The A-League champions have taken the shot-stopper on trial despite his previous misdemeanour.
Central Coast Mariners head coach Graham Arnold has handed goalkeeper Liam Reddy a second chance after he was sacked by Sydney FC.
The 31-year-old shot-stopper had his contract terminated by the Sky Blues after for getting drunk on the flight to Wellington at the end of the 2011/12 season and recently returned to Australia with state league side Sydney United following a short stay in Iran.
Reddy has now been handed a lifeline by Arnold as he looks to add an experienced keeper to the Mariners side that triumphed in the A-League last term.
“I’ve watched him play on five or six occasions, and met up with him, and he comes across to me as a good guy,” Arnold revealed to Fox Sports. “I think he knows that if we take him on, it’s his last opportunity. He’s 31 years of age now, and got three kids.
“He knows what he did was wrong, but at the end of the day he’s got to prove that to us as well, and that he’s learned his lesson. I have to say that what happened at Sydney FC wouldn’t have happened here, it all gets down to leadership at the end of the day.”
Arnold revealed he made enquiries to United coach Mark Rudan before deciding to bring Reddy aboard at the Bluetongue Stadium where he will compete with two fellow trialist goalkeepers.
“I spoke to Mark Rudan, his coach at Sydney United, who’s extremely positive about how Liam’s taken the leadership responsibility on his shoulders.
“So he’ll be up to trial this week, along with Jamie Young and Matthew Nash. If Liam hadn’t done what he did, he’d probably still be the No.1 at Sydney, so he has the quality. He left because of his misdemeanours, not his performances.”
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