Central Coast Mariners offer trial to Korean pair sacked by K-League clubs for drink-driving
The Mariners are fast becoming the redemption capital of Australian football. First it was a former Matildas coach, now they are eyeing off two Korean players with plenty of baggage.
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They are better known as the Mariners, but now Central Coast’s new nickname might have to change to Shawshank FC — the redemption capital of Australian football.
Months after the club appointed former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic in the wake of his controversial removal from the national team, the Mariners are trialling two senior Korean players who were both sacked by K-League clubs last year for drink driving.
Kim Eun-sun and Lee Sang-ho are both hoping to earn contracts with the Central Coast and will train with the team for the next few weeks, while the club continues what has already been several weeks of due diligence into their backgrounds.
Sang-ho’s situation is the most complicated, as he was defined as “voluntarily retired” by FC Seoul — blocking his registration with any other Korean club without Seoul’s permission — after concealing what is believed to be his second drink-driving offence from the club.
Sang-ho was arrested in September last year for driving under the influence of alcohol, and given a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years, but was only suspended by FC Seoul at the start of December.
His “retired” status means it is unclear whether he would be able to be registered by a foreign club, and the Mariners have sought help from Football Federation Australia in clarifying Sang-ho’s situation with FIFA.
The 32-year-old attacking midfielder has already played in Australia several times in Asian Champions League ties against Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar and the Wanderers.
Eun-sun, meanwhile, a former captain of FC Seoul, was sacked by the club in January after being involved in a car accident and breathalysed by police. A defensive midfielder, the 31-year-old apologised to Seoul’s fans at the time.
Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp confirmed that both players were trialling with the Gosford club, but emphasised that they are a long way from being offered contracts.
“We’ve been doing due diligence on them for quite some time, and while that goes on it’s just a trial,” he said.
“But so far they are impressing everyone with their behaviours on and off the field. We’ve been working with the PFA a lot in terms of making sure we’re protected as well as the players if we were to sign them, and we’ll keep working through the issues involved.”
The Mariners have so far signed fringe players from other A-League clubs as Stajcic overhauls a squad that has become conditioned to finishing near the bottom of the league.
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The Irishman, who served a lengthy ban at the start of last season for a red card earned in the grand final of 2017, is the first of a series of signings to be unveiled by the Roar this week.
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