THESE players stood alongside Jets coach Phil Stubbins for a pre-season promotion.
All have since parted ways with the club under Stubbins’ tumultous reign – and the coach himself appears likely to be the next head to roll after Football Federation Australia’s decision to depose owner Nathan Tinkler.
The game’s governing body revoked Tinkler’s A-League licence on Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the one-time billionaire had placed the club into voluntary administration, citing liabilities of $2.7million.
FFA officials travelled to Newcastle on Thursday to begin sifting through the mess Tinkler has left behind and start rebuilding the Jets.
One of the first calls made by the head of A-League, Damien de Bohun, was to advise Stubbins that he and his assistant coaches, Mark Jones and James Pascoe, would initially not be ‘‘coming across’’ to the new Newcastle entity.
Players have been offered identical contracts with the FFA entity, and administrative staff have also been brought across to ensure continuity while their positions are reviewed.
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It is hoped all Jets employees, who were supposed to be paid seven days ago, will receive their wages on Friday.
FFA has not ruled out reappointing Stubbins, but that would appear highly unlikely given his dismal debut season.
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Under the 52-year-old Englishman, the Jets finished last with three wins from 27 games and it seemed players and fans lost faith in his ability.
He was nonetheless backed to the hilt by Tinkler, who insisted he would honour Stubbins’ two-year deal.
That contract is now effectively worthless and Stubbins’ fate is in the hands of the FFA executives who have assumed interim control of the Jets.
FFA chief executive David Gallop said the coaching positions were under review and ‘‘would need to be considered separately’’.
He said it was ‘‘too early to make a decision in relation to them’’.
The Newcastle Herald asked to speak with Stubbins, but he said he would prefer to wait until Monday when he returns from an overseas scouting trip.
But in an interview with FourFourTwo website he said he was ‘‘100 per cent committed’’ to Newcastle.
“I think we’ve now got a chance to rebuild well,’’ he was quoted as saying.
‘‘There’s a lot of good people and things in place at the club that with the addition of a balanced roster and a stabilised day-to-day running can assist the club to gain the gap on finals football.
“I took the entire pre-season with Adelaide United as interim head coach under FFA administration in 2010 and the club went on to finish third that season.”
Former Socceroo David Carney, who spent four months in limbo last season after falling out with Stubbins, indicated he would welcome a change of coaches.
Speaking on Fox Sports, Carney was asked if he was willing to continue playing under Stubbins.
‘‘That’s a difficult one,’’ Carney said. ‘‘He stopped me going to another club and then he sacked me two weeks later or three weeks later. It’s a difficult one to accept, that.’’
Carney, who has another year to run on his Jets contract, said it was ‘‘definitely a relief’’ that FFA had stepped in to remove Tinkler.
‘‘It’s a real good club for the A-League and it’s a good fan base there, so we don’t want to lose them,’’ Carney said. ‘‘It’s important that whoever comes in brings in the right coaching staff and they move forward.’’
Jets midfielder Zenon Caravella, who was released at the end of last season, said he had ‘‘a couple of options’’ but would be more than willing to rejoin Newcastle if required.
‘‘I’d love to come back and play for the Jets next season,’’ Caravella said