The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Newcastle Jets being destroyed by one man's Tinklering

28th January, 2015
Advertisement
Nathan Tinkler's tenure as owner of the Knights and the Jets made many fans turn sour on private ownership. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Expert
28th January, 2015
106
2135 Reads

As more than 20,000 Novocastrians crowded into Hunter Stadium to watch Newcastle’s biggest moment in world sport on Tuesday night, little did they know that their beloved Newcastle Jets were being dragged into further turmoil.

It started with a mini-revolt in the morning, as the club’s players confronted manager Phil Stubbins with a vote of no confidence.

Stubbins fled to Brisbane to meet controversial owner Nathan Tinkler, and from there the mess descended into complete chaos.

While the Socceroos were dismantling a United Arab Emirates side in the Asian Cup semi-finals, Tinkler’s temporary press officer (they still haven’t replaced the last one) was hastily readying two statements to accompany news of a raft of sackings.

First to go on Wednesday were three esteemed coaches – Clayton Zane, Andrew Packer and Neil Young – before the playing contracts of captain Kew Jaliens, vice-captain Joel Griffiths and elder statesmen David Carney, Billy Celeski and Adrian Madaschi were also terminated.

Tinkler signalled his intention to “change the culture of the club”. Ironic given that Tinkler himself is almost solely responsible for the deteriorating atmosphere at the A-League franchise.

Stubbins has bizarrely won out in a struggle for power at the club, with the players and coaching staff made the scapegoat for a poor 2014-15 season where the club has garnered just one win in 15 games.

Instead of sacking a coach he personally hired, and admitting fault, Tinkler has taken the novel approach of clearing out the playing stocks. If it were anyone but Tinkler, this move would look brave. Instead of sticking with the norm and ejecting a coach for poor performances, he’s flipped the table and decided to change the playing roster. Given some of the performances dished out this season, Tinkler has fair reason to do so.

Advertisement

Far too often football witnesses managers ejected due to player power. Andre Villas-Boas is one of the most notable casualties, shafted from Chelsea reportedly due to player revolt. Paolo Di Canio suffered the same fate at Sunderland.

It’s a massive vote of confidence in Stubbins, but more so represents Tinkler’s unwillingness to concede he picked the wrong man to lead his club on the sidelines. Because if a manager can’t hold the respect of his players, then is he really the right man for the job?

Tinkler certainly thinks so, and so too Stubbins.

The players are in no way innocent in this debacle, however. They’re professionals, and to contemplate strike action or to even try and force an owner’s hand in casting a manager aside is out of order. But it simply details the hopelessness of their situation.

Players have been discarded, pushed out or forced to jump what looks like a sinking ship. Bizarre tactics and line-ups have confused experts, fans and players alike, contract renewals appeared unlikely for most. Marco Flores, Mark Birighitti, Jonny Steele and Sam Gallaway have all vanished in the past month, Andrew Hoole will soon join them.

So where does this leave Stubbins? Madaschi and Celeski were his signings, as were Steele and Flores. If he introduced them, and they have contributed to the current destructive culture, it’s partly down to him. The manager is steadfast in his self-belief but at the moment it’s a case of at least eight guys in the wrong and one man in the right. That doesn’t add up.

A move to butter up Tinkler could also hurt Stubbins’ reputation in the long term.

Advertisement

One win in 15 represents a failure, and hardly puts him in the shop window for future jobs. This could be his last opportunity in charge of an A-League club, so it’s understandable that he’s desperate to prove his credentials. But if you can’t get the best out of your players, you’ve failed to adequately manage.

Some of his comments have also been out of turn, especially following the 7-0 mauling at the hands of Adelaide United last weekend.

“If they [the players] want me to just cave in – if that’s their agenda – then they are going to be disappointed,” he said.

“There are certain players here on decent coin, who I won’t name, who are giving no value for money to this club.”

Stubbins is also likely on decent coin, probably why he refuses to resign despite overwhelming evidence that his tenure isn’t working. His position has become untenable in the eyes of most, but not Tinkler, who’s determined to create his own trend.

“We are not going to let a bunch of players, some of whom have 10 games or so left in their Jets careers, dictate the future of the coach and the club,” Tinkler told The World Game.

“The coach is staying, and as for the players, they are playing for their spots.”

Advertisement

But like the players and coaching staff, Stubbins shouldn’t be made the scapegoat either. Because this debacle isn’t directly the fault of the players, the coaching staff or even Stubbins.

There’s only one villain in this saga, and that’s Tinkler. This whole mess is entirely his poisonous concoction.

Hopefully the FFA step in and take back his license soon, whether due to the unfair dismissal of club staff, or through a failure to pay his well-documented debts. Once he stumbles, and breaches his license, FFA have to pounce.

The Newcastle Herald has revealed Tinkler owes $140,000 to Northern NSW Football, $30,000 in rent for training ground Ray Watt Oval, and he’s also failed to pay players’ superannuation benefits for the past six months. FFA have given him until January 31 – Tinkler claims he has until mid-February – to settle the debts.

Con Constantine was stripped of his A-League license after similar failures to ensure the financial viability of the club, hopefully FFA mirror that move come February 1. This is not a good look for Australian football, especially after the raging success of the Asian Cup on home soil.

Newcastle fans are also in a tough position. Do they vote with their feet and boycott the Jets’ next home match on February 6? It would be a clear sign of intent that the public has lost faith in Hunter Sports Group. Or should they continue to barrack their team, a team that doesn’t currently deserve their unconditional love? The Squadron, the club’s supporter group, are planning to wear gold shirts in protest of the current regime, as a throwback to the Jets’ original colours and its ‘golden years’.

The team that Stubbins sends out at Hunter Stadium will be made up of just 13 senior players following the departures of the sacked five. Olyroos forward Travis Cooper could join them pending a successful medical. The similarities with Gold Coast United are depressing.

Advertisement

For too long loyal Jets fans have turned out in their thousands, blindly supporting a sinking club. They’ve proven their worth as a football city, and shown the support is there for a viable A-League side.

All that is needed is adequate ownership, and it’s down to FFA to give it to them. The governing body brought Tinkler into the club, it’s their job to weed him out.

close