AFC Cup

[Emeriners]

Time to write history. I cant wait 🤩 if we pass, we will face Al Ahed🇱🇧

 

[shipwreck]

f**king huge match, let's get up for this and have the boys firing from the very beginning.

No travel excuses, no tired legs, no crammed schedule, it's put up or shut up time, we have been given everything we asked for and more.

 

[Big Al]

Considering our passing was terrible we should be better but Theo dribbling make be a good weapon tonight.

I think Ed will play well and score

 

[Big Al]

Scoring first is a must tonight because if they get ahead they will all be on the floor rolling around for the rest of the game

 

[BaysideMariner]

When do we get Kuol and Farrel back?

 

[Stuartmcateer]

Scoring first is a must tonight because if they get ahead they will all be on the floor rolling around for the rest of the game

They will be doing that at 0-0. They know disrupting the game is their best chance. Wouldn't be surprised if someone goes down at the referees whistle to start the game.

 

[Ironbark]

Tickets bought. 2225, about tte get the word out. Huge match, no school or work tomorrow - no excuses.

I'm bringing a group but haven't bought tickets yet

 

[BaysideMariner]

MSN

www.msn.com

Mariners' 100,000km Asian odyssey nears $2.3m payday​

After travelling nearly 100,000km on trips to six different countries and being stranded in Kyrgyzstan, the Central Coast Mariners' Asian journey is approaching the finish line.

And the best part for Mariners boss Mark Jackson is that his side remain in the hunt for a historic treble as they bid to clinch the A-League Men premiership and retain their championship over the next month.

Australian clubs have often been accused of failing to take Asian football seriously. But few could doubt the Mariners' commitment to the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier competition, with the Gosford-based club potentially just two games from winning the trophy and netting $2.3 million in prize money.

Jackson likes it, simply for the fact his loyalty program has jumped up to silver after travelling to Malaysia twice, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Kyrgyzstan and Campbelltown.

But juggling domestic and continental duties has also had its drawbacks.

Last Wednesday, after the club claimed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their inter-zone playoff final against Krygyz club Abdysh-Ata Kant, they were stuck in the capital of Bishkek because of flooding at Dubai airport.

A lack of hotel rooms meant the players were forced to share beds until they got home via Seoul 48 hours later than expected.

"We went to explore the mountains and had a two-hour hike, and we said, 'No phones allowed', so we were interacting with each other," Jackson told AAP.

"Some of the boys had never seen snow before and we got quite high up to show them some snow, so it was a really good experience and chance to bond.

"We could've easily sat in our hotel and done nothing, but we agreed as a group we wanted to make the most of the opportunity.

"Kyrgyzstan is a place I never thought I'd visit, but the whole experience was quite surreal and it's a beautiful country."

The Mariners host the second leg in Gosford on Wednesday, when a win would get them to the final.

If they can get past either Lebanese outfit Al Ahed or Oman's Al Nahda, they would become the first Australian club to win Asian silverware since Western Sydney Wanderers' mesmerising Champions League run in 2014.

The Mariners' delayed return to Australia has, however, had a flow-on effect and dampened hopes of a grand-stand finish to the regular ALM season.

Central Coast and Wellington have been fighting it out all year to finish first, but the Mariners will now have the upper hand, with their potentially decisive fixture against Adelaide falling after the Phoenix's last game.

It also gives Jackson's side a chance to finish the season with three trophies.

"We feel we've approached things in the right manner, but we're under no illusions, we have some big hurdles to overcome," Jackson said.

"But we're fully focused, I'm excited for the run-in for the premiership and to get my first experience of finals football.

"Momentum is a big thing, so we'll try to keep that going and keep our focus there. The lads and staff have been fantastic and we have to keep pushing that."

 

[pinklady]

100% what afc will do. I’ll eat my hat if we progress and the final is in Gosford.

The final has to be played in the western zone as it is their turn to host. Oman was the first preference but there is also mention of Qatar. Dubai is probably out because of the recent floods.

 

[sydmariner]

The final has to be played in the western zone as it is their turn to host. Oman was the first preference but there is also mention of Qatar. Dubai is probably out because of the recent floods.

Abu Dhabi?.

 

[Coastalraider]

In reality this could go a few ways.

The one I hope for is it galvanises the squad to prove themselves above this incident, the re-arranged front line has far less of a reliance on Torres scoring and actually creates more opportunities for our strikers with less ball hog patterns, and we go in and win everything on offer.

This could be the making of our best ever season.

 

[shipwreck]

Everyone saying that Edmo and Torres don't mix, let's see how he goes with someone else feeding him from the left

 

[Big Dog]

Picked up the Telegraph briefly this morning to see if the match was being promoted. Not one mention of the real football anywhere. Today show this morning Sport not one mention of the match. Really is an uphill battle

 

[Ben10]

Apparently they dropped ten grand at Rebel yesterday. Maybe they will play in Man United replicas?

Mariners the bedrock of the local economy, love to see it

 

[Corsair]

Who takes a pen now? Back to Doka?

 

[shipwreck]

Edmo imo

 

[Big Al]

MSN

www.msn.com

Mariners' 100,000km Asian odyssey nears $2.3m payday​

After travelling nearly 100,000km on trips to six different countries and being stranded in Kyrgyzstan, the Central Coast Mariners' Asian journey is approaching the finish line.

And the best part for Mariners boss Mark Jackson is that his side remain in the hunt for a historic treble as they bid to clinch the A-League Men premiership and retain their championship over the next month.

Australian clubs have often been accused of failing to take Asian football seriously. But few could doubt the Mariners' commitment to the AFC Cup, Asia's second-tier competition, with the Gosford-based club potentially just two games from winning the trophy and netting $2.3 million in prize money.

Jackson likes it, simply for the fact his loyalty program has jumped up to silver after travelling to Malaysia twice, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, Kyrgyzstan and Campbelltown.

But juggling domestic and continental duties has also had its drawbacks.

Last Wednesday, after the club claimed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their inter-zone playoff final against Krygyz club Abdysh-Ata Kant, they were stuck in the capital of Bishkek because of flooding at Dubai airport.

A lack of hotel rooms meant the players were forced to share beds until they got home via Seoul 48 hours later than expected.

"We went to explore the mountains and had a two-hour hike, and we said, 'No phones allowed', so we were interacting with each other," Jackson told AAP.

"Some of the boys had never seen snow before and we got quite high up to show them some snow, so it was a really good experience and chance to bond.

"We could've easily sat in our hotel and done nothing, but we agreed as a group we wanted to make the most of the opportunity.

"Kyrgyzstan is a place I never thought I'd visit, but the whole experience was quite surreal and it's a beautiful country."

The Mariners host the second leg in Gosford on Wednesday, when a win would get them to the final.

If they can get past either Lebanese outfit Al Ahed or Oman's Al Nahda, they would become the first Australian club to win Asian silverware since Western Sydney Wanderers' mesmerising Champions League run in 2014.

The Mariners' delayed return to Australia has, however, had a flow-on effect and dampened hopes of a grand-stand finish to the regular ALM season.

Central Coast and Wellington have been fighting it out all year to finish first, but the Mariners will now have the upper hand, with their potentially decisive fixture against Adelaide falling after the Phoenix's last game.

It also gives Jackson's side a chance to finish the season with three trophies.

"We feel we've approached things in the right manner, but we're under no illusions, we have some big hurdles to overcome," Jackson said.

"But we're fully focused, I'm excited for the run-in for the premiership and to get my first experience of finals football.

"Momentum is a big thing, so we'll try to keep that going and keep our focus there. The lads and staff have been fantastic and we have to keep pushing that."

Finally an article on the game. Went looking for presser videos after first leg and found nothing.

Did they draw straws to share with Niz or does Danny get him as the oldest and captain

 

[Corsair]

Finally an article on the game. Went looking for presser videos after first leg and found nothing.

Did they draw straws to share with Niz or does Danny get him as the oldest and captain

There were ten in the bed
And the little one said, "Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out

 

[Spacks]

If THICCOHAURUS can cross it first time instead of pissfarting around that'd be great

 

[Huddo]

If THICCOHAURUS can cross it first time instead of pissfarting around that'd be great

Theo deserves to start off recent matches, has improved in all aspects of the game in the last couple of weeks.