The nominees are IN – and now it’s time to have your say on who takes out Coach of the Month honours for February in the Isuzu UTE A-League!
Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have partnered with Football Coaches Australia (FCA) for the second season running, to produce four monthly nominees for fans of the Isuzu UTE A-League to pick from as Coach of the Month.
Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano won the fan vote for October/November Coach of the Month, and Central Coast Mariners boss Mark Jackson collected both the December and January honours.
Both Jackson and Italiano are in the running again in the February vote after the FCA panel’s monthly polling.
This month’s nominees are…
Eligible coaches are nominated monthly by the FCA panel, consisting of:
- Catherine Cannuli
- Sarah West
- John Kosmina
- Ian Greener
- Gary Cole
Each member of the FCA panel votes for three coaches each month, granting three votes to their pick for Coach of the Month, two for their second-choice and one for their third choice.
The FCA panel will also vote for Liberty A-League Coach of the Month on the same voting schedule.
February voting, top four – FCA
- Mark Jackson, Central Coast Mariners
- Ufuk Talay, Sydney FC
- Giancarlo Italiano, Wellington Phoenix
- Mile Sterjovski, Macarthur FC
Mark Jackson – Central Coast Mariners
February record
- Games played: 5
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 1
- Mariners goals scored: 7
- Mariners goals conceded: 3
The Mariners’ jam-packed February featured seven games in all competitions as Mark Jackson’s side progressed to the Inter-Zonal Semi Finals of the AFC Cup while continuing to climb up the Isuzu UTE A-League table.
In domestic competition, the Mariners began February with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Adelaide United. A goalless draw with then-league leaders Wellington was to follow, before a 3-1 loss to Sydney FC halted momentum – but only momentarily.
Mariners followed that result with a pair of clean sheets in 1-0 wins against Western Sydney and Melbourne Victory.
Ufuk Talay – Sydney FC
February record
- Games played: 4
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 2
- Defeats: 0
- Sydney goals scored: 8
- Sydney goals conceded: 5
Ufuk Talay’s side came into February unbeaten in two games and ended the month extending that run to six – with a 3-1 win over the red-hot Central Coast Mariners a highlight in a month that featured two wins and two draws.
Sydney beat Adelaide United 2-1 and drew to both Western United and Melbourne City as Talay oversaw a month without defeat to consolidate his team’s place in the top six.
Giancarlo Italiano – Wellington Phoenix
February record
- Games played: 5
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 3
- Defeats: 0
- Wellington goals scored: 5
- Wellington goals conceded: 2
Five games without defeat helped Wellington remain in pole position for the Premier’s Plate by the end of February.
The month featured three draws against Brisbane Roar, Central Coast and Perth, with a pair of successive wins against Western United and top-four contenders Macarthur FC.
Mile Sterjovski – Macarthur FC
February record
- Games played: 4
- Wins: 2
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 1
- Macarthur goals scored: 8
- Macarthur goals conceded: 7
Like Jackson’s Mariners, Mile Sterjovski and Macarthur FC navigated through a busy February schedule with two AFC Cup fixtures and four league games.
The month began with a 4-3 win over Western Sydney at home, before a clean sheet triumph over Melbourne Victory. Sterjovski’s side lost to Wellington in mid-February and ended the month with a 2-2 draw to Newcastle Jets.
