Defender: sign me this week

Anxious ... Patrick Zwaanswijk wants to sort his future.  Source: Getty Images

Anxious Mariners defender Patrick Zwaanswijk has urged the club to sort out his ongoing contract drama before the grand final, conceding: "I need all my focus to be on the game".

Unsigned beyond the current A-League season, Zwaanswijk is desperate to face Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday with his future confirmed - even if it means being released by Central Coast.

At 38, and with two children aged 10 and 12, the classy Dutchman yesterday admitted he was "struggling" with the issue when opening up to The Daily Telegraph about the extra pressures of his grand final week.

"Personally, I'm struggling with the club a bit at the moment," he said. "Exactly where we go, I'm not sure.

"We've been talking for a while but it doesn't look ... well, we're still trying to get somewhere but things have stalled. I'd like to have everything sorted by Sunday so I can just focus on the game."

Arriving on the Central Coast in 2010, Zwaanswijk has become a key member of the Mariners famed defensive unit.

He recently rejected the club's first one-year extension offer and said, regardless of the outcome, he hoped the club could deliver a final offer before game day.

"Obviously there's been so much going on with the club and talks stalled a bit," he said.

"But I need to know what's going on because I have a family here and we need to know what we're doing.

"If we can't come to an agreement I need to know quickly because there might be an opportunity to play with another A-League club and I want them to know I'm available.

"My family and I, we love Australia. Preferably we would stay on the Coast because my children are settled in school, have plenty of friends, they love it here. For me, too, it has become like a second home. I'm really enjoying my football here and physically, I certainly feel good to have at least another year.

"But we need to come to a decision fairly quickly, hopefully this week."

While some football diehards question the need for an A-League grand final, preferring the winner to be the most dominant side of the regular season, Zwaanswijk welcomed it.

"Australian sport is all about finals series," he said.

"Over here it's not about winning the season. It's about playing your competition, making the finals and then everything starts again.

"And I think the best thing about this year is that system got it right. The two best teams will be playing this Sunday. It would be an injustice if any other teams had been there but us."

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