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Memo to Martin Lee and the Ledman Group: the A-League needs a strong Newcastle Jets, but performances this season simply haven’t been good enough.
First things first – after Saturday night’s controversy, it was nice to see the video assistant referee get a decision right in the so-called ‘Desperation Derby’.
It looked at first glance as though Lachlan Jackson had handled a Storm Roux cross on 38 minutes, but replays confirmed the ball actually struck Jackson in the midriff.
Sadly the Jets couldn’t make the most of their reprieve, and in truth they were second best against a Central Coast side that looked hungrier in yesterday’s 2-0 win in Gosford.
Nick Montgomery’s opener came from a superbly worked move, and by the time Fabio Ferreira dinked home a second, the Mariners were well on their way to their first derby win in some 911 long and frustrating days.
They took a huge step towards avoiding the wooden spoon in the process, with the Jets sinking to the bottom of the ladder on the back of their fourteenth defeat of a miserable campaign.
It wasn’t just that Newcastle lost – again – but the manner of the defeat that should sting Jets fans.
Surely no player epitomises such wasted potential as Andrew Hoole, with the talented but erratic midfielder looking a world away from the player Sydney FC saw fit to sign last season.
The Jets desperately need an injection of talent, and it’s in this respect owner Lee has arguably let his team down.
It’s one thing to buy a club – and A-League owners deserve plenty of credit for the vast sums they’ve ploughed into their respective clubs over the years – but another thing entirely to invest the necessary capital to actually make a team competitive.
If Lee truly wants to make a difference in Newcastle, he should start by sourcing a genuine marquee player for next season, as much to make a difference at the turnstiles as on the pitch.
When Indonesian chairman Rahim Soekasah graced the Roar Supporters Forum with his presence last week, there was an important concept a few Roar fans failed to grasp – namely that failure to save face is deeply shameful in Asian cultures.
The Jets finishing bottom of the ladder will be hugely embarrassing for Lee and his Chinese entourage, although ironically it may just be the catalyst required to encourage wholescale reinvestment in the squad.
Sydney FC are in the midst of a battle to keep hold of some of their key personnel, and the Sky Blues were lucky to come away from Wellington with a point on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors benefited from a controversial VAR decision, with Bobo eventually slotting home from the penalty spot after Phoenix defender Marco Rossi was adjudged to have handled inside the area.
If the Sky Blues were fortunate to be on the receiving end of that historic VAR decision, luck clearly wasn’t on Wellington’s side when they were denied a couple of shouts for a penalty at the death.
So incensed were the Phoenix at being denied a spot-kick with what would have been the last kick of the game, that Kosta Barbarouses could clearly be seen asking for a video replay – a gesture that is supposed to be a yellow-card offence.
Perhaps we should expect a few teething issues with the VAR, although it’s hard not to feel a bit hard done by for a Phoenix side that saw their finals chance snuffed out by a couple of questionable decisions.
Still, the Phoenix have had all season to mount a genuine run to the finals, and along with the Jets they’ve been one of the most disappointing teams in the competition.
David Gallop may have suggested the Phoenix cannot simply “squat on a licence,” but it could be said they’re guilty of much the same thing as the Jets.
Newcastle simply must improve next season. For the good of the A-League, and a proud football city.