mariners board recently, along with Accenture consultant Kamran Kahn.

Both men have invested in the club, and Tagliaferro in particular has been active in discussions over the club’s footballing future.

A succession of coaches have been unable to mask the shortcomings of a club that has comfortably the lowest operating budget of any team in the A-League.

With owner Mike Charlesworth based in London, and Phelan — appointed only last July — hardly sighted since becoming Solskjaer’s No 2 at United, Tagliaferro and Kahn are understood to have been reviewing the club’s operations in recent months and have identified the need for greater financial resources at the club.

The exit of Mulvey follows ructions off the field, with powerful finance chief Kathryn Duncan leaving the club recently.