Even for the funhouse-mirror world of football coaching, the A-League was a rollercoaster in 2018/19.

All your favourite characters featured; there were giants slain and giant slayers, triumphant returns and prodigal beginnings, those who were over before they began and, of course, a few desperados hanging on til-the-death.

In our annual rankings, FTBL attempts to sort the deserving from the deserters...

12. MIKE MULVEY 

Season Club managed GM W D L W % D % L % GS GC
2018-19 Central Coast Mariners   21 1 4 16 4.76% 19.05% 76.19% 24 56

It ain't easy being yellow and navy, the song should have sung.

Not even a former A-League Championship winning coach could refloat the sinking Mariners, as Mulvey slumped to 17 losses and a 4.5% win percentage in 22 matches that must have felt like a lifetime. 

They certainly did for Gosfordians. 

First, combine player fallouts, a Usain Bolt fiasco, a plethora of untimely injuries, horrific defensive decision-making and an inane habit of coughing up losses from winning positions.

Then add a pinch of unstable finances, depressing crowd figures and absent backroom staff.

Finally garnish with Matt Simon as the sole striker and you truly have a recipe for disaster.