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Jets expect North to remain professional

Roar Rookie
2nd September, 2008
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Newcastle Jets expect Jade North to resume duties with the A-League club in a professional manner despite fears the skipper would be disgruntled after failing to secure a European deal.

North was among several Australians to miss out on transfer moves as the European football transfer deadline closed amid a rush of activity today.

The Jets defender, after being linked to Turkish champions Galatasaray and French first-division newcomers Grenoble in recent weeks, had been a late target of Danish outfit Randers FC, but no loan deal eventuated between the clubs.

North had done little to hide his European ambitions following the Jets’ A-League triumph last February.

But chief executive John Tsatsimas doesn’t believe the disappointment of missing out on a move will affect the captain’s on-field performance when he returns to the Jets from Socceroos duties next week.

“I think Jade’s a professional,” Tsatsimas said.

“He’s well aware that he has a contract.”

The transfer window re-opens in January, but Tsatsimas hinted it would be unlikely the Jets would be overly keen to broker a deal – even with North coming off-contract at the end of the season.

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“If the scenarios are much the same then we’ll revisit it, but the other thing you’ve got to consider is January is difficult in terms of where we sit because the finals series is only a month later,” Tsatsimas said.

Rumoured deals involving Socceroos midfielder Brett Holman and Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos also failed to come to fruition when the transfer deadline lapsed at midnight UK time (9am AEST).

Holman had been touted for a last-minute move to Blackburn Rovers – where he would have joined Australian teammates Brett Emerton and new club recruit Vince Grella – but no deal was made with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar.

Holman had only joined Alkmaar two months ago on a STG1.5 million ($A3.18 million) move from NEC Nijmegen.

But Rovers manager Paul Ince had reportedly been keen to nab the winger and hand AZ a quick profit with a STG2.5 million ($A5.29 million) offer.

The Dutch club said they were reluctant to sell the 24-year-old, but would consider a part-exchange for defender Andre Ooijer.

No announcement was made, however, by the deadline.

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Victory goalkeeper Theoklitos had been reported to be involved in a possible $500,000-plus move to Everton.

But the English Premier League club instead announced 34-year-old Wigan goalkeeper Carlo Nash had joined the club as back-up for American first choice keeper Tim Howard.

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