Stubbins out as FFA look for a fresh start at Newcastle

Griffo That would be interesting that would mean two Fox Football pundits would now be HAL Managers next year in Aloisi and Rudan, Fox Football would now have to find another two pundits ...

According to this report, Mark Rudan is firming as favourite for the Jets Head Coach position but early days - it could take another two weeks for a decision to be made. As long as it take Ange, Eric and Luke...as long as it takes. Also of note is Mark Jones met with Damien De Bohun today - perhaps some involvement still for Jones.

Updated figures for the Jets debt has them owing creditors $23.7M; Tinkler companies close to $17M. From the article: An updated list of Jets’ creditors shows debts of more than $23.7million – up from last week’s estimate of $20million – including about $17million to companies associated with former Jets licence holder Nathan Tinkler. The biggest non-related creditor is the tax office, which is owed an estimated $2.9million, with almost $795,000 listed in unpaid superannuation guarantee payments. The Newcastle Knights are listed as being owed $353,000, Venues NSW is owed $227,000 and former coach Phil Stubbins is in the books for $107,000. The Forum is owed $39,000. Dozens of players are owed varying amounts, including $25,000 to Ben Kantarovski and $23,000 to Ben Kennedy.

I haven't found any media (in a short search, anyway) that indicated Tinkler got the approximate $4.3M initial licence fee refunded at the time he tried to hand the licence back. Doing so now may have ramifications for other owners (whether they paid a similar fee or not) and what it means to have a licence. Perhaps the FFA will deduct superannuation from the fee for the players? -- I'm also glad that Aloisi is off the market. 8-) He may hit his straps in Brisbane, or find out he may not be up to coaching at such a level. I hope he has some success as we can never have too many pro-level Aussie coaches. I just didn't think he was a suitable candidate for the Jets at this point given we need to make a decent coaching choice now, not after another disasterous campaign behind comes to a close.

Tinkler has come out publicly stating he will pursue getting his license fee back. He will go for that and more. Having no operational budget; players not getting paid, and low moral is a pretty good excuse for any coach, but the team struggled well before the 0-7 surrender. I am happy Stubbins has departed, and happier Aloisi is no longer a free agent!

Cheers.

According to this report - Postecoglou, Eric Abrams and Luke Casserly will be consulted for the analysis...

I suspect this news will be met with relief by many Jets supporters - Stubbins' record and style speaks for itself. I'm wondering what the processes are for the FFA to appoint a coach? Is there a FFA-appointed Jets committee, are their external consultants, is it de Bohun's call, is it all being conducted inhouse by the FFA?

Also IIRC A-League coaches need a Pro-licence by now - Zane is trying to fast track his to meet the criteria..

Agree Arnold. He's not the man to turn a club around. Experience required

Oh, and regards losing leads, the Jets were equally unable to overturn deficits. These weren't random, unrelated events. Stubbins was unable to read changes in the game and adjust accordingly. For example, watch any game the Jets lost (yes it'll take a long time, plenty to choose from!) and you'll see when chasing games the fullbacks never pushed on. You'd regularly see the Jets back 4 against 1 attacker, despite being a goal down with 15 to play. Whenever he tried to change things around it was quite obvious the players hadn't been practicing a plan B or C. How can you not have a back up strategy? Good coaches make changes that effect games. Stubbins never could Stubbins was an NPL level coach at best, and as someone who has won an NPL title as a coach I am extremely confident he'd not outmanoeuvre me.

The 15 million figure was only known a few weeks ago Arnold. Stubbins can't use this as an excuse.

Agree with all of the above Griffo. From a conditioning point of view I have NEVER seen a team so unfit as the Jets were in the first half of the season. They were at about 60% the level of other sides at best. Who appointed Packer as conditioning coach? Preseason was 5 months long and yet the side were neither fit not organised. Appalling. Well done FFA for not messing about. Another year of Stubbins and crowds would have been 5k

Yes it was a shellacking. Broadmeadow have rebuilt after a previous poor season. Emerging Jets has its issues as well...maybe another role for the Head Coach although more a question for Gary van Egmond as technical director to analyse the NYL coach. A lot of role clarity to emerge in the new Jets entity. The second season in the State League/NPL wasn't such a great one for us either but last year was - maybe a cycle but poor funding is having an effect perhaps at the pointy end (NYL).

Just adding further to the technical, tactical, conditioning and sports science areas of the club: I think the Jets as a club have been lacking in the conditioning and sports science aspects for a number of seasons. I don't know if this was due to a lack of funds (possibly, and definitely this season) or lack of understanding of the importance of this area (probably, but was it the coach or the CEO that made this call?) but conditioning was something that van Egmond highlighted initially as lacking (and still the team lacked in later stages imo) as well as the ability to measure and overcome soft-tissue injuries through sports science that also hampered the team at times. I don't believe Stubbins could be blamed for this in particular this season (due to the lack of funds). The FFA indicated the new Head Coach will choose his staff - I hope they also measure the new coaches knowledge of these areas, or at least get the expertise of the selection panel to suggest some outstanding candidates.

Griffo The Jets have a good base or platform to work with with the right Gaffa their results at the back end of the season weren't all that bad .. Also I was watching the Junior Jets get a shellacking from Broadmeadow a few days back on You tube ..

Zane was a good Youth Coach @ the Jets, but it's too early to throw him back into an A-League head coaching job.

They were only 'ok', and not consistently so. Some 'ok' signings as well at the second go but too much observed over the season and events off the park meant it wasn't going to get better. As indicated, the technical, tactical, conditioning and sports science areas of the club and team have been quoted by FFA as benchmarks along with a football community desire for a fresh start. The decision was fairly quick. While I would be interested in seeing those benchmarks, and the report itself, I don't think it was just those metrics alone - I believe player and staff management would be part of the information gathering from existing club personnel, even if some of the new players signed later in the season were being more positive (or hedging their bets). -- As an aside, some of the early season points lost were for games where the team were leading and gave it up late in the game. This to me also suggests a lack of motivation and player management from the coach to get the players to overcome what became a deepening confidence issue in holding and closing out matches. While you can also look at the players also, it is often the coach that gets the wrap (or wrath) for not driving the team in these scenarios. Something that needs to be addressed at training and team planning between matches by the coach.

Well, if that is the only way you guys can win... :-P

I wondered when originally reading this was some of the $15M counted as front-shirt 'sponsorship' by Tinkler owned companies? Even if so, would not be more than a few million dollars over four seasons.