Mariners new recruit James McGarry is loving life on the Central Coast, fitting in seamlessly in his first full week with the club.
Joining from the Newcastle Jets on transfer deadline day, the versatile defender has hit the ground running.
“It has been a great first week with the side. The boys and the staff have been fantastic, it is never easy making a move halfway through the season but they have been terrific, so I have really enjoyed myself,” he said.
“I think it has been a smooth transition but obviously it is going to take time to learn all of the new information.”
McGarry jumped straight in the deep end last weekend, making his Mariners debut just three days after first joining the squad.
The defender putting in almost sixty minutes against Brisbane Roar, looking comfortable from the first whistle.
“It was a busy first three days playing the game straight off the bat, but the staff have been amazing,” he said.
“They have taken me in and done video sessions with me, going through their style of play. Even in the first game I felt really comfortable.”
The New Zealand international joined the side as he looks to continue to develop his game.
His goal for the season is however a team one, to lift the champions trophy alongside his new teammates at the end of this campaign.
“I’ve come here to work hard, to improve, to learn from the staff and to play good football. At the end of the day it is about me training hard and pushing for a spot, getting as many minutes as I can and hopefully we can have a really, really good season,” he said.
“The end goal is to win the league. Second on the table is a great place to be but there are some tough games coming up and we need to focus on us and our games instead of looking at the ladder.
“I’m sure that if we do this, we will be near the top towards the end of the season pushing into finals.”
McGarry has immediately taken well to head coach Nick Montgomery’s coaching style, extremely complementary of the way that he operates.
The Kiwi thankful to the coaching staff for making his first week with the club as seamless as possible.
“Monty has been fantastic. We have already had video sessions together just to go through the match last weekend, seeing what I can improve on. I think that is a big thing for me, learning as fast as possible,” he said.
“He has been fantastic on the field, helping me out, and Serg as well. They have been making sure that my transition has been a lot smoother, so they have been great.”
The left back is currently in Perth, having spoken to media earlier this week about his expectations for the long trip.
Taking on Perth Glory at Macedonia Park has been no easy feat for A-League Men’s clubs this season, however McGarry is confident that the side have what it takes to bring the three points back to the Central Coast.
“It is a long trip. A four-hour flight but to be honest, it’s just another game that we go into wanting to pick up three points. We have a couple of days to acclimatise which will be good, including a training session. The boys are focused and ready to go,” he said.
“We are always confident going into games. If we focus on us and play the way that we can play, I think we can beat anyone. It is just about going out there, analysing what they can do and stopping that.”
