2006–07 Central Coast Mariners FC season

The Central Coast Mariners' season 2006-07 was the second competitive season of football (soccer) club Central Coast Mariners FC. The club hoped to build on their strong performance in 2005-06, which included a Pre-Season Cup title, a finals appearance in the World Club Qualification playoff and their participation in the inaugural A-League grand final.

The club came close to defending their title in the Pre-season Cup, topping their group before losing on penalties in the final to Adelaide United. However, their 2006-07 A-League campaign was disappointing, winning just one of their first seven matches and struggling for consistency, finishing sixth on the table.

Preseason matches

Central Coast Mariners competed in the QNI North Queensland Trophy against A-League club Melbourne Victory, Chinese Super League team Changchun Yatai and the Young Socceroos finishing a respectable third.

Round Date Home Team Score Away Team Crowd
1 17 June 2006 Central Coast (2) 2-2 (4) Melbourne Victory PEN Unknown
2 20 June 2006 Central Coast 3-0 Young Socceroos Unknown
3 22 June 2006 Central Coast 1-2 Changchun Yatai Unknown
Playoff 24 June 2006 Central Coast 2-1 Young Socceroos Unknown

The Mariners also played one friendly match prior to the season commencing.

Round Date Home Team Score Away Team Crowd
1 20 June 2006 Central Coast 2-0 Central Coast Lightning Unknown

Transfers

On the back of the Mariners' highly successful first season, expectation arose as to the big-name players that could potentially join Central Coast. There were strong rumors about Stan Lazaridis, Ned Zelic and Paul Okon coming to the Mariners, but none eventuated. However, on 3 August 2006 Tony Vidmar announced he was joining the Mariners, signing a two-year deal.[1] Vidmar is the Mariners' first marquee signing.

In

Player Details
Australia Vuko Tomasevic from Australia Marconi Stallions
Australia Tony Vidmar from Netherlands NAC Breda
Australia Jamie McMaster promoted to full first team status
Australia Brad Porter promoted to full first team status
Australia Matthew Trott signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries
Australia James Holland signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries
Australia Oliver Bozanic signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries
Australia Mile Jedinak signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries
Australia Matt Simon signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries
Australia Damian Mori signed on a short-term deal to cover for injuries

Out

Player Details
Australia Dean Heffernan on loan to Germany 1. FC Nuremberg
Australia Michael Beauchamp on loan to Germany 1. FC Nuremberg
Australia Russell Woodruffe released
Australia Leo Carle released
Scotland Ian Ferguson short-term deal expired
Australia Dez Giraldi short-term deal expired

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Australia GK John Crawley
2 Republic of Ireland MF Wayne O'Sullivan
3 Australia DF Paul O'Grady
4 Australia MF Noel Spencer (captain)
5 Australia MF Brad Porter
6 Germany MF André Gumprecht
7 Malta MF John Hutchinson
8 England MF Jamie McMaster
9 Australia FW Nick Mrdja
10 Australia MF Tom Pondeljak
11 Australia MF Damien Brown
12 Scotland FW Stewart Petrie
13 Australia DF Tony Vidmar
No. Position Player
14 Australia DF Vuko Tomasevic
15 Australia DF Andrew Clark
16 Australia DF Nigel Boogaard
17 Australia MF Matthew Osman
18 Australia DF Alex Wilkinson
19 Australia FW Adam Kwasnik
20 Australia GK Danny Vukovic
21 Australia FW James Holland Short term deal 15/07/06-19/08/06
22 Australia MF Oliver Bozanic Short term deal 22/07/06-19/08/06
23 Australia MF Mile Jedinak Short term deals 12/08/06, 12/11/06-11/01/07
24 Australia FW Matt Simon Short term deals 12/08/06, 05/05/07-21/01/07
25 Australia FW Damian Mori Short term deal 06/10/06 - 19/11/06
30 Australia GK Matthew Trott Short term deal

Coaching staff

Pre-Season Cup

Summary

Round Date Home Team Score Away Team Crowd
1 15 July 2006 Central Coast 2-1 Perth Glory 5,682
2 22 July 2006 Central Coast 0-0 Adelaide United 4,344
3 29 July 2006 Melbourne Victory 1-3 Central Coast 6,593
4 6 August 2006 Queensland Roar 0-0 Central Coast 4,571
Playoff 12 August 2006 Central Coast 2-1 Newcastle Jets 7,567
Final 19 August 2006 Central Coast (4) 1-1 (5) Adelaide United (PEN) 10,463

Group stage

The Mariners were put in Group A, along with Adelaide United (3rd in 2005-06 A-League season), Perth Glory (5th) and Melbourne Victory (7th). They had two home games in the three-game round-robin series, with one played at Wade Park, Orange, New South Wales, against Adelaide United, and the other at their traditional home, Central Coast Stadium.

Central Coast started their defence of the Pre-Season Cup well, defeating Perth Glory - the team they defeated in the 2005 Pre-Season Cup final - 2-1 at Central Coast Stadium, Gosford in front of 5,682 spectators. Both Central Coast strikers, Stewart Petrie and Adam Kwasnik, scored early goals.[2][3] They followed this up with a gritty nil-all draw at Wade Park against last year's minor premiers, Adelaide United. Coach McKinna said after the game he was, "quite contented with the result".[4] For their final Group A game, they travelled to Melbourne's Olympic Park, where they downed the Melbourne Victory 3-1, with Adam Kwasnik, Paul O'Grady and Noel Spencer all scoring for the Mariners.[5]

Central Coast played their "bonus" fourth group-crossover round against the Queensland Roar. The "bonus" round awarded "bonus points" based on goals scored (one point for two goals, two points for three goals and three points for four or more goals). On this occasion, the Mariners and Roar drew 0-0, and both earned the conventional one point for a draw.[6]

Table

Group A

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA
Central Coast Mariners 8422052
Adelaide United 8422020
Melbourne Victory 6411257
Perth Glory 3403123

Group B

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA
Sydney FC 12431072
Newcastle Jets 3402246
New Zealand Knights [7] 3403123
Queensland Roar [7] 3403123

Finals

Finishing on top of Group A, with Adelaide United relegated to second on goal differential, the Mariners took on the Newcastle Jets in a fiery local derby in the playoff stage. Newcastle took the lead in the 25th minute, before Stewart Petrie converted a penalty in the 53rd minute. The game progressed into extra time, and a 96th minute header from Paul O'Grady gave the Mariners a chance to defend their Pre-Season title in what will be their fourth consecutive domestic final in as many competition entries.[8][9]

In the grand final, they lost to Adelaide United 5-4 on penalties, after the score was tied 1-1 after extra time. Carl Veart scored early for Adelaide before the Mariners levelled in the 77th minute through attacking midfielder Andre Gumprecht. In the penalty shootout, Stewart Petrie was the only player to miss on either side, hitting the crossbar.[10]

Table

  Playoffs Finals
                 
              Grand final  
  A1  Central Coast Mariners 2      Central Coast Mariners 1 (4)
  B2  Newcastle Jets 1      Adelaide United (PEN) 1 (5)
                 
              Third place playoff  
  A2  Sydney FC 1      Sydney FC 2
  B1  Adelaide United 2      Newcastle Jets 0
                 
              Fifth place playoff  
  A3  Melbourne Victory (PEN) 0 (4)      Melbourne Victory 1
  B4  Queensland Roar 0 (2)      Perth Glory 0
                 
              Seventh place playoff  
  A4  New Zealand Knights 0      New Zealand Knights 1
  B3  Perth Glory 1      Queensland Roar 2

2006-07 Hyundai A-League fixtures

Table

Pos
 Team Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Melbourne Victory (C) 21 14 3 4 41 20+21 45 2008 AFC Champions League Group stage
2 Adelaide United 21 10 3 8 32 27+5 33
3 Newcastle Jets 21 8 6 7 32 30+2 30 2007 A-League Finals Series
4 Sydney FC 21 8 8 5 29 19+10 291
5 Queensland Roar 21 8 5 8 25 27−2 29
6 Central Coast Mariners 21 6 6 9 22 26−4 24
7 Perth Glory 21 5 5 11 24 30−6 20
8 New Zealand Knights 21 5 4 12 13 39−26 19 Disbanded at end of season and were replaced

Updated to games played on 21 January 2007
Source: theworldgame.sbs.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
1Sydney FC were penalised three competition points following round 18 due to salary cap breaches which occurred during the 2005–06 season.
2First place through to fourth place qualify for the 2007 A-League Finals Series.
3First place qualifies for the 2008 AFC Champions League Group stage.
4Winning the 2007 A-League Grand Final earns qualification for the 2008 AFC Champions League Group stage, unless the Grand Final winners are also first place, in which case the Grand Final runner up qualifies.
5New Zealand Knights cannot qualify for the 2008 AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.

Stats

Leading goalscorers Regular Season

PlayerGoals
Adam Kwasnik7
Damian Mori6
Tom Pondeljak3
Stewart Petrie2

References

  1. ↑ "Socceroo legend signs on with the Central Coast". Central Coast Mariners official website. 2006-08-04. Retrieved 2006-08-04.
  2. ↑ "Mariners, Sydney FC notch preseason wins". ABC Sport. 2006-07-16. Retrieved 2006-07-16.
  3. ↑ "Mariners impress with first up victory". Football Federation Australia (Central Coast Mariners Website). 2006-07-15. Retrieved 2006-07-16.
  4. ↑ "Mariners earn tough draw against reigning Premiers". Football Federation Australia (Central Coast Mariners Website). 2006-07-22. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
  5. ↑ "Mariners' title defence on track after win". Football Federation Australia (Central Coast Mariners Website). 2006-07-29. Retrieved 2006-08-13.
  6. ↑ "Mariners book home semi final after stalemate". Football Federation Australia (Central Coast Mariners Website). 2006-08-06. Retrieved 2006-08-13.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 As the New Zealand Knights and Queensland Roar were tied on points, goal difference, goals for, goals against, and points earned in the "bonus round", the sixth degree of disambiguality, number of red cards received, was used. See official A-League press release for more details.
  8. ↑ "Mariners set up title defence after derby win". Football Federation Australia (Central Coast Mariners Website). 2006-08-12. Retrieved 2006-08-13.
  9. ↑ 2005 Pre-Season Cup, 2005 World Club Qualification, 2005-06 A-League, 2006 Pre-Season Cup
  10. ↑ "Adelaide takes title in shootout". Football Federation Australia (A-League Website). 2006-08-20. Retrieved 2006-08-29.

External links