Central Coast Mariners boss Phil Moss says his side have shone during their mid-season break and believes the yellow and navy are set for a much-improved second half of the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 season.
“It’s been great. The break came at a great time for us, particularly on the back of two draws and a win. We went into the break with a bit of confidence,” he said.
“It was a hard slog for the first 14 weeks of the competition. Two wins mean mentally it was draining on all of us, and none of us were happy with that situation.”
“We all knew that we were heading in the right direction and our performance against Melbourne City and the result was proof.”
“The break has given us a chance to freshen up mentally and physically, but also work on some key areas that we need to improve on. Training so far since we came back from the break has been unreal.”
“The intensity, quality and the standards that the players are setting themselves are magnificent. I really think we are headed for a much better second half of the season.”
The Mariners are back in action this Saturday when they take on NSW rivals, Sydney FC in their Hyundai A-League round 15 clash at Central Coast Stadium.
This will be the second time the yellow and navy and the men from the harbour city have met this campaign, with Sydney recording a 2-0 win back in round 3 at Allianz Stadium.
The Mariners head into the encounter full of confidence following an impressive 2-0 victory over Melbourne City, while the Sky Blues will be hoping to end their current run of form.
Moss insists it is business as usual, despite former Central Coast Head Coach Graham Arnold returning to Gosford’s idyllic bayside base for the first time since his move to Sydney.
“I think we got all of the Graham Arnold, the master versus the apprentice stuff out of the way when we played them the first time.”
“He certainly holds a special place in Mariners history and he was a fantastic coach for this Club and achieved unbelievable success while he was here. However, this week for me is all about the three points,” Moss concluded.
Central Coast Mariners vs. Sydney FC – Hyundai A-League 2014/15 Round 15
Saturday 24 January 2015
Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
Kick-off: 7.30pm
Gates open: 6.30pm
Tickets: Please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to the match
Twitter: Join the match conversation on Twitter! The official match hash-tag is #CCMvSYD
Watch: Live on FOX SPORTS
Listen: Live on ABC Grandstand & Coast FM
