Moss backs Mariners young guns to shine

With new signing Fabio Ferreira to make his debut on Friday night, Central Coast Mariners coach Phil Moss admits it won't be long until teenage young guns Liam Rose and Anthony Kalik are in his starting line-up after they helped his side shock Adelaide United last week.

Kalik

Anthony Kalik in action for the Mariners during the FFA Cup in October last year (Getty) Source: Getty Images Asia Pacific

The 17-year-olds came off the bench with the Mariners trailing 1-0 and helped secure an unlikely 2-1 win thanks to late goals from Nick Fitzgerald and Josh Rose.

The highly-rated pair are the latest to come off the Central Coast conveyor belt of talent and will be named in Moss's 17-man squad for the visit of reigning premier Brisbane to Gosford on Friday.

This week saw Mitchell Duke sold to J-League side Shimizu S-Pulse for $200,000, becoming the latest home-grown product to move to a bigger league in the past five years and Moss said Rose and Kalik have a huge future ahead of them.

"I was delighted with how well they did," said Moss.

"Anthony played the last half-hour and Josh the final 20 minutes or so and neither looked out of place.

"It was important for me to see their temperaments playing at a higher level and they did very well against arguably the best side in the A-League and some experienced players like Isaias and Sergio Cirio.

"They are both excellent young players and will only get better with the more they play.

"We're very proud of the youth system here which has seen the likes of Mustafa Amini, Mat Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Tom Rogic, Alex Wilkinson and Mile Jedinak go on to bigger things after leaving here."



The Mariners haven't recorded back-to-back wins this season and face a Roar side that has turned its form around after a slow start to the season.

An injury-time goal earned Frans Thijssen's side a 2-1 win over Newcastle at Hunter Stadium last week and Moss believes the return of two-time Johnny Warren Medallist Thomas Broich from ankle surgery is the reason for its upturn in form.

"He's a class player and they've really missed him," Moss said.

"He's played in their last two games and they've won them both. Brisbane are a side that keep the ball well and can hurt you.

"We didn't keep possession as well as I would have liked against Adelaide and that is something we can't do on Friday."


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3 min read
Published 12 February 2015 4:38pm
Updated 12 February 2015 11:01pm

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