Central Coast Mariners trying to sign Socceroos striker Apostolos Giannou
THE Central Coast Mariners are trying to bring Socceroos striker Apostolos Giannou to the A-League, in a bid to replace departed striker Astrubal.
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THE Mariners are trying to bring Socceroos striker Apostolos Giannou to the A-League, in a bid to replace departed striker Astrubal.
The club have lodged a bid with his Chinese side, Guangzhou R&F, hoping that the new limits on foreign players in the Chinese Super League will tempt R&F to offload him before the CSL starts in March.
Though Giannou has a lucrative deal in China worth some $2.6 million, multiples more than the Mariners could hope to pay, there is a belief he may be tempted to come to the A-League in the hope of forcing his way back into the Socceroos ahead of the World Cup.
The 27-year-old has not figured for Australia since November 2016, having failed to score in five games for his country. Giannou was persuaded to forgo his allegiances to Greece by Ange Postecoglou, who picked him for the Australian youth teams a decade before, but has slipped off the radar and didn’t figure at all in the qualifiers of 2017.
Last season he played only seven games for R&F, just three of which he started, and Postecoglou made clear Giannou’s lack of game time was harming his international hopes.
The Mariners are in desperate need of fresh firepower, after their Spanish import Asdrubal was allowed to terminate his contract and return to Europe for family reasons last week.
Coach Paul Okon admitted it was a tall order after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sydney. “We’re trying but at this time of the year it’s the position that’s hardest to fill,” Okon said.
“Everyone wants a number nine that scores goals. If you look around there aren’t too many that are fit, scoring and free and available to come and make an impact.”
Bringing in a player like Giannou would mark an escalation of ambition for the Gosford club, who sit three points outside the top six.