The cash-strapped Central Coast Mariners could be facing payouts of close to $500,000 after sacking coach Phil Moss on Friday and removing Wayne O'Sullivan as assistant coach.

An announcement by the club said they were in "negotiations with Moss in regards to his position", effectively referring to the terms of settlement on a contract that doesn't end until June 2017, one of the longest deals in the A-League.

Sacked: Phil Moss and captain John Hutchinson in December. Hutchinson will take over some coaching duties at the Mariners after Moss' axing. Credit:Ben Rushton

The club claims it will offer O'Sullivan a different position – likely in youth development – but may also be forced to pay him out if he doesn't accept a role away from the first team. The club promoted the restructure as "phase two" of Mariners' executive vice-chairman Peter Storrie's four-part plan to turn around the ailing club.

Storrie, who now wields enormous power on the instruction of majority owner Mike Charlesworth, made the decision to axe Moss immediately after the 0-0 draw with the lowly Newcastle Jets, a match the Mariners realistically had to win to keep their fading finals hopes alive.