Central Coast McKinnas

McKinna more than just a great coach<!-- author --> <!--dt><img src="/images/author.jpg" border="0" alt="Greg%20Buckle" /></dt--> By John Taylor
<!--strong>Former Australian Captain</strong -->October 27, 2007 <!-- // author -->

IF you inadvertently called the A-League's leading club the Central Coast McKinnas, the name would not be inappropriate.

Lawrie McKinna embodies the club's very soul, and he has done so as coach since the early days of the franchise bid that created the Mariners.

Compare that with Sydney FC, where three days ago the club's fourth coach in three years began work; Sydney lies sixth and the Mariners top, and that's no coincidence.

But McKinna has done far more than give the Mariners stability through his tenure; he is the club seven days a week, from training to community work, wooing sponsors while making sure his team eats properly.

It's entirely typical of McKinna that when a journalist new to the area went to examine the Mariners' facilities, by the end of the day he was having dinner with the coach and was then shown around the club's offices.

He lives and breathes his team, but more - much more - he also equips them tactically.

Coach of the Year in year one, his teams try to play pass-and-move football that's good to watch - and his players will do anything for him.

Ask John Hutchinson, a midfield player who has played under McKinna for years going back to the days of Northern Spirit.

Hutchinson coined the nickname "Dad" for a coach who still has 12 of the squad he began season one with on the books.

The club has the A-League's own "no-dickheads" policy, and the example is set from the top.

"He sums up what we're all about - he's the one who gets our lunch for us," says Hutchinson.

"He's down at the shops in the morning buying our chicken and bread and tomatoes, he helps put the gear away. It's stuff you wouldn't see a normal gaffer do.

"When we went to New Zealand, our goalkeeping coach, John Crawley, forgot his passport. The gaffer decided to drive it down himself to Sydney.

"We always play good football, people say we've probably had the best passing game in three seasons and that's down to him. The boys look forward to playing for him and every player he brings in does well.

"It's because he sticks by the players. Take Nigel Boogaard for instance. A normal gaffer might have got rid of him after the second year because he hadn't played a game for us.

"It's different with Lawrie, he gave him another chance."

Boogaard is possibly the best example of how McKinna is repaid for his loyalty. The defender, still only 22, missed all bar a single minute of the first two seasons through illness and injury.

Giving Boogaard a chance to prove himself has been rewarded by defensive displays that have won the centreback an Olyroo spot and praise from all quarters.

"He showed faith after that first year when I was on a one-year contract and after being sick all season he gave me another year," says Boogaard, who was then laid low for the second season through osteitis pubis.

These days, of course, McKinna is even Australian after finally taking out citizenship after 21 years in the country - and it's gone to his head.

"Yeah, he's changed," says Hutchinson.

"Every time you speak to him on the phone since he got the citizenship, he goes, g'day mate."