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The Newcastle Jets are now without a CEO or a Chairman. Their owner is broke and desperate to sell. A host of players coming off contracts haven’t talked to the club yet.
Their new coach sits with just one win in their last 14 matches. The FFA, watching this situation, will be getting closer to pulling the trigger to take back the club’s A-League licence.
Both on and off the field, the Jets are suffering at the hands of their owner, Nathan Tinkler.
Tinkler’s vast paper-fortune has evaporated and he lives in Singapore. His purchase of the Newcastle Jets always appeared to be him doing a favour for Newcastle as a side-note to him gaining control of the Newcastle Knights.
Two clubs, one roof, with a sharp, risk-taking billionaire at the helm.
Tinkler’s demise is well documented enough, although no one knows quite how much he has left or if he will make a spectacular return from the ashes of his coal romance.
The rumoured $5 million asking price was too rich for Dundee United, who kicked the tyres in December and walked away. The club does boast 10,003 members at last count and has about the same attending home matches, even in the peak of summer. The rusted on support ensures that Newcastle won’t fold and be moved elsewhere, but a lack of stability has cost the club a higher fan-base.
The side is doing poorly in this season’s A-League. Coach Phil Stubbins could fairly point at a lack of luck for his club, although with all things being equal, the last start 0-0 draw to Sydney FC was goalless only thanks to goalkeeper Ben Kennedy, the woodwork, and a line-ball offside call.
Only the tired and floundering Western Sydney Wanderers are in a worse place.
It’s speculated that even if the club pushed for a replacement for Stubbins, the Jets wouldn’t have the finances to pay out the coach nor attract an experience coach, let alone afford one.
Perhaps worse are reports from the Newcastle Herald that club officials haven’t started negotiating at all with players on their future. Young Socceroos winger Andrew Hoole, who is one of the club’s best on his day, hasn’t had contact with the club about a potential extension or resigning.
The club has developed a number of players and subsequently sold them, for little benefit to the club. Adam Taggart, who scored 18 goals in 44 appearances, was signed to Fulham for an undisclosed fee, while Josh Brillante was sent to Serie A side Fiorentina.
The Newcastle Herald reported that Taggart had a transfer fee ceiling around $400,000 in his contract, while Brillante earned the club a similar amount.
Producing and selling quality players is business for owners, but the club only seems to be placed in a hole at each sale.
The resignation of chief executive Robbie Middelby and Chairman Ray Baartz is surely disappointing for Newcastle fans.
Middelby is a Newcastle junior, while Baartz is a footballing legend in the town. Both have attracted the ire of many for failing to pull the Jets out of a deepening mire, but would appear to be more collateral damage in the situation; no longer able to work in an uncertain and limited environment.
The FFA have retaken club licences in the past – including stripping former owner Con Constantine of his licence before selling to Tinker. CEO David Gallop and Chairman Frank Lowy will be strongly considering doing so again.
How they go about finding an owner and improving the situation without hurting the bank remain open questions.