Mariners Coasting

Since Graham Arnold has returned to the helm of the Central Coast Mariners a week ago, the club has begun to turn their early pre-season efforts around. Winless prior to Arnold's return from Socceroos duty, the Mariners were beginning to look in trouble for the season ahead. But things can change in a week.



This week, however, the Mariners sunk 8 goals past ACT Premier League sides Canberra FC and Belconnen United (see Results for details), coasting to comfortable victories. Arnold said he was happy seeing some of the younger squad members running around and also happy with how the boys played.

“It was a slick performance and I thought our football in patches was again very good"

Arnold also hinted at the system the Mariners would be playing in defence.
“We’ve had two half sessions working on our defensive shape and the important thing is they are taking to it very easily with the narrow diamond. We have players for that system and it is always about getting the right players for that certain system”.

And now add to that two significant signings brought to the club by their new coach, and their prospects are immediately brighter. The Mariners on Thursday signed Eredivisie defender Patrick Zwaanswijk from NAC Breda, a 191cm tall, 35 year-old hardman.

Using possibly the wrong choice of phrasing, Arnold thinks highly of the new addition to his squad.
“You can’t buy the experience that Patrick has," - obviously you can, and that's exactly what the Mariners have done here - "and he has been playing regularly at a very high level, so I’m sure he will adapt to the A-League very well.

“His workrate and his attitude are second to none, he’s been a real fans favourite wherever he has been in the past, and I’m sure that will be no different here,”

“We’ve added quite a bit of depth to the squad and there is a lot of competition for places so that always breeds better performances" Arnold said.

Patrick will join his teammates at training on Monday.