WITH a league leading seven assists to his name this season, Michael McGlinchey is undeniably one of the Hyundai A-League’s most productive midfielders.

The nimble New Zealand international’s consistency down the Yellow and Navy’s right side is a key part of the Mariners machine – with Graham Arnold knowing exactly what he’ll get week in, week out from the former Glasgow Celtic junior.

Yet despite the statistics clearly indicating McGlinchey should be one of the most lauded midfielders in the competition, his performances sometime seem to evade the spotlight when his persistent, precise and passionate play should undoubtedly be praised.

Nevertheless, the humble, hard-working fan-favourite says he’s simply happy contributing to a club he feels comfortable at.

“If you’re playing every week and if you can contribute every week with assists it’s good,” McGlinchey said. “But I think I need to do better in scoring goals. I missed a chance there on the weekend which was really disappointing but I’ll just have to keep working hard in training and try to contribute to goals as well.”

“I think we’ve done well carrying on with what he’s [Graham Arnold] put in place in the first year and hopefully we can see it through to the end of the season.”

If early indications are anything to go by, Mariners fans may well get to take great delight in the fruitful partnership McGlinchey, and his former Motherwell teammate John Sutton, are set to form as Hyundai A-League season seven reaches its climax, and the AFC Champions League commences. Indeed, off the pitch it is evident that the duo are share a bond as they laugh and joke pre and post training.

“I’ve known ‘Sutty’ [John Sutton] from when I was at Motherwell, so I know the type of player he is,” McGlinchey said. “He’s a big strong lad that we’ve not had before at this club and he’s going to bring something different to us.”

“Hopefully the goals will come for him and we’ll get an understanding.”

And while the Mariners’ schedule is already jam-packed with a trip to China for Matchday One of the AFC Champions League in under a fortnight, McGlinchey has another crucial contest in the context of his career next week.

The crafty Kiwi will fly to Auckland following Sunday’s clash with Melbourne Heart in Victoria for the All Whites’ friendly outing against Jamaica at Mount Smart Stadium on Wednesday 29 February.

“We’ve not been with the National Team for seven, eight months now so it’s good to get away with the [international] boys,” he said.

“We’ve got a big competition coming up in the World Cup Qualifiers and we’re going to try to do well to get to that again so this is going to be an important game for us to get there.”