Former Central Coast manager Phil Moss launches legal battle with Mariners over breach of contract

THE beleaguered Mariners face a battle on another front after it was confirmed that former coach Phil Moss will sue the club over his sacking at the start of the year.

THE beleaguered Mariners face a battle on another front after it was confirmed former coach Phil Moss will sue the club over his sacking at the start of the year.

A court date has been set in July to hear the case, in which Moss will seek several hundreds of thousands of dollars for loss of earnings and breach of contract, as it emerged that a host of former coaches are still fighting to get money owed by A-League clubs.

After a series of hearings and submissions, Moss has been granted a full hearing to claim his sacking in March — with more than two years left on his contract — was illegal. Moss is likely to claim the outstanding amount of his $150,000 a year salary, plus legal costs.

It comes as former Brisbane Roar coach Mike Mulvey, who won the double with them in 2013, is in the midst of legal action to claim money he claims he is owed from his sacking months later.

Other A-League coaches believed to be pursuing outstanding cash include former Perth boss Alistair Edwards, his assistant Gareth Naven, former Newcastle head coach Phil Stubbins and Sydney FC goalkeeping coach John Crawley from his time with the Mariners.

Unlike players, who have a union to chase money on their behalf and defined grievance procedures to follow, coaches have to pursue their entitlements personally, though calls have been made for FFA to allow sacked coaches access to the A-League’s grievance procedures.

Meanwhile there is some good news for the Mariners ahead of their annual New Year’s Eve home clash on Thursday night, though the attendance is expected to be substantially down on previous years.

CEO Shaun Mielekamp said the club was optimistic that the bulk of the superannuation owed to players, in some cases going back several years, will be settled before the year ends on Thursday.

Phil Moss has launched a legal case against his former club. Picture: Brett Costello

Under new A-League rules, clubs can be docked points if they are in arrears for 14 days once 2016 starts, while players also have a pre-existing right to have their contracts declared void by the A-League arbiter if they are owed salary, bonuses or super for a specified period.

It’s believed several Mariners players have considered activating that in the wake of the club’s disastrous showing on the pitch, bottom of the league with just five points from 12 rounds.

But Mielekamp said the club was urgently working through the super arrears and hoped to have “the bulk” cleared within 48 hours.

“It is complicated but we’re optimistic that we can make significant headway,” Mielekamp said. “Certainly we aim to have the bulk of the players sorted out.”

The Mariners face Wellington on Thursday after defeat to Sydney last weekend set a club record for six consecutive losses, with coach Tony Walmsley admitting his side had been second best against the Sky Blues.

Originally published as Former Central Coast manager Phil Moss launches legal battle with Mariners over breach of contract