Stajcic credits Mariners for miracle win

Alen Stajcic says the players were responsible for the Mariners’ stunning turnaround in form against Newcastle Jets.

Mariners interim coach Alen Stajcic celebrates the win over the Jets in Newcastle on Saturday. Picture: AAP

He is still a long way from being a miracle man, but in the space of three days Alen Stajcic has provided some hope of a way forward for the Central Coast Mariners.

Stajcic’s interim role could not have got off to a more extraordinary start as the Mariners held on to beat the Newcastle Jets 3-2 in the M1 Derby at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night in one of the more head-turning games of the A-League season.

On top of the Mariners’ first derby win in five games, this was just their second victory of a disastrous season that culminated in the sacking of coach Mike Mulvey a week ago following an 8-2 loss to Wellington Phoenix.

While there is usually some sort of positive reaction whenever a new coach is put in place, few would have expected the wooden spooners-in-waiting to eke out that sort of result against a team fighting for a spot in the playoffs.

Having watched them in training only on the day it was announced he had been installed as temporary coach on Tuesday, Stajcic’s first hands-on session was Thursday.

Despite the short time, it is clear the players quickly bought into the change of coaches and the different atmosphere and environment that came with it.

But rather than allowing the focus to go on him and bask in one of the biggest turnarounds in A-League history, an obviously elated Stajcic preferred to heap praise on the players.

“I have been here five minutes but just to see the spirit and effort and the way they way went about their work, to see them really fighting and scrapping for every moment and trying to win every ball and challenge, and trying to pick themselves, the team and the club (up) from last week, it was truly uplifting,” Stajcic said.

“It was all down to the players and the way they responded this week. Even if it had finished 3-3 it would have been there for all to see.”

Few can deny Stajcic and the Mariners have every right to live the moment and soak up one of the feel-good stories of the season given what both have been through over the past few months.

A proud club that enjoyed plenty of success, including a championship and four grand final appearances, the Mariners have fallen on hard times. Coaches have come and gone at a rapid rate while results have been diabolic, leading to wooden spoons in two of the past three seasons.

The club has been labelled an embarrassment with calls for it to be kicked out of the A-League.

Stajcic, too, has had to battle in the face of tough times since he was controversially sacked as coach of the Matildas in January. He is still waiting to be given an official reason.

In the meantime, he has had to battle the demons of self-doubt and what it has done to his reputation. But credit to the Mariners for recognising his ability and giving him his shot at his dream of coaching in the A-League.

“My life, my individual circumstances and the club’s have mirrored each other in a lot of ways when you think about it,” he said. “They have had a lot more ups and downs and probably more downs, and so have I.

“But, I have been here one minute and two training sessions and at the end of the day, all the credit and accolades go to the players on what they produced.”

It was certainly a crazy initiation to the A-League for Stajcic.

Having defended stoutly for an hour before somehow finding three goals to stun the home side, the Mariners were then forced to endure a frightening final 10 minutes as the Jets pulled two goals back. When Roy O’Donovan was brought down in the box in the final minute of injury time it seemed certain the Jets would pull off a remarkable comeback.

Mariners goalkeeper Ben Kennedy had other ideas.

He saved O’Donovan’s spot kick before Daniel Georgievski followed up to put away the rebound and seemingly make it 3-3. But VAR ruled Georgievski had encroached in the area and the referee ordered a penalty retake.

Again O’Donovan stepped up, again Kennedy guessed right, diving to his left to block the shot. And this time the Mariners were able to clear the ball away.