Central Coast Mariners Squad for 2008/09 Season

[Wee-mac]

this is my first post, just registered. matty simon is a good player, he may have missed a few sitters in front of goal but that is nerves if you ask me. you watch, he will get one and they will just flow for him.
i reckon make him a target for crosses along with mcallister, givne their height so they can get over the top of the other teams defences.

 

[Bear]

this is my first post, just registered. matty simon is a good player, he may have missed a few sitters in front of goal but that is nerves if you ask me. you watch, he will get one and they will just flow for him.
i reckon make him a target for crosses along with mcallister, givne their height so they can get over the top of the other teams defences.

Welcome mate, great 1st post. I dont think many on here will argue with you, Matty is a good player, he just needs some time, some composure, and a little luck (shakes head at refs assistant  ) and yes, the goals will start flowing.

 

[Wee-mac]

this is my first post, just registered. matty simon is a good player, he may have missed a few sitters in front of goal but that is nerves if you ask me. you watch, he will get one and they will just flow for him.
i reckon make him a target for crosses along with mcallister, givne their height so they can get over the top of the other teams defences.

Welcome mate, great 1st post. I dont think many on here will argue with you, Matty is a good player, he just needs some time, some composure, and a little luck (shakes head at refs assistant  ) and yes, the goals will start flowing.

thanks bear, much appreciated. cant wait for the day he scores his first. his my favourite player, it will be awesome, but any goal is good

 

[Jocwa08]

Can we give Matty Simon the #25 shirt. whoever has that shirt has the highest scoring rate of the season for the mariners. it must be blessed. #2 and #24 both seem to be donkey shirts

#8 hasnt been in good form last two years.
first McMaster dunno how many he scored.
and one for Heff last year..

 

[Omni]

Defenders generally aren't expected to score mind you

 

[Kareem]

i think people expect Heff to score heaps coz he scored like 6 or 7 in V1, 1 goal in a 21 game season for LB is decent not to forget he only played 15 games or there about!
What number was he in V1 (wasnt he 8?)(i dunno)

 

[swarey]

to me  since comin to the mariners owens ahsnt been the same player as he was  in adelaide. Yes he has  had a few outstanding moments but not enough to  move hutcho  jedi  or even gumps shall he stay to the bench  . The only way i would start him is if elrich plays right mid and fails to show spark then maybe chuck owens on the right along side hutch and jedi in the middle and caceras on the left

I still don't think we've seen Owens playing at 100% match fitness.

I think we'll see a new Greg Owens playing for us this season.

Here's an update on Owens

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23620689-23215,00.html


Mariners may get a fully fit Owens


    April 30, 2008

EXPECTATIONS were high after Greg Owens signed with the Central Coast before the start of last season.

Two operations later and the 27-year-old is hopeful he can live up to the hype.

The former Adelaide United attacking midfielder had an operation to remove a bone spur that was pinching his sciatic nerve and was sidelined for the first four rounds before making his debut for the Mariners.

This year he has had weights screwed to his right femur to re-attach his hamstring.

Owens played the latter part of his stint at Adelaide, including the 6-0 loss to Melbourne in the 2007 grand final, with the undiagnosed hamstring problem.

"I played my last seven games in Adelaide with this same pain," Owens explained.

"I was sent for an ultra sound and it picked up I had periostitis, so I had an injection and I was back on the training paddock three days afterwards but the pain was still there."

The Mariners had tests done on their recruit which resulted in back surgery last year but the problem persisted.

"I had an MRI on my back and it showed a bone spur was pinching my sciatic nerve," Owens said.

"That's when we thought it was coming from the back but it can present almost identical (to a hamstring tear).

"I had the back operation done but the pain was still there."

Owens was wearing a groin strap to get through training and on a fortnightly basis had pain killing injections so he could take the field.

He had a cortisone injection before last season's 1-0 grand final loss to Newcastle.

"I played last year virtually on one leg," Owens said.

"When I came back from the back (operation) I still had the pain there, my speed wasn't there, I couldn't accelerate and I couldn't get to my top speed."

At the end of the season, Owens sought out the Mariners' sports physician Jonathan King, who sent him for an MRI scan and when the results showed "it was worse than first thought" he was referred to orthopaedic surgeon David Wood.

Wood screwed three anchors, all with five hooks, to the bone to help secure the tendon that was 50 per cent torn from the bone.

"He put in three anchors, drilled them into the bone, with five hooks coming off them," Owens said of the operation.

"I can't do nothing for another four weeks, then I'll start physio for six weeks before I start to run ... I'm hoping for a pre-season return."

 

[priorpeter]

Today's Advocate has Lyall saying he's still in negotiations with Gumps, and is also hopeful of Mrdja recovering from his injury for us this season.. Does this make anyone else think Mrdja will be staying this season, or is it just me?

It also said Brown is yet to be offered a new deal.. IMO he's gone for sure.

 

[Deej]

Brown won't be playing with us next season, and IMO nor will Gumps.  If Mrdja recovers from his knee problems he will be offered another deal.

 

[Kareem]

to me  since comin to the mariners owens ahsnt been the same player as he was  in adelaide. Yes he has  had a few outstanding moments but not enough to  move hutcho  jedi  or even gumps shall he stay to the bench  . The only way i would start him is if elrich plays right mid and fails to show spark then maybe chuck owens on the right along side hutch and jedi in the middle and caceras on the left

I still don't think we've seen Owens playing at 100% match fitness.

I think we'll see a new Greg Owens playing for us this season.

Here's an update on Owens

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23620689-23215,00.html


Mariners may get a fully fit Owens


    April 30, 2008

EXPECTATIONS were high after Greg Owens signed with the Central Coast before the start of last season.

Two operations later and the 27-year-old is hopeful he can live up to the hype.

The former Adelaide United attacking midfielder had an operation to remove a bone spur that was pinching his sciatic nerve and was sidelined for the first four rounds before making his debut for the Mariners.

This year he has had weights screwed to his right femur to re-attach his hamstring.

Owens played the latter part of his stint at Adelaide, including the 6-0 loss to Melbourne in the 2007 grand final, with the undiagnosed hamstring problem.

"I played my last seven games in Adelaide with this same pain," Owens explained.

"I was sent for an ultra sound and it picked up I had periostitis, so I had an injection and I was back on the training paddock three days afterwards but the pain was still there."

The Mariners had tests done on their recruit which resulted in back surgery last year but the problem persisted.

"I had an MRI on my back and it showed a bone spur was pinching my sciatic nerve," Owens said.

"That's when we thought it was coming from the back but it can present almost identical (to a hamstring tear).

"I had the back operation done but the pain was still there."

Owens was wearing a groin strap to get through training and on a fortnightly basis had pain killing injections so he could take the field.

He had a cortisone injection before last season's 1-0 grand final loss to Newcastle.

"I played last year virtually on one leg," Owens said.

"When I came back from the back (operation) I still had the pain there, my speed wasn't there, I couldn't accelerate and I couldn't get to my top speed."

At the end of the season, Owens sought out the Mariners' sports physician Jonathan King, who sent him for an MRI scan and when the results showed "it was worse than first thought" he was referred to orthopaedic surgeon David Wood.

Wood screwed three anchors, all with five hooks, to the bone to help secure the tendon that was 50 per cent torn from the bone.

"He put in three anchors, drilled them into the bone, with five hooks coming off them," Owens said of the operation.

"I can't do nothing for another four weeks, then I'll start physio for six weeks before I start to run ... I'm hoping for a pre-season return."

Dont we do medicals? I mean surely he will be a great asset this season but at times last season he just didnt do it for us (not his fault...it is hard with injury- but bottom line it hurt us in grand final)

 

[skilbeck]

Owens might be able to play attacking mid in the centre or even as a second striker IMO

 

[bikinigirl]

. kareem, the mariners medical was the one that found his back problem (which adelaide missed)

. the other injury certainly seems obscure enough to be missed (especially when they had already found one cause) - they got there in the end though

 

[Ted]

Today's Advocate has Lyall saying he's still in negotiations with Gumps, and is also hopeful of Mrdja recovering from his injury for us this season.. Does this make anyone else think Mrdja will be staying this season, or is it just me?

It also said Brown is yet to be offered a new deal.. IMO he's gone for sure.

If Gumps has grounds for legal action then yes he may just get offered a deal to avert any bad press for the club and himself. although, I can't see him getting much game time if it is the case.

 

[Deej]

Today's Advocate has Lyall saying he's still in negotiations with Gumps, and is also hopeful of Mrdja recovering from his injury for us this season.. Does this make anyone else think Mrdja will be staying this season, or is it just me?

It also said Brown is yet to be offered a new deal.. IMO he's gone for sure.

If Gumps has grounds for legal action then yes he may just get offered a deal to avert any bad press for the club and himself. although, I can't see him getting much game time if it is the case.

Gumps is a liar and will not be welcome back as far as I'm concerned, he won't be here

 

[FFC Mariner]

IMHO Gumps is gone as is Browny.

If Mrdja can get through 10 games a season, thats probably = 5 or 6 goals and I believe he is a must have player.

 

[dibo]

Today's Advocate has Lyall saying he's still in negotiations with Gumps, and is also hopeful of Mrdja recovering from his injury for us this season.. Does this make anyone else think Mrdja will be staying this season, or is it just me?

It also said Brown is yet to be offered a new deal.. IMO he's gone for sure.

If Gumps has grounds for legal action then yes he may just get offered a deal to avert any bad press for the club and himself. although, I can't see him getting much game time if it is the case.

Gumps is a liar and will not be welcome back as far as I'm concerned, he won't be here

tell us what you really think!

 

[promdi442]

Brown won't be playing with us next season, and IMO nor will Gumps.  If Mrdja recovers from his knee problems he will be offered another deal.

Maybe Brownie mightn't be playing but that is not to say that he wont still be with the club. Rumour has it that there could be a job still for him in a coaching position. Also given that he is a local and there is that push for the local influence and involvement it is logical that Brownie could still be around.

As for Gumps well things seem to be taking a long time to resolve and there could have been some things said that in the future might just make it difficult for a reconciliation, if indeed Lawrie wants one. Personally I wont be too worried if he is not with the club. I didnt think he could last the full 90 and as such he is an expensive impact player.

 

[Deej]

Brown won't be playing with us next season, and IMO nor will Gumps.  If Mrdja recovers from his knee problems he will be offered another deal.

Maybe Brownie mightn't be playing but that is not to say that he wont still be with the club. Rumour has it that there could be a job still for him in a coaching position. Also given that he is a local and there is that push for the local influence and involvement it is logical that Brownie could still be around.

As for Gumps well things seem to be taking a long time to resolve and there could have been some things said that in the future might just make it difficult for a reconciliation, if indeed Lawrie wants one. Personally I wont be too worried if he is not with the club. I didnt think he could last the full 90 and as such he is an expensive impact player.

Notice I said Brown won't be playing with us next season?

 

[shipwreck]

fourfourtwo reported that Gumps has signed short term with Bankstown Lions if i remember correctly

FORMER Central Coast Mariners star Andre Gumprecht has agreed to a short term deal with the Bankstown City Lions in the NSW Premier League.
Gumprecht, whose contract with the Mariners expired today, will join the Lions and is expected to make his debut against the West Sydney Berries on May 10, once the state league's transfer window opens on May 5.

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/75009,gumprecht-signs-with-lions.aspx

 

[swarey]

Here's the latest on Mrdja from 442

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/75018,unfinished-business-for-mariner-mrdja.aspx

Unfinished Business For Mariner Mrdja

Jon Ritson
May 1 2008 00:00

EXCLUSIVE: Nik Mrdja has unfinished business with the Central Coast Mariners as he battles to earn himself a new deal over the next six weeks.
To see the Mariners latest training session...

The former Perth Glory striker has endured the darkest of injury nightmares during the last three seasons with his right knee causing him to miss huge chunks of competitive football.

But he has resumed light training duties again with the Gosford club and is hoping to show sufficient progress during pre-season for coach Lawrie McKinna to offer a fresh contract.

A cracking start to last season saw him earn a call up into the Socceroos squad for the Argentina friendly in September but no sooner was the match in Melbourne over than he suffered yet more agony.

He felt a needle-like pain and further knee surgery was required and it put paid to his A-League season after barely three games.

Speaking to au.fourfourtwo.com today at the Mariners training HQ, the 29-year-old said: One day I was on the top of the world (Socceroo call up) and three days later I was rock-bottom again.

I had a bit of cartilage pop off behind the (right) knee-cap, they went in and cut it out and cleaned it up.

It was gut-wrenching but what are you meant to do? Life goes on and you get on with it. Hopefully its all behind me now though.

I got last years pre-season done, had the Socceroo game and then broke down again.

I had more surgery in November and the surgeon said I had to have at least four months with no running.

But were here now and I just want to concentrate on getting fit and doing well for the Mariners.

His current contract expired in the last 24 hours and whether he gets the chance to pull on a Mariners shirt again will depend heavily on his progress during the early weeks of pre-season.

He said: Ive spoken to Lawrie (McKinna) and Lyall (Gorman) and they just want to know whats happening with my knee and if its going to be fine.

Im looking to stay here and theyve said they want to keep me as long as my knees right. I understand, its business.

After the four months I had with no running, Ive now got a schedule of three months where I have to build up slowly. At the end of that three months, which is in about six weeks time, then theyll probably assess the situation again.

Mrdja will do everything in his power to extend his stay at Bluetongue and would love to prove a few people wrong in the process.

He said: It feels like Ive got unfinished business here. I want to show the Central Coast people something and theres also a lot of critics out there and I want to shove it back in their faces.

Mrdja was joined on light training duties today by goalkeeper Matthew Trott, defender Dean Heffernan and midfielder Matthew Osman.