2019/20 Squad

[Jetmaster]

The concerning thing I see there is we will only be signing 3 players (one could be Roy) before the new season - keeping two in reserve for January.

We obviously have no money outside the cap.

[Jeterpool]

The concerning thing I see there is we will only be signing 3 players (one could be Roy) before the new season - keeping two in reserve for January.

We obviously have no money outside the cap.

Agree. 21 players total. Doesn't bode well if we get a few injuries.

[Tommyjet]

The concerning thing I see there is we will only be signing 3 players (one could be Roy) before the new season - keeping two in reserve for January.

We obviously have no money outside the cap.

We'll be out of the running by January.

Also it might just be the crooked way my brain works but what I got out of that article is that he will convert Miller to a striker and he will go onto be the most prolific striker in a-league history 🤣

[plague]

So anyway it was reported today that we only offered Georgevski a one year deal next year.

the same bloke that offered up multi year deals to Topor, Boogaard and Jackson only offered our best and most consistent member of the backs a one year deal.

amazing.

but anyway how is the gypos twitter going? any cool selfies or new chants to get on the mic for?

****ing joke.

[turbojetfireV8]

1 Glen Moss – signed until 19/20
3 Jason Hoffman – signed until 19/20
4 Nigel Boogaard – signed until 19/20
5 Ben Kantarovski – signed until 19/20
6 Steven Ugarkovic – signed until 20/21
7 Dimitri Petratos – signed until 20/21
13 Ivan Vujica – signed until 19/20
14 Kaine Sheppard - signed until 19/20
18 John Koutroumbis – signed until 21/22
19 Kosta Petratos - signed until 19/20
20 Lewis Italiano - signed until 19/20
22 Lachlan Jackson – signed until 20/21
23 Matthew Ridenton - signed until 19/20 (Foreign)
24 Joe Champness – signed until 19/20
25 Jack Simmons - 19/20 (Scholarship contract)
28 Patrick Langlois – signed until 19/20
32 Angus Thurgate – signed until 21/22
44 Nikolai Topor-Stanley – signed until 20/21

xx Matt Millar - signed until 20/21


18 Full Contract Spots used, 5 remaining (including 4 visa spots available). 1 scholarship player outside the cap.

Updated following Jets email

should Noah James be added as a scholarship player as well?

[Jeterpool]

should Noah James be added as a scholarship player as well?

Can be. Is he on one? I went with the list the Jets sent out today (added Simmons)

[turbojetfireV8]

In the article itself it mentions James as a scholarship player, which makes sense as he would be second reserve keeper. Article also leaves it open as to whether Roy is staying by not mentioning him at all...

Ernie Merrick’s squad ahead of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 season is starting to take shape, with much of the past season’s side sticking together.
In total, Newcastle have 19 players contracted for next season with 18 of those signed to full contracts.
With Matt Ridenton currently the only visa player locked in, it means that Merrick has the option of having four more internationals jet in.
The experienced trio at the heart of defence will look to go another year with Glen Moss, Nigel Boogaard, and Nikolai Topor-Stanley back on board for 2019/20.

Looking to earn their stripes this season will be Noah James and Jack Simmons, both on scholarship contracts.
They’ll want to follow the path blazed by Angus Thurgate and Pat Langlois who signed full contracts after impressing as scholarship players.
Matt Millar is the only signing at this early stage, with the Central Coast Mariners man set to link up with the Club for the first day of pre-season.

[Jeterpool]

In the article itself it mentions James as a scholarship player, which makes sense as he would be second reserve keeper. Article also leaves it open as to whether Roy is staying by not mentioning him at all...

Sweet. Good enough for me

[Frodo]

So I've been hearing talk of Mr Lee wanting to cut all extra funds from the Jets. I.e. Marquees. I even heard that Ernie was going to be sacked but the club can't afford to pay him out.

If true, we would more than likely not have a marquee and won't be using salary cap concessions next season. Which isn't suprising at all.

That would bring Kanta back under the cap and take all the Vargas money out of he equation. This also explains why Roy hasn't resigned yet, we are obviously offering everyone peanuts.

We are going to be fighting with Scum, Adelaide and Brisbane for talent. We are so getting Rashid Mahazi and Andrew Hoole.

[plague]

Player swap with Victory Odonovan for Athiu.

[Bremsstrahlung]

Sign Kale.

[Frodo]

I actually reckon we will sign a player who does well in the FFA cup, a visa player cut from another A League team (Bonevacia incoming), and maybe an Aussie being replaced by a Marquee (a Dimi type player).

[Grimario]

We are nailed on for Bonevacia, I reckon. Slightly better than average in a position we have a million players. Perfect for Jets.

[Frodo]

This is from "The Australian" today.

Concerns have been raised over Newcastle Jets owner Martin Lee’s continued involvement with the club amid suggestions he is considering selling if the right offer comes along.

The Weekend Australian has been told the Chinese billionaire could be looking to get out unless he can find an investor or two to help carry the financial burden of running the A-League club.

At the very least, it has been revealed the Jets will have to considerably tighten the belt next season, as Lee has ordered cuts in the budget for players and staff.

This comes on top of the club’s disappointing season in which they failed to make the playoffs, after finishing runners-up following the controversial loss to Melbourne Victory in the grand final 12 months ago.

While confirming there are some issues, Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna looked to allay fears regarding the situation at the club when contacted by The Weekend Australian yesterday.

McKinna said he spent several days with Lee in China last week sorting out plans for next season.

“He did want to sell the club 100 per cent lock, stock and barrel about nine months ago and there were a couple of interested parties,” McKinna said. “But nothing came of it. Martin’s preference now is that he wants to keep the club, but have a shareholder involved to help take some of the financial load.

“But he would look at selling if someone wants to buy 51 per cent or even 100 per cent … he would definitely look at that.”

With the help of McKinna, Lee took over the club in June 2016, just before the start of the 2016-17 A-League season. He shelled out $5.5 million for the licence from Football Federation Australia, which had taken control after previous owner Nathan Tinkler struck financial problems.

Lee reportedly lost $3m in the first season and was subsequently hit in the final quarter of last year when his company, the Ledman Group, was seriously affected by Donald Trump’s aggressive trade war with China.

The Chinese LED lighting industry was slapped with a 25 per cent US tariff in an effort to reduce the trade imbalance between the US and China. As a consequence, Lee’s LED lighting fortune was cut in half in only five months.

However, the Ledman Group share price is up 35 per cent since January 1 but it is still worth half of what it was a year ago. It appears the company’s profits fell in the quarter after the Trump tariffs were announced.

McKinna said Lee’s company had ridden the storm because it has “now invested a lot of money in new technology that is selling very well”.

McKinna, who has done a wonderful job steering the Jets back as a force in Australian soccer, said the club’s budget for next season has yet to be set but confirmed there will be some unavoidable cuts: “We will be cutting the budget a bit but the amount has not yet been finalised.

“That is why I was in China last week. There is still a bit to do and we are waiting for confirmation from China.

“The cuts will be to bits and pieces, player and staff budgets.”

Just how the cuts will affect the club’s recruitment of players for next season remains to be seen. The Jets spent about $4m on playing staff last season.

What we do know is that Newcastle won’t be looking to sign a marquee player for next season.

“When you include the marquee, we spent a fair bit over the salary cap last season as we did the previous season,” McKinna said.

The Jets released six players last week, including marquee Ronny Vargas and Brazilian import Jair, and that will free up some money for McKinna and coach Ernie Merrick to work with.

They are still negotiating with class striker Roy O’Donovan, who is looking for a new two-year deal.

[plague]

Anyone got Cons number?

[StannyCFCJET]

This is from "The Australian" today.

Yeah Lawrie that doesn't reasure us one bit

[Jeterpool]

The more things change...

[belchardo]

i like the way we are "back as a force"

[Tommyjet]

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted

[mic22]

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted

...and it didn't even last that long.

Good luck attracting decent players after this.