Jets coach Phil Stubbins' first task to fill squad vacancies
By JAMES GARDINER
May 27, 2014, 10 p.m.
PHIL Stubbins is yet to meet owner Nathan Tinkler, but the Jets coach hopes the A-League club benefits after the mining magnate’s decision to relinquish control of the Knights.
Tinkler has also sold his horse racing operation, Patinack Farm, leaving the Jets as his sporting flagship.
‘‘Hopefully, from a selfish point of view, Nathan sends a lot of direction to the Jets,’’ Stubbins told the Newcastle Herald yesterday.
‘‘Now he can really focus on us as the entity, his Newcastle baby, so to speak.’’
Stubbins, who signed a two-year deal this month, said it was full steam ahead as he began preparations for his first season in charge of an A-League club.
‘‘The plans have not shifted,’’ he said. ‘‘I have spoken to [CEO] Robbie Middleby daily about everything that is going on. It is business as usual.’’
After a short trip to Thailand to finalise his departure from previous club Ayutthaya, Stubbins has spent the past fortnight in Adelaide, where his wife, Anna, has a business.
He cancelled a trip to the United Kingdom.
‘‘I wanted to hit the ground running so I thought it was better to stay here and put preparations in place.’’
He travels to Townsville tomorrow to finalise the Jets’ involvement in a pre-season tournament with Brisbane and Sydney FC in August and arrives in Newcastle on June 6.
The Jets start pre-season on June 16.
Stubbins’s priority is completing his squad and has at least five places, including potentially a marquee, to fill.
He is close to signing a defender to replace Connor Chapman, who was released to join Melbourne Heart.
The Jets have been in talks with Michael Beauchamp, but Stubbins would not elaborate on whether the former Western Sydney Wanderers skipper would replace Chapman.
‘‘There is somebody we have organised at the back,’’ he said. ‘‘Pending dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, that will be a good signing.
‘‘We have also looked at the pointy end. We have to get more goals from different sources.
We have looked at an attacking midfielder and also a striker. That might lead to two strikers if Adam Taggart was to leave.’’
Perth Glory flyer Chris Harold has been linked to the Jets, despite having a year to run on his contract in the west.
‘‘He is a name that has popped up,’’ Stubbins said. ‘‘He brings a fleet of foot and has a dynamism about his play.
‘‘I know that [Glory coach] Kenny Lowe is trying to balance his squad, which is difficult with the salary cap. There is nothing concrete.
‘‘There are a lot of names on the table, a few from overseas that we are down the road a little bit with in terms of bringing them to the club.
‘‘Whether that falls into place you never know.’’
Stubbins has a close association with former Adelaide attacking midfielder and Johnny Warren medallist Marcos Flores, who has been released by the Mariners.
The skilful playmaker has returned to Argentina to complete the final stage of rehabilitation from a knee reconstruction and is keen to return to the A-League.
‘‘I spoke things through with the club about Marcos,’’ Stubbins said. ‘‘He certainly has some attributes that can help any team in the A-League.
‘‘The injury he sustained is a road block, but he has been a great player. We are trying to explore every avenue to help us bring the right players in.’’
Given the Jets’ costly experience with Jason Culina and his knee injury, Flores would need to satisfy a stringent physical assessment and trial period.
Stubbins said he was expecting a major contribution on and off the field from veterans Joel Griffiths and David Carney, who have inked one- and two-year deals respectively.
‘‘We needed some experience around the place. Joel was a no-brainer. He is Newcastle through and through. He knows the club and I, along with the rest of the staff,
will put an onus on him to lead.
‘‘David Carney is another one. He has terrific experience and is a left-sided player as well, which are hard to come by. When I spoke to him face to face and digged in to where he wants to go with all this ... he has not had that rock of stability in terms of playing for a club week-in week-out.’’
Socceroos trio Taggart, Josh Brillante and Mark Birighitti have been linked to overseas moves, but Stubbins said he was planning for the contracted trio to be at the Jets.
‘‘Taggs is the one who has had the most talks surrounding his potential departure. As yet we have had nothing tabled from any club,’’ he said.
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/23...ancies/?cs=306