Gold Coast caretaker coach Mike Mulvey believes the embattled Hyundai A-League club must now restore some 'pride in the shirt' when they face table-topping Central Coast on Wednesday night.
Gold Coast caretaker coach Mike Mulvey believes the embattled Hyundai A-League club must now restore some 'pride in the shirt' when they face table-topping Central Coast on Wednesday night.
Still reeling from their ugly separation from former boss Miron Bleiberg, cellar dwellers United must now shift their attention to matters on the park after an unprecedented six days of chaos.
With owner Clive Palmer all but declaring war on the FFA, Mulvey has inherited not only a squad caught in the crossfire but a lengthy injury list from his predecessor.
Only skipper Michael Thwaite and dynamic forward Maceo Rigters are expected to return to a side which has not tasted victory since their slender 1-0 win over Brisbane on Boxing Day.
Since then United have reflected the off-field uncertainty in their performances, conceding 15 goals in eight matches with dressing room confidence at an all-time low.
According to Mulvey however, it's now up to the players to start turning around the club's fortunes and block out the distractions.
"We need to put pride back into the shirt so that the fans can have faith in the quality of football we're playing, and our performance on the park, and the belief in the future of the club," Mulvey said.
"Everyone's talking about youth, and it's true, but if you're good enough, you're old enough."
"Some of these players have now got to stand up. I didn't go to a private school or anything but I know there's a saying - carpe diem, seize the day."
That process began, according to the new coach, with United's brave 1-0 loss to Melbourne Heart on Friday night.
With only one player over the age of 23 in the starting line-up, many expected an ugly rout - but to their credit Gold Coast's band of youngsters, led by cameo captain Mitch Cooper, held their own.
So impressed was maverick billionaire Palmer with their fighting spirit in the match that everyone involved with the fixture received a bonus payment.
"The owner decided that he wanted to say thank you in his own way so that was well received and yes, he did address the players and they walked out very, very confident about the future," Mulvey said.
"He's had a chat to me, he's told me what his expectations are for the club, and I'll run with that as best as I possibly can."
"(That's to) prepare the team to play good football and give the players some belief in themselves and let's see what we can do."
Mulvey, who headed the Queensland Academy of Sport program for many years before joining United as youth team coach, said Bleiberg had wished him well in his new role.
The Mancunian said there were no hard feelings between the two, despite Bleiberg's sensational split from the club being played out almost entirely in the press.
"Miron and I have always had a very good relationship and yes, we've had a chat," Mulvey said.
"We've always gotten on well and that will continue into the future, I'm sure. (But) there's no room for sentimentality in football. His words to me at the time were, 'that's football'."
"When there's friendships involved of course, there's a little bit of feelings there. But I've been appointed as the next coach and it's my job now to not think of the past and get running ahead with the future."
"It's an unexpected opportunity. It's come earlier than I probably expected but I think I'm ready to be an A-League coach and I think the club has shown faith in me."