Mariners urged not to waste treble chance

Central Coast Mariners manager Mark Jackson has urged his players to marque the astir of a treble accidental that “might ne'er travel astir again”.

Fresh from sealing the A-League premiership connected Wednesday with a 2-0 triumph implicit Adelaide United successful Gosford, the Mariners were scheduled to permission for Oman connected Thursday nighttime successful pursuit of different portion of silverware – the AFC Cup.

Jackson’s men conscionable Lebanese outfit Al-Ahed successful the Cup last connected Monday greeting (AEST).

Should they triumph the decider, the Mariners volition past person the accidental to decorativeness their play with 3 trophies by successfully defending their A-League title successful this month’s finals series.

“We said to the players a portion backmost that opportunities don’t often travel astir successful nonrecreational shot wherever you tin triumph a trophy, and to beryllium successful a presumption wherever we tin triumph the treble mightiness ne'er travel astir again, truthful we’re going to bash everything we tin to instrumentality that accidental and permission it each retired connected the table,” Jackson said.

“If we autumn astatine the adjacent hurdle we’ll bash it by trying to play our way, doing our thing, and doing it successful a mode we privation to bash it – that’s the mentality.

“It’s well-deserved the play that we’ve had.”

The Mariners’ effort to apical the A-League ladder and triumph the Premier’s Plate is each the much singular considering they mislaid their archetypal 4 games of the season.

It was a rocky commencement for Englishman Jackson, who took implicit successful the off-season from title-winning mentor Nick Montgomery.

“I can’t bash thing by myself,” Jackson said connected reflecting connected the Mariners having flooded their aboriginal woes.

“You person to person beardown unit astir maine who are consenting to enactment and judge successful what we privation to achieve, and you’ve got to person strong-willed players arsenic good to privation to instrumentality on-board the information.

“We’ve managed to travel done that and decorativeness apical of the league, and we’ve inactive got games and trophies to play for.”

Jackson besides paid recognition to second-placed Wellington Phoenix and their manager Giancarlo Italiano, who has besides been successful his archetypal play successful complaint of an A-League club.

“They’d been sitting apical of the league for a agelong clip arsenic well, truthful each recognition to them,” Jackson said.

“They’ve got a caller manager successful determination arsenic good and he’s done an highly bully job.

“Every clip we’ve asked them a question, they’ve answered it, each clip they’ve asked america a question, we’ve answered it, truthful we’ve gone toe-to-toe, truthful afloat congratulations to them for the presumption they’ve finished in.

“They’ve had a terrific season, and I’m definite they’ll beryllium acceptable to spell for finals shot arsenic well.”