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pjennings

Well-Known Member
More a question for Tony but you may be able to answer for us.

It would seem that Adelson and Berry are no longer trialists. Have they been signed as first squad players, NYL players or young players attached to the first squad but outside the cap and squad size?

Similarly are we going to see the NYL squad soon?
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
Hi Shaun,

Thank you for taking the initiative to come and interact on the forum. I view this as another very positive step alongside the Welcome Wednesdays where I got to talk to Peter Storrie at length at CCLC and
yourself and Tony at Ettalong.

HAL scheduling


My first point probably relates to the boom/bust cycle we have with NSW games and is probably something that you have input to rather than control.

Last year we hosted 3 NSW based games (and no NYE game) out of 13 home games with no regional round. This year we have 6 NSW based games as well as NYE game out of our 13 home games (and sold? the regional game to Victory). We should always have the NYE but for a more even approach we should have 5 NSW based games one year and 4 the following. If as mooted, we have a Southern Sydney team and/or Wollongong we could see up to 15 NSW based games to be share at 8 one year and 7 the next.

On a similar theme, this season we have the F3 derby against Newcastle as our final home match. While this may be a vital match it is more likely given the Jets recent and not so recent form be a nothing game. In my opinion the NSW game should not be the first or last games or indeed the NYE games. These games should be the easiest to sell and don’t need added attractions/incentives that hosting an interstate team might need.
Hi pjennings

great points and yes all the NSW A-league clubs are very passionate about the boom/bust cycle changing, the trick is everyone wants it to change on the bust year. Hopefuly for us then it will be next season :) but the FFA are very aware of this and working towards solutions. I do not believe you will see an additional team in NSW for quite some time as the current clubs need to become for stable and the TV deal needs to be completed. Only if the TV requested another team would I predict this happening but with such strong variations on the broadcast numbers between games i am predicting the base viewership of a standard A-league needs to rise significantly first.

In regards to the derby please note that we formally objected to the time allocations of these matches in collaboration with the jets however could not get these changed. Maybe next year after this years derbies set the A-league alight.
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
Hi Shaun,

The proposed walk out song that I read about in the paper, and how it was decided via consultation with fans... can you elaborate more on that? I'm not asking about the song, more about what your perception is of fan consultation. I think it's fair to say, non of us on this forum knew anything about this proposal, and to read that the fans were consulted was a real slap in the face... for me at least.
Hi Atomic

My perception of fan consultation is to ask as many fans as I possibly can and make a decision based on all the information I have available. To be very specific about the walk out song, it is not the walk out song for the first home game that is important for me. It is the walk out song that happens at the last home game that is important, what can we build through the whole season that finishes with something everyone is proud of and stays with the club for many more seasons and hopefully forever.

So where did I start in the consultation? With everyone I have been able to speak to including and not exhausted by: OSC, Yellow Army, The Brass Band, my over 35s kariong football team, the coach, the Mariners staff members, my wife - anyone who is passionate enough to have an opinion.

What did I learn? There are a millions ideas and opinions and there is no single answer that will keep everyone happy.

What else did I learn? that without the most vocal supporters getting behind the walk out song there will be no chance of it ever working - so for mine it starts with the Yellow Army and the Mariners band. But I still haven't even met more than 10% of the Yellow Army and have only met one or two people from the Mariners band, so I hope who I have met truly represents the group.

This I know will be extremely controversial but I make no apologies in saying that I believe if the Yellow Army and Mariners band did not support the walk out song then their volume alone would prevent any walk out song from working.

So here is the real kicker - I haven't even heard the full walk out song or seen the lyrics. But I trust the people involved from here to create this because they genuinely have the best interests of the team at heart and if everyone can believe for one second before looking for reasons to knock it then it has a chance to be great by the end of the season.

I just hope that everyone can be open minded and see this as an opportunity to all get behind something that will lift the team immensely.
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
Hi Sean,

Re fan input:

A simple poll to members (via email) would be a simple and very transparent way to get input on things.

things like:

  • New playing strip
  • Walk out song
etc etc
Hi FFC Mariner

Sorry for the delay in my reply i have been typing as fast as i can and cant believe it has been over an hour already. I could not agree with you more, 100% behind you and polls.

Simply put our new membership CRM has a long way to go. not sure if you have been getting the emails and the new exclusive emails for members "the huddle". but it has bugs and we are figuring them about plus we haven't figured out how to integrate a poll feature just yet but we are working on it.

In saying this there is no utopia here and sometimes management need to make an executive decision based on research, experience and strategy just as much as member feedback which doesn't always result in the same outcome. But without the members poll then I agree we are not working with all the information possible tomake the best decisions.
 

FFC Mariner

Well-Known Member
Hi FFC Mariner

Sorry for the delay in my reply i have been typing as fast as i can and cant believe it has been over an hour already. I could not agree with you more, 100% behind you and polls.

Simply put our new membership CRM has a long way to go. not sure if you have been getting the emails and the new exclusive emails for members "the huddle". but it has bugs and we are figuring them about plus we haven't figured out how to integrate a poll feature just yet but we are working on it.

In saying this there is no utopia here and sometimes management need to make an executive decision based on research, experience and strategy just as much as member feedback which doesn't always result in the same outcome. But without the members poll then I agree we are not working with all the information possible tomake the best decisions.

CRM issues? I feel your pain :)
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
Thanks Shaun :)

In regards to catering - you mentioned the leagues club and you may want to have a chat with them (although you probably have already) as it seems like they are frequently caught off guard by big games. So maybe if the club is expecting a big crowd, let them know, as a lot of times it has been packed in there and not all the bars are open, or all the food places. I think for some kickoff times the food places don't even open until too late so that causes massive queues when they finally do open, not everyone can eat before the game then... I can't think of specific games/times off the top of my head but this has been an issue.

We have been working really hard and close with the leagues club. We are very excited to be announcing soon a pre, post and away game opportunities at the leagues club and bowling club.

There are many very supportive venues and partners of the Mariners all of which we will be proud to promote and assist in making match days home and away as good as they possibly can.

In the Kendal bar at 2:45pm our head coach will attend the official pre-match function and give an insight that no-one will believe can actually happen a few hours before the match. We are hopeful that the plan to have all post matches at the bowling club show a recorded replay of the game 45minutes after the final whistle.

We are hopefull that we find a way that every away match we interview the coach on the team bus on the way to the game and have this streamed or periscoped back to the bowling club, sideline, gosford RSL, ettalong diggers, mingara, wyong roos and any other venue prepared to look after our members - the coach has committed to this which is the biggest step.
 

pjennings

Well-Known Member
My final question

The Socceroos have 3 more home matches in this stage of qualifying

12 November 2015: Socceroos v Kyrgyzstan (home venue and time tbc)
24 March 2016: Socceroos v Tajikstan (home venue and time tbc)
29 March 2016: Socceroos v Jordan (home venue and time tbc)

Recent Socceroo matches have been in Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and a lot of talk is that one of the games to come will be in Canberra or Wollongong. Why not Gosford?

The major home game of this round is the game on 29th March v Jordan. I suspect this game will be held in Sydney. Why not have the Socceroos or Socceroos/Olyroos camp on the Coast and the game v Tajikstan on 24th March at Gosford.

A Socceroos/Olyroos camp including Ryan, Sainsbury, Wilko, Ollie, Tommy, Jedinak, Musti and Izzo would cement the idea of seeing future Socceroos at the Mariners. We will not get a game in the later rounds - if we are to get a game this is the one we need to go for.

This is one for co-operation between CCM, Central Coast Tourism and Gosford Council. A Socceroos game here could be a game changer for football in the Coast and only good for CCM. Will the club in co-operation with the Council and Central coast Tourism explore this possibility with the FFA?
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
More a question for Tony but you may be able to answer for us.

It would seem that Adelson and Berry are no longer trialists. Have they been signed as first squad players, NYL players or young players attached to the first squad but outside the cap and squad size?

Similarly are we going to see the NYL squad soon?
Hi pjennings

Yes these are questions for the coach and I apologise that I have to plead the 5th here when it comes to the team and specific football questions. It would be inappropriate for me to comment on here about the team specifically as there is a lot that happens which is directly impacting on individuals who need to find out via the right channels first.

Sorry i cant go there all i can say is things are all going good here and we are excited about the future of the NYL.
 

sydmariner

Well-Known Member
My final question

The Socceroos have 3 more home matches in this stage of qualifying

12 November 2015: Socceroos v Kyrgyzstan (home venue and time tbc)
24 March 2016: Socceroos v Tajikstan (home venue and time tbc)
29 March 2016: Socceroos v Jordan (home venue and time tbc)

Recent Socceroo matches have been in Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and a lot of talk is that one of the games to come will be in Canberra or Wollongong. Why not Gosford?

The major home game of this round is the game on 29th March v Jordan. I suspect this game will be held in Sydney. Why not have the Socceroos or Socceroos/Olyroos camp on the Coast and the game v Tajikstan on 24th March at Gosford.

A Socceroos/Olyroos camp including Ryan, Sainsbury, Wilko, Ollie, Tommy, Jedinak, Musti and Izzo would cement the idea of seeing future Socceroos at the Mariners. We will not get a game in the later rounds - if we are to get a game this is the one we need to go for.

This is one for co-operation between CCM, Central Coast Tourism and Gosford Council. A Socceroos game here could be a game changer for football in the Coast and only good for CCM. Will the club in co-operation with the Council and Central coast Tourism explore this possibility with the FFA?
the next home game is in canbera
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
My final question

The Socceroos have 3 more home matches in this stage of qualifying

12 November 2015: Socceroos v Kyrgyzstan (home venue and time tbc)
24 March 2016: Socceroos v Tajikstan (home venue and time tbc)
29 March 2016: Socceroos v Jordan (home venue and time tbc)

Recent Socceroo matches have been in Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and a lot of talk is that one of the games to come will be in Canberra or Wollongong. Why not Gosford?

The major home game of this round is the game on 29th March v Jordan. I suspect this game will be held in Sydney. Why not have the Socceroos or Socceroos/Olyroos camp on the Coast and the game v Tajikstan on 24th March at Gosford.

A Socceroos/Olyroos camp including Ryan, Sainsbury, Wilko, Ollie, Tommy, Jedinak, Musti and Izzo would cement the idea of seeing future Socceroos at the Mariners. We will not get a game in the later rounds - if we are to get a game this is the one we need to go for.

This is one for co-operation between CCM, Central Coast Tourism and Gosford Council. A Socceroos game here could be a game changer for football in the Coast and only good for CCM. Will the club in co-operation with the Council and Central coast Tourism explore this possibility with the FFA?
This is an easy one - yes
 

Shaun Mielekamp

Well-Known Member
Hi guys

Thanks heaps i really appreciate you coming on to discuss things and the fact that everyone can see this conversation will hopefully provide a great incentive for more people to return to the forum. I hope to see you all at the family day tomorrow and please keep the conversation going.

I apologise if anything I said seems new, different or challenging but please know it is all said with the very best of intentions for the club to grow. I will always be the first to put my hand up and say that we got it wrong but that wont stop us from having a crack anyway.

I have just been called to our boardroom to review the EDM which is about to go out so keep an eye on your in-boxes and I will see you tomorrow.

kindest regards
 

adz

Moderator
Staff member
We have been working really hard and close with the leagues club. We are very excited to be announcing soon a pre, post and away game opportunities at the leagues club and bowling club.

There are many very supportive venues and partners of the Mariners all of which we will be proud to promote and assist in making match days home and away as good as they possibly can.

In the Kendal bar at 2:45pm our head coach will attend the official pre-match function and give an insight that no-one will believe can actually happen a few hours before the match. We are hopeful that the plan to have all post matches at the bowling club show a recorded replay of the game 45minutes after the final whistle.

We are hopefull that we find a way that every away match we interview the coach on the team bus on the way to the game and have this streamed or periscoped back to the bowling club, sideline, gosford RSL, ettalong diggers, mingara, wyong roos and any other venue prepared to look after our members - the coach has committed to this which is the biggest step.

Brilliant! We used to do the Kendall Bar in the early days, and we (ccmfans) were trying to bring it back a couple of seasons ago but it died out when basically the CCLC stopped putting the effort in to get the room ready for fans. Charles at the CCLC was extremely good to us and helpful but there is only so much one person can do. Not sure what's in there currently but we had organised to get couches and things removed in favour of tall tables and stools to give it more of a pub atmosphere, and really pack the place out with people. This worked for a few games until they started removing the couches and things and not replacing them with anything. The last one I saw it looked pretty sad, a bit empty room with pretty much nobody in it. It's a shame because they decked the place out very nicely with Mariners photos on the walls - and not to bang on about photos and stuff again, but it would be nice to provide them with some updated memorabilia for the walls ;). It's very unique to the A-League basically having a pub/meeting place right across the road from games, and glad it is being looked at as something to revive.

Post matches in the bowling club were also done but I would suggest not having the players rock up after playing, especially if they just lost. It was always a bit awkward having them come in and eat their food at one end of the room in front of everyone, and I'm sure they all hated it, and 99% sure they just wanted to get out of there and go to Terrigal. Having someone from the club to speak is always good, and maybe some of the players who didn't play?

And another crowd favourite is always going to be Lawrie McKinna. When we did our retro round a couple of years ago he was keen on doing more like it, but not sure how things are these days?

Just saw your message about being called away, thanks for being here and all your replies - the good thing about the forum is these discussions don't require immediate responses, and we really appreciate you coming on here to answer questions.

Apart from us asking you questions, I'd also suggest if there is anything we can do as fans to help the club, we'd love to hear those ideas. Other than the obvious of becoming a member, going to games...

Cheers!
 

style_cafe

Well-Known Member
My final question

The Socceroos have 3 more home matches in this stage of qualifying

12 November 2015: Socceroos v Kyrgyzstan (home venue and time tbc)
24 March 2016: Socceroos v Tajikstan (home venue and time tbc)
29 March 2016: Socceroos v Jordan (home venue and time tbc)

Recent Socceroo matches have been in Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and a lot of talk is that one of the games to come will be in Canberra or Wollongong. Why not Gosford?

The major home game of this round is the game on 29th March v Jordan. I suspect this game will be held in Sydney. Why not have the Socceroos or Socceroos/Olyroos camp on the Coast and the game v Tajikstan on 24th March at Gosford.

A Socceroos/Olyroos camp including Ryan, Sainsbury, Wilko, Ollie, Tommy, Jedinak, Musti and Izzo would cement the idea of seeing future Socceroos at the Mariners. We will not get a game in the later rounds - if we are to get a game this is the one we need to go for.

This is one for co-operation between CCM, Central Coast Tourism and Gosford Council. A Socceroos game here could be a game changer for football in the Coast and only good for CCM. Will the club in co-operation with the Council and Central coast Tourism explore this possibility with the FFA?

Pat. I take my hat off to you, you`re a bloody genius.
What a great idea!!! :goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost:
 

Gratis

Well-Known Member
Apart from us asking you questions, I'd also suggest if there is anything we can do as fans to help the club, we'd love to hear those ideas. Other than the obvious of becoming a member, going to games...

Cheers!
This.

Also regardless of what the song ends up being I'm going to get behind it.
We'll all end up loving it if it's our song and stands for the Mariners however you felt about it at the beginning.

Thanks Shaun, and the all the best professionally and personally.
 

Rowdy

Well-Known Member
Reading through this thread, after you being on here for a commendable amount of your precious time - I'm Really Really impressed Shaun, with this/your response to my tongue in cheek "give me a call".

and Shaun .......
 

Forum Phoenix

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the forum Sean, (and really good to see Ancient and FFC back on the boards too!). I'm going to grab this opportunity, but I've a few questions so please just answer at your leisure over a few weeks or whatever is manageable.

We all appreciate how much work was done in the foundation years of building community engagement, but for mine the club has actually never felt more approachable or inclusive than it does right at this juncture. It was sorely needed, is beyond refreshing, and above all exciting. I'm sure you have a long and busy road ahead, but a huge well done to you and everyone else on the clear culture shift and vision. Great to finally see things like the membership recruiting incentives coming in - wish they were here over the past decade.

I would strongly second FFC's idea about a simple members email regarding getting feedback on any issues and Adz on catering. Brought a lot of people to games over the years, and the catering/food quality is a genuine detraction from game day experience and source of jokes for most. We're unbelievably spoilt for amazing food in Oz these days, I think we're second to none, but where ever I go stadium food has somehow, by and large, resisted. It is over priced, and now really only serves as a bit of culinary nostalgia to those of us (like me) raised on a steady diet of cold pies, mars bars, soggy chips and chiko roles. Times have changed to the point where even Macca's seems inclined to argue it's name is actually just an abbreviation for macrobiotic...

One bee I've had in my bonnet for a long time, is that whenever crowds have been underwhelming and the "coast don't deserve their team" drivel has been served up, everyone trash talks attendance. We debate and speculate on here, poor football, poor time slots and competing with the recreational lifestyle of the central coast being the most obvious offenders, but I have had a pretty significant amount of experience that the only people typically aware of upcoming games are usually existing members and a few of the more avid supporters.

I'm the co owner of a couple of business here on the coast, one with a large membership, and I've had a lot of interaction about upcoming games with people over the years - usually trying to drum up excitement. Some people on here have offhandedly dismissed this concern. Maybe in their circles everyone appears to know. But I don't believe so, nor that this is a case of simply they're all just not paying attention or Coasties only care about the NRL. I appreciate there would be considerable effort always going in, but for a brand as significant as the Mariners is on the coast, the cut through has always to my surprise seemed to be very low.

I've participated in the surveys before, but curious if there has ever been much market research of Central Coast constituents along the lines of how many home games do you think the Mariners play per year? How many games would you say you knew about at least one week prior? Of the 13 games, how many would you be excited about attending...what would motivate you to attend... etc

A simple thing I've always wondered is why there is no major, highly visible upcoming game day and date sign at Erina Fair? A few more signs on the main arteries stating the next game day just like the stadium one would surely be worth the spend and negotiations. Is there a road block to this that I'm not aware of?

Any possibility of:

A community club like ours of taking a leaf out of some American Football home towns, where club signage will go up in yards and even business windows when there is an upcoming home game? Something to help drive awareness and sense of event. (Like others I've hung CCM banners in my businesses before but it only reads as a show of support and is not helpful in promoting game days) I know you guys are consistently trying with print media and radio, but some more major signage and incentives to members and businesses to help build a "it's game day" event culture on the coast might be very beneficial I think.

A large, club sponsored sign for bay 16 and our active support section?

Club sponsored banner and costumes for the band.

Real game day programs... Whether it's a Socceroo's game or whatever they're always so dull and well behind social media and in my humble opinion a total waste of time. Whereas if it is as it seems and TW is willing to be candid about match intentions, likely tactics of the opposition, our squad selections, some of what the the players did in training that week and how they performed etc, stuff that actually genuinely informs and revs you up leading into the game... I know that's the kind of stuff I live for leading into games and would really enjoy reading in a program. Face to face is awesome, (this is amazing news btw) but I can't always make the Kendall before hand and this would be a terrific complement or replacement.

Convincing FOX to improve the look of their product and film from the Eastern side if it's not an afternoon game where the sun will be shining straight into their lenses?

Bringing back Marvin :thumbup:

Better costumes in team colours for the cheer leading squad if they're going to be regulars again this year:piano:

Finally, why won't FFA give us more sat night 7:30 games? Is that the prime time ratings spot for FOX so they won't give them to our smaller demographic?

Thanks greatly for your time Sean, for formally joining the boards, putting yourself forward and doing what looks to be such a fantastic job to date.

:overheadl:
 
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dibo

Well-Known Member
For some reason the costumes of that dance academy always remind me of the girl from Blind Melon's film clip for No Rain.

Accordingly, every half time I get the song stuck in my head!

 

FFC Mariner

Well-Known Member
For some reason the costumes of that dance academy always remind me of the girl from Blind Melon's film clip for No Rain.

Accordingly, every half time I get the song stuck in my head!


Thanks for that loop now playing in my head all day
 
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