Former coach blames Usain Bolt for Mariners' woes

Former Central Coast Mariners coach Phil Moss has thrown his support behind sacked mentor Mike Mulvey, saying the Usain Bolt pre-season circus was a major distraction.

Moss, who is also the president of Football Coaches Australia, told Fox Sports Australia there was something “systematically wrong” with the Mariners.

Central Coast sacked Mulvey after an 8-2 loss to the Wellington Phoenix.

Mulvey won a solitary match in his 11 months in charge at the Mariners.

“There is no doubt there is something systemically wrong at the club,” Moss said.

“It was one of the most stable clubs in the league until Graham Arnold left, since then it’s gone steadily downhill.

Moss was unequivocal in labelling Usain Bolt’s brief pre-season stint with the Mariners a distraction.

He said Mulvey was always going to struggle after the former Olympic sprinter dominated headlines before eventually declining a $150,000 contract from the club.

“In my opinion that was always going to play an adverse role in the Mariners season,” Moss said.

“The pre-season all became about one person who was never going to add to the quality of the football team, given he had never played professionally.

“It was a major factor for why the season went from bad to worse.”

Inside the Mariners’ weekend from hell

A perfect storm of injuries and suspensions led to an ultimately embarrassing weekend for the Mariners.

The Mariners went into the match without a host of senior players with Matt Simon and Aiden O’Neill unavailable due to suspension.

Andrew Hoole was omitted due to disciplinary issues, having fallen foul of a drinking ban, while Connor Pain was a surprise and unexplained omission.

Despite this, the Phoenix didn’t exactly come into the match on a hot-streak either.

Wellington had prevailed in just one of their previous seven games, and were at risk of falling out of the top six heading in to the match.