Okon suddenly left his coaching role at the club, alongside assistant coach Ivan Jolic, just days before the Mariners' last match against Sydney FC.

Their departure left youth-league coach Wayne O'Sullivan in charge for the remainding rounds, with Mariners CEO Mike Charlesworth admitting it was a "difficult time" for the club.

"It was never planned like that," Okon told Foxsports. "I'm very grateful to the club for being able to take charge of such a successful team.

"(But) the direction the club were heading was very different to where I wanted to take them. It was important for the players to know who the coach was going to be for next season."

Okon left the Mariners in ninth position in the league, with 10 wins, 13 draws and 27 losses from his 18-month spell. O'Sullivan becomes the sixth Central Coast manager - caretaker or otherwise - in the last three years.

"It's a very challenging position," Okon continued. "It's no excuse, the Mariners are under-resourced and don't spend and that makes the job very difficult,

"But I saw over the period of 18 months a lot of players improve. It gives you a good feeling when players do become better.

"At the moment I'm happy to chill out a bit and do the school run in the morning. In the month of May I'll travel to Europe for personal development.

"My goal is to coach in the A-League again. We'll just wait and see." 

Former Socceroo Robbie Slater took his criticism a step-further, ramming his point home to Charlesworth.

"This man (Okon) can't say what he wants to say," Slater interjected.

"Charlesworth has a decision to make, he didn't give this man the resources to make the Mariners competitive.

"It was a competitive club until Charlesworth took over. He's taking the mickey out of the supporters and it's disappointing. 

"Have a go, don't run this club on a shoe-string."