The Central Coast Mariners will trial several potential new signings during their pre-season tour of Queensland this weekend.
With a host of players unavailable for selection against Queensland State League team Logan United and Hyundai A-League newcomers the North Queensland Fury, the Mariners will trial six new players as their pre-season campaign gets underway.
Among the trialists will be two Serbians, one Welsh youth international, an Englishman and an Italian and Mariners executive chairman Lyall Gorman is looking forward to seeing them in action.
“This trip provides us with a valuable opportunity to have a look at some players that may well be capable of stepping up to the Hyundai A-League next season, as well as providing a platform for our existing playing group to gain some base fitness and form ahead of the new campaign,” Gorman said.
“During our break to date we’ve been exhaustively looking at all options available to us to bolster our playing squad for the new season and negotiations with several players are ongoing and progressing very encouragingly.”
“In the spirit of the need for us to refresh our playing stocks, every squad member on show in Brisbane and Rockhampton has an opportunity to either push their claims for a starting XI berth or, for a chance to wear Mariners colours in the Hyundai A-League and we’re hopeful and confident of taking many positives away from this trip.”
Meanwhile, Mariners midfielder John Hutchinson has been rewarded for his good form over the last couple of years by earning a call up to the Malta national team.
Hutchinson has Maltese heritage and will be looking to help the 150th ranked country in its bid to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
“I’m delighted to have been given this opportunity by the Maltese FA and their coach Dusan Fitzel and I’m really looking forward to what is a fantastic opportunity and a great challenge in new and exciting surrounds,” Hutchinson said.
“I’m a very proud Australian and will always be, though I am equally as proud of my Maltese heritage and will wear the jersey of Malta with the pride, honour and respect that it deserves.”
