Following the departure of title-winning coach Nick Montgomery, A-League Champion Central Coast has chosen to onboard former England under-20 representative, Mark Jackson for the position. Jackson’s journey to the Mariners succeeds a rather disappointing six-month tenure at the English lower division club MK Dons, which culminated in their relegation to the fourth-tier League Two competition.
Jackson’s preceding dismissal with MK Dons had no bearing on Montgomery’s endorsement of Jackson. Montgomery had stepped away from the Mariners earlier in the month, transitioning into the leadership of Scottish club, Hibernian.
Emphasizing his commitment to aggressive, proactive play, Jackson shared his vision for Central Coast, “My philosophy revolves around dominating every facet of the game. I believe in guiding my teams to play on the front foot. Keeping this in mind, I aspire to steer Central Coast in a similar direction. The club is already in an exceptional position, my objective is to perpetuate this momentum while fostering its growth and progress.”
The Mariners’ Sporting Director, Matt Simon, exuded confidence in Jackson’s abilities and welcomed him as a “fantastic addition” to the Gosford-based club. “From our first interaction, it was evident that Mark is the ideal candidate to usher our club into the future. His track record in youth development and breadth of experience complement our vision for the club’s growth.”
Prior to his stint at MK Dons, Jackson amassed extensive experience at Leeds United, engaging in diverse roles ranging from academy mentor, under-23 coach to first-team assistant coach.
Richard Peil, Mariners Chairman, echoed the enthusiasm in a formal statement, “The quest for an apt leadership replacement has been a major focus. Even though we received a plethora of applications from all across the globe, it quickly became obvious that Mark was the perfect fit for our club. With his emphasis on youth development aligning with ours, it was only intuitive to bring Mark on board. Given his acumen, he is expected to assimilate seamlessly into the community and be an excellent cultural fit for our club as well.”
