the Mariners were in the top four at one stage, but after a run of 11 games without a win the club dropped down the table. Okon resigned as manager with Central Coast in ninth entering the last four rounds of the regular season; Wayne O'Sullivan served as an interim manager following Okon's departure. With a six-game losing streak at the end of the season, the team finished last for the second time in three years. Former Brisbane manager Mike Mulvey was hired by Central Coast in 2018. In the first 21 matches of the 2018–19 A-League season, the Mariners won only once. Mulvey was replaced as manager by Alen Stajcic, the former head coach of the Australia women's national team. Despite two wins in his six games as a caretaker manager, the Mariners were unable to avoid finishing at the bottom of the table again. Stajcic was given a three-year contract after the season. On August 4, 2020, after playing their last game of the 2019-20 season, the Mariners were put up for sale by owner Michael Charlesworth, putting the club at risk of leaving the Central Coast. If no buyer is found, the Mariners' A-League license will be handed back to the FFA. Resurgence (2020–present) In his second full season at the club, Stajcic made some large signings, re-acquiring the services of former player Oliver Bozanic on October 21, 2020 after he had left Scottish club Hearts and signing Costa Rican international Marco Urena on December 22, 2020 after he had left South Korean club Gwangju FC. The season had begun well with the Mariners beating local rivals Sydney FC in Sydney for the first time in 7 years. In somewhat of a fairy-tale story, the Mariners sat in first place after 16 rounds but would drop points during the later rounds to finish in third place. This qualified the club for their first finals appearance in 7 years. They would then lose to Macarthur FC 2–0 in the elimination finals on 12 June, 2021. On 17 June 2021, Stajcic decided to resign from the club. His replacement, Nick Montgomery, was announced on July 7, 2021. Montgomery's first season continued on the success of last season. He brought the club to its first ever FFA Cup Final where they lost 2–1 to Melbourne Victory on 5 February, 2022. The Mariners also finished fifth in the A-League which qualified