The Central Coast Mariners have returned from a much-appreciated five-day break from training with renewed purpose heading into a vitally important five-match stretch away from Bluetongue Stadium.
The Central Coast Mariners have returned from a much-appreciated five-day break from training with renewed purpose heading into a vitally important five-match stretch away from Bluetongue Stadium.
For Mariners Head Coach Graham Arnold it was a chance to think of things outside of football for one of the first times in over a decade, after finishing his eleven-year coaching job with the Qantas Socceroos.
“I-ve had a lot of travelling and a lot of work since (before the 2006 FIFA World Cup) 2005 with the Socceroos, averaging 250 to 275 days a year away,” said Arnold.
“I hadn-t had a break for a year and a half. After (the 2010 FIFA World Cup in) South Africa I pretty much got straight back into it here.
“It was important for myself to have a break as well and I feel much better. I came home feeling fresher, not turning up tired, which was the signal for me that I needed a break so I had a good break and I-m happy.”
The rest period is certainly over for the entire squad, which was welcomed back with gruelling sessions over the weekend and into the early part of the week, despite being eight days away from their next Hyundai A-League hitout, against Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday night.
While the Mariners have had time away from the playing field, it-s a hectic time for Brisbane, who play Newcastle on Saturday night, before hosting the Yellow and Navy on three days later.
“Ange Postecoglou has done a fantastic job with them, he-s a great coach and has them playing great football. It-s going to be a tough challenge, but one we-re up for. Along with Adelaide we-re the three form teams in the competition,” said Arnold.
“Ange has a tough game on Saturday against Newcastle, we-ll be there watching that, and they have to back up three or four days later so hopefully Newcastle give them a good run around.
“I don-t think it-s an ideal situation, we were on a bit of a roll after North Queensland. The most important thing I think after North Queensland was to give them four or five days off to freshen them up mentally.
“Physically they have put in a big shift since I have been in charge so that was a good reward for them, and looking at the five weeks ahead we have a lot of away games because of Bluetongue getting resurfaced, we just thought giving them five days off would help freshen them up.”
While the side may be away from Bluetongue Stadium for five weeks, they can take plenty of confidence from their home form into the road trip, after picking up three wins and a draw from their four home games so far, and have lost just one of their first eight matches overall.
“One of our main focuses from day one was to make Bluetongue a fortress and win our home games. We have 15 home games and if you can win 12 of them it gives you 36 points and puts you up thereabouts.
“Our goal is to make the top six this year, so after eight games to be sitting where we are is nice, but there are still 22 games to go and we have a lot of tough games ahead of us.
We are happy with where we are at, but the boys also know that it-s only just the start,” said Arnold.
