Off-contract Newcastle Jets goalkeeper Mark Birighitti says he is leaning towards staying with the A-League club rather than trying his luck in Europe again next season.
Birighitti will sit down with his management at the end of the current campaign to make a firm decision, but said it was thanks to the Jets’ coaching staff that he is in what he believes to be career-best form.
“To be honest with you, I’m really enjoying my football at the moment,” he said.
“It’s the best I’ve felt physically and mentally and full credit has to go to the coaching staff, they have me in really good condition.
“I’m very lucky with the coaches we’ve got here, they’re fantastic and just give me so much confidence.
“I’m very grateful I have a very good goalkeeping coach who helps me a lot and keeps me on the right track.
“I’ll think about it when the season finishes, at the moment I’m just focused on doing well with the club. Hopefully, that can continue.”
It has been an eventful past 12 months for Birighitti, who returned to Newcastle after spending part of last season on loan to Italian Serie B club Varese.
Earlier this season, the 24-year-old was involved in an ugly and controversial collision with Sydney FC striker Shane Smeltz, whose attempt at the ball instead dislodged several teeth from Birighitti’s mouth and sparked debate over whether referees should better protect goalkeepers from harm.
Birighitti has also been linked to a possible move to England, and any move overseas would help establish him in the Socceroos’ pecking order.
“Coming back from Italy was a big experience for me. I did come back a mature person, on and off the field,” he said.
“We’ll see. I will sit down with my management at the end of the season and go from there.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, because I’ve done that in the past and it’s backfired on me.”
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