Central Coast striker Matt Simon will be a man on a mission when the Mariners battle to kickstart their first Asian Champions League campaign with a win on Wednesday night.
Simon is desperate to regain his scoring touch when the Mariners take on Korean FA Cup winners Pohang Steelers at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford.
“We had a disappointing end to the Hyundai A-League season but we’ve moved on from that,” he said.
“There’s a real buzz around the squad, we’re all determined to get off to a flying start on Wednesday night.”
Simon went on an amazing goalscoring run during the first half of the A-League season but struggled to hit the target during the team’s run-in to the finals.
“I’d love to find the back of the net in the Champions League, especially in front of our fans,” he said.
Simon capped a breakthrough season when he won the Mariners Medal as the club’s best player on Friday night.
He was also won the club’s Golden Boot award with 11 goals.
While delighted with the two awards Simon said success in the Champions League would mean more than anything he has achieved so far this campaign.
“Getting recognised on Friday night was great, it was a big surprise but my focus now is on Wednesday night,” Simon said.
Simon did not train with the Mariners on Saturday after playing in the Socceroos’ shock defeat against Kuwait in Canberra on Thursday night.
He returned to the training paddock on Monday and is expected to start against the Steelers alongside Dylan Macallister in a two-man attack.
