Ex-Leeds United coach in running for award after dramatic results turnaround and ‘surprise’ streak
After a remarkable change in performance that resulted in a “surprise” streak for his Central Coast Mariners in December, former Leeds United player and coach Mark Jackson is a candidate for an award.
Jackson started his playing career with Leeds, and in 2015, he rejoined the team as a youth system coach working under academy director Paul Hart. Jackson took over as coach of the Under 21s and guided them to a Premier League 2 Division 2 title after a steady climb from coaching the Under 15s. Jackson’s career in Leeds continued to advance when Jesse Marsch hired him to be a senior staff member at Thorp Arch. However, in November 2022, when the chance
decided to take the MK Dons position on his own. Jackson bid farewell to the club of his youth and assumed leadership of a team ranked 22nd in League One. That was their reality at the end of the season, even though he won his first game in command against Forest Green Rovers, which put MK Dons only one point outside of safety. Jackson left the team when MK Dons finished in 21st place, one point behind Cambridge United, and were relegated.
A fresh challenge arrived in September 2023, though, when Jackson moved to Australia to coach the Central Coast Mariners, the current A-League winners. He replaced Nick Montgomery, a Leeds native, who left to take over at Hibernian. After losing his first four A-League games, Jackson has completely turned around their situation. They are now in fifth place in the standings, six points behind leaders Melbourne Victory, after going seven games without a loss since November 25. On New Year’s Eve, a 4-2 victory over Perth Glory made it a perfect record.December, which reportedly caught Jackson off guard. “You kind of go from game to game so I only got told about it (the December streak) afterwards,” remarked the player. We’ve been adopting the ancient adage that says to accept each game as it comes. We will persist in doing so, but it’s a commendable acknowledgement of the lads’ accomplishments. Although things are going well right now, we still need to maintain our momentum and laser-like focus.
Jackson has been nominated for the A-League coach of the month award by Football Coaches Australia in recognition of the Mariners’ three victories and two draws in December. Every month, four coaches are chosen by each member of the FCA panel: four votes go to their first choice for Coach of the Month, three to their second, two to their third, and one to their fourth. Each Coach of the Month winner is then determined by a fan vote, and there will then be acomponent of the Coach of the Year award ceremony at the end of the season. Melbourne Victory manager Tony Popovic, Melbourne City’s Aurelio Vidmar, and Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano—who took home the October and November awards—will face off against Jackson. Jackson had a great start to the month of January as well, winning 1-0 at Western Sydney. This weekend, he will test his mettle against Popovic and Melbourne Victory for the second time this season; in December, they split the win in a 2-2 draw.