‘It would be exciting, wouldn’t it?’: FA open to Man Utd buying Mariners
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson has given a tacit endorsement of a planned takeover of the Central Coast Mariners by Manchester United, saying it would be an “exciting” outcome for the sport.
The Herald revealed on Tuesday that the English Premier League club is involved in preliminary talks with Mike Charlesworth, the owner of the current A-League leaders, who has been trying to sell the club for several years.
Charlesworth engaged in discussions with Manchester United’s ownership more than 12 months ago – through Mike Phelan, United’s current assistant manager and the Mariners’ former sporting director – which ultimately fizzled out.
Central Coast Mariner Joshua Nisbet and Wanderers’ Thomas Aquilina battle for possession.Credit:Getty
But the prospect has been recently revisited, and although only at an earlu stage, talks now centre around the possibility of moving the Mariners from Gosford to North Sydney and could involve a full rebrand of the club – all of which would require the approval of FA and other A-League club owners.
It would be the first step towards United potentially establishing a global network of clubs, similar to the City Football Group controlled by their fierce rivals Manchester City.
Johnson, a former CFG executive and well-connected football identity who previously worked for FIFA and the AFC, signalled his support for Manchester United’s mooted move into the Australian game.
“It would be exciting, wouldn’t it, to have a brand like Man United involved in our sport?” Johnson told the Herald on Tuesday as FA announced a new four-year sponsorship deal with the Commonwealth Bank, which includes the naming rights to the Matildas from August.
Manchester United are in discussions to buy Central Coast MarinersCredit:Getty
Johnson declined to answer further questions around whether FA would look favourably upon a relocation or rebrand of the Mariners, who have finished bottom in four of the last five seasons but surprisingly sit two points clear on top of the A-League table after 16 games.
The Mariners have moved to distance themselves from the reports, with chief executive Shaun Mielekamp tweeting: “‘Meetings’ have happened with loads of clubs around the world and it is normal when the club is up for sale. But speculations are nothing more than speculations and its important like in the pre-season none of this distracts anyone at the club – it is just noise.”
“Our focus remains on the next home game where we can have a huge crowd and show everyone in the world that the best place for the Mariners is on the coast and the key to our future is our stadium.”
Fans of both the Mariners and Manchester United have not reacted well to the news. Central Coast supporters, predictably, are fearful and angry that their club’s future has been called into question again – but Charlesworth has had them on the market for some time and is still yet to find a buyer interested in keeping them in Gosford.
Sources say he could hand back his A-League licence at the end of this season if he can’t sell the club or at least secure the management rights to Central Coast Stadium, which would be a gamechanger for the Mariners’ long-term sustainability.
United fans on social media, meanwhile, by and large expressed their preference that the club spends its money on transfers rather than an Australian outpost, with yet another EPL title destined to go to Manchester City this season.
Other A-League club owners, while likely supportive of Manchester United’s involvement in Australian football, are expected to be against the prospect of a fourth Sydney club, with newcomers Macarthur FC, based in the city’s south-west, struggling to build support.
Sydney FC in particular would oppose the move, with northern Sydney regarded as part of their catchment area, and with the club set to build a permanent training base and headquarters at Macquarie University in North Ryde.
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