Central Coast Mariners striker Marcos Flores out for season after injury at training Finished: Mariners ace Marcos Flores will won't play again this season. The Central Coast Mariners' hopes of defending their A-League title are in tatters with star player Marcos Flores set to miss the rest of the season. Flores collapsed in agony during the final few moments at Mariners training on Thursday and is believed to have ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. If the injury is as serious as the club fears, it would rule him out until next A-League season and sideline him for the duration of the club's Asian Champions League campaign. Scans will be undertaken on Friday when it is expected that the damage to his knee will be confirmed. "I will be back, thanks for your support," the Argentinean playmaker said on Twitter. The news is a shocking blow to the champions who are already reeling from the departure of arguably their best player, Michael McGlinchey, to J-League side Vegalta Sendai. They have brought in former favourite Bernie Ibini on loan for the next six months from Shanghai East Asia but the club is now down to bare bones for attacking talent, with Adam Kwasnik also out for the rest of the year. The news should provide greater opportunities for young attacking midfielder Anthony Caceres, though Daniel McBreen - last year's golden boot winner - is more likely to start as the club's central attacking midfielder until a replacement is found. Unfortunately for the Mariners, there's very few available players who could fill the position at short notice. Former Socceroo Ryan Griffiths, having just returned to Australia from China, is one candidate despite his links to local rivals Newcastle Jets. Enquiries are also likely to be made to Celtic to see if the club can regain the out-of-favour Tom Rogic on loan in the January transfer window.