Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery is out to disprove the theory that you can’t win anything with kids.
The Mariners host Brisbane Roar on Saturday in the A-League Men and only a major slip-up would result in the men from Gosford missing a spot in the top six.
It’s an impressive achievement when you consider the Mariners are operating on one of the smallest budgets in the competition and have lost key players in the shape of Kye Rowles, Lewis Miller, Marco Urena and Garang Kuol over the past 12 months.
Montgomery has continued to put his faith in young players and, according to the club, the Mariners have given more minutes to players under the age of 23 than anyone else in the league.
With an average squad age of 24, the Mariners are the youngest side in the A-League and Montgomery says people are beginning to take notice.
“We have to think outside the box,” Montgomery told AAP.
“We have to continue to develop players to compete with the teams with the bigger budgets.
“Young players and their agents see what we are doing here and are desperate to be a part of it.
“We have to recruit within our means but it becomes easier when you bring players in and sell them onto clubs in Europe, that’s the strategy we have to have.”
While academy products Max Balard, Jacob Farrell and Josh Nisbet have become established campaigners under Montgomery, the Mariners boss takes particular delight in the emergence of 19-year-old Nectar Triantis.
The defender has been a key pillar in the Mariners’ defence this season.
“It was easy to get him because he wasn’t offered a contract by his previous club,” Montgomery said.
“We thought he could play in the A-League and he’s now the Australian under-20 captain and I could see him being a future Socceroo.”
Montgomery said his side was coming into the remaining five games of the regular season in good shape.
The Mariners have picked up just two wins from the seven games since the beginning of February but remain in fourth spot.
“We’ve got a full squad back now for the first time in a long time,” he said.
“A lot can happen in the next five games but we’re confident that we can go home and away and win any game of football if we perform how we know we can.”
