Onwards and upwards ... Mariners won't stand in Arnie's way. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited
Championship coach Graham Arnold will be free to walk from the last year of his contract if a major overseas club wants him, with Central Coast owner Mike Charlesworth stressing: "Arnie deserves that respect."
Charlesworth said he would never do anything to halt the growth of a coach who would one day "be appointed to manage the Socceroos".
So despite having the 49-year-old signed for another A-League season, the Mariners boss ruled out playing hardball in the wake of interest from various Asian and European clubs, including Sheffield United.
"If Arnie wants to go we won't stand in his way," Charlesworth said. "While we'd love to have him stay, we know he'd love to coach overseas and believe he deserves to be given that opportunity.
Watch Central Coast in action on Tuesday night in the AFC Champions League, live on Fox Sports 3 HD from 8.25pm (EST).
"So let's face it, replacing him is going to be our next big issue. And right now, we have a number of plans in place to cover a whole range of scenarios that involve Arnie both staying and going. But what a year he's had. In footballing terms, the guy's a monster. He has so much respect here because he encapsulates what this club is about. In the future I really see him managing the Socceroos."
Having led the Mariners to their inaugural grand final win against Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday, Arnold will spend the next week guiding his charges through two Asian Champions League games - in South Korea and then Gosford - before sitting down to discuss his future.
When asked if potential coaching replacements had been discussed, Mariners football manager Lawrie McKinna said it was too early for speculation.
"We've always known Arnie has aspirations to coach overseas," McKinna said. "So while there's another year to run on his contract, if he wants to go overseas we're not going to stand in his way.
"Arnie has already said publicly he doesn't want to coach another A-League side so, in the next week everyone will sit down and discuss it. But it is fair to say he's expressed a desire to eventually coach overseas and he deserves it."
Having gone winless in all three previous grand final attempts, Central Coast broke their big dance hoodoo in the best possible fashion when they beat Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 at Allianz Stadium on Sunday night.
Incredibly, both the Mariners goalscorers - Patrick Zwaanswijk and Daniel McBreen - remain unsigned beyond this season despite a plea by the former to get it sorted before the decider.
However, Charlesworth last night insisted all contract negotiations would be handled by the coach, not himself or chairman Peter Turnbull.
"It's safe to say those (two contracts) will be up to the manager," he said. "So right now, that decision will be Graham's.
"In terms of whether we lose a couple of players from our grand final squad? I don't know. What I will say is that we're definitely confident of keeping the nucleus of this team together."
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