The 2011/12 season started off with feelings of expectation for Newcastle Jets fans. Branko Culina had his first full pre-season with players he both wanted and rated. It was a chance for him to shine after a managerial career littered with premature sackings and unfinished business.
There were the doubters, and many of them, but most were content to either see him fail and get the sack or to succeed and prove them wrong.
The Culina saga, however, meant there would be no such chance. Jason Culina’s failed rehabilitation from an existing knee injury, and he and Branko’s subsequent sackings, sent the club’s season into disarray.
The second coming of Gary van Egmond, after his flight to the AIS, was the result of the messy fall-out. Signed to a two-year contract, GVE wanted to bring in a free-flowing, high-paced game.
Yet his man-management left something to be desired, and his unwavering approach to tactics gave off a persona of arrogance.
He blindsided arguably the club’s best player, Kasey Wehrman, for disciplinary reasons, and refused to play youngster Chris Payne, effectively taking away more than $300,000 in wages from his playing roster.
It took time for his side to get comfortable with his style of play, though credit to the man he kept at it. Yet there were still too many inconsistencies between performances, despite the team looking attractive at times.
Fantastic wins over Brisbane, Melbourne Victory and Sydney were coupled with similarly emphatic losses to Wellington, Gold Coast and Melbourne Heart.
They hit form during the finals run-in, but ultimately blew off their hard work with a woeful away loss to Sydney on the last day of the season.
Overall the season has to be deemed unsuccessful.
Defenders struggled to play the ball out from the back, an imposing central midfielder was missing and the lack of an out-and-out striker, pace, and a talented playmaker made adaption to the tactics difficult.
While positives can be taken from Elrich and Zadkovich’s late form, as well as some solid performances from Ben Kennedy, the failure of Tiago to live up to his reputation and the shakiness of the defence was disappointing.
In the end it was probably a good thing the Jets failed to make the top six.
Next season is GVE’s year, just like season 2011/2012 should have been Branko’s. The Jets again have a chance to have a full pre-season with one manager, and GVE has the luxury of having a number of players coming off contract and with it the ability to sign his own team.
It’s time for GVE to match his own opinion of his talents with that of the public. With Central Coast losing some of its best players, and Perth, Wellington, Heart and Sydney failing to step up, a top-two spot is there for the taking and should be the target.
Anything less than top six would be inexcusable.
There’s a lot to look forward to and most Jets fans will be confident that given a full off-season and financial backing, GVE can once again deliver some silverware.
Best Result
You can’t ignore a 1-0 win against Brisbane away from home. The goal was class, Wheelhouse and Kantarovski combining brilliantly from a quick free-kick, and some resolute defending saw the team through.
It probably wasn’t the team’s best performance but its significance was immense. It was the Jets’ first away win for more than a year and the next week they went to Sydney and trounced them 5-2.
Worst Result
The 3-2 loss against Sydney on what would prove to be the final match of the season. Some terrible defending, questionable tactics and substitutions lead to an disappointing result.
Best Player
It has to be Ben Kennedy, who went some way to proving the doubters wrong. Still shaky on the old cross but the vampire finally showed some consistency. Zadkovich follows closely behind.
Best Young Player
Jacob Pepper is the man to grab this award. The 19 year old went from youth team captain to first team regular, and managed an Olyroos debut to boot. He has a promising A-League future ahead of him.
Best Signing
It should have been Tiago, but he was a bit of a flop. So the award goes to Connor Chapman, even though he only managed a brief stint in the first team. Should be installed as a starter alongside Topor-Stanley and Regan in a back three next year.
Best Goal
Jeremy Brockie against the Gold Coast in January. The Kiwi could claim a few contenders for goal of the season but this was the pick of the bunch.
A nice one-two between Bridges and Topor-Stanley saw the latter swing in a cross from the left, Brockie on hand to guide an inch-perfect header past Tyson into the top corner. Brilliant.
Jets fans are in for an interesting off-season, with a few new faces incoming and more players yet to depart and arrive. Next season is a chance for GVE to prove his managerial credentials.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Kasey Wehrman certainly divided opinion this season: my observation was that as a player coming off contract, whose workload at training was being carefully managed to maintain energy, whose legs needed a good 5 - 10 minutes at periods during the game to get working again was going to struggle to take a position that required a lot of 'up-tempo running and pressing' in GVE's plan. Kasey, out of frustration at his own performance and that of the team, made comments in the media that to GVE acknowledgement made decisions on his future 'easy'. Kasey had a great HAL6 campaign, but even with the game time he had this eason, he was not at the same level a year later in HAL7. 'Kanta' also had a disappointing season. Coming off injury, bench time and rep duty, not to mention juggling uni studies as well probably conspired to destroy any rhythm with the season. Next year will be a big year for him and a lot of expectation of getting back to a level and realisation of his potential that signing a contract at 16-17 entails. Overall, 'consistency' was the word for the Jets this season - a new coach and a new tactical philosophy after the season kicked off, away form, home form and perhaps as Ned Zelic mentioned in a recent article on the FFA website, a 'mental' consistency that towards the end of the season stalled a run into the top-six for the Finals Series. GVE has an off-season/pre-season and player recruiting under his watch so the expectation will be to see in HAL8 some building on the promising signs seen towards the end of this season using some young legs and fresh faces.
The New Number Nine On Tyneside
Guest
Best Result: The 3-0 over Melbourne Heart was probably the most complete performance of the year, but I concede the Brisbane result is the one that should have been the season-changer. Best Player: Probably Kennedy, although you wouldn't know it listening to 'fans' in the outer. I'd say Rubes, special mention to Takkas after a mid-season midfield revolution. Best Goal: Brockie T home against Sydney. Unbelievable tekkas. Worst result: The Sydney loss was most disappointing, but to be fair they were ambushed by a rubbish team playing their Grand Final. Jets made their bed with that lethargic, insipid 1-1 at home to Gold Coast. Worst player: After a stellar season last year Topor-Stanley was pathetic. Biggest flop: Tiago 'Barça B' Calvano. Biggest disappointment: The non-progression of Ben Kantarovski. Hopefully he continues to rebuild after the ACL injury.
Michael
Guest
Pretty fair summary. Tiago has been shite, then occasionally good. But what happened to the Jets incredible defensive record? And the last game against Sydney? Rubbish. The Jet have been really inconsistent, but GVE should have just battened down the hatches in Sydney and got the draw. It wasn't like they lost playing beautiful football. There needs to be a major squad revitalisation in the off-season. We probably need a deadly striker a la Berisha or Smeltz, a creative midfielders because we have more craftsmen and carpenters than architects or artists. And we need a rigid, disciplined defense. Is that too much to ask for?