Newcastle have agreed to grant David Carney a release from his contract, allowing the playmaker to join rival club Sydney FC.
More than a week of negotiations over the 32-year-old utility finally came to an end on A-League transfer deadline day.
With the Jets having given Carney no guarantee of a new contract at the end of this season, Sydney were keen to get him on board for their upcoming Asian Champions League campaign, talks centred on a player-trade arrangement for one or more Sky Blues players.
>> PRICHARD: Carney negotiations and release a crash landing for the Jets
“It feels great to be coming home,” Carney said.
“Sydney FC is a huge club and we have a great chance of winning silverware this season.
“I spent a fantastic two years here when the A-League started and I had a great relationship with fans who were amazing so I’m really looking forward to coming back.
“It’s an exciting time for the club with the AFC Champions League just around the corner and with the talent we have in the squad I’m confident we can have a successful few months.”
It’s understood one of the main swap options, winger Andrew Hoole, was unable to be persuaded to rejoin his former club the Jets less than a season after he left.
FFA-owned Newcastle have effectively allowed Carney to leave for free and reunite with Sydney, whom he helped to the inaugural A-League title ten years ago.
Speculation a deal was imminent escalated over the weekend when the former Socceroo was left out of Newcastle’s travelling squad to face Adelaide on Sunday.
He was also a notable absentee from Jets’ training on Tuesday morning.
“Newcastle Jets have determined that retaining Carney for the remainder of his contract is no longer in the club’s best interests, and have agreed to his request for a release,” the Jets said on Tuesday in a statement.
Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold said Carney’s experience will be invaluable over the next few months.
“I’ve worked with David at national team level and he has a lot of ability,” Arnold said.
“He will be a very good addition to our squad coming into this busy period, especially going into the last ten games of the A-League season and heading into our AFC Champions League campaign.
“He gives us another attacking option, he is a creative player and very good in one on one situations, and I look forward to working with him again.
“He is Sydney born and bred and was a fan favourite during his first spell with the club, and I’m confident he will be a success again.”
Griffo
Roar Guru
Exactly. Posted something along these lines in the other article. I just don't buy Newcastle as the regional town scenario. Not with the history. If I was cynical I'd say the FFA were partly hoping the Jets fold and put a 'bigger' market in it's place as the easier option than finding an owner.
Fadida
Guest
And yet the Jets have memberships close to those of the major cities James, if not bigger than some. We aren't talking NQF or NZ Kings here. Get the Jets right and you'll get 15k plus average crowds for eternity, easily big enough to justify supporting
Griffo
Roar Guru
It's more the situation the Jets are in at the moment: a player is not as sure of progressing further unless you win league-wide awards (Taggart: Golden Boot) if you agree to go there. If no SFC player wanted to come is that short sighted of the Jets that they either a) didn't look and recruit other players from other teams waiting to come in should Carney or another player wants out, or b) the owner of the Jets (FFA) are not doing more to make the club improve and look more attractive to players? It's a bit of both I think. All the more important the ownership is sorted sooner than later. I still wonder why the FFA don't at least engage the community for part ownership. At least this might reduce the burden on FFA if they are short of coin, and at least release funds to attract better players, while making the sale to new owner/s look more attractive.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Ben oPP - yes a club moves on and survives without a player; and perhaps not that big an influence in the end ;-) Fadida - I think that is right, and at 32 he probably has one more big offer to tempt him left if he performs in the ACL. Also a history of not tracking back in games as well. That to me is one reason to go for younger legs if you want a larger field coverage for certain positions and player movement off the ball. For Miller and player-coach relations in general it's the age old debate: does a player do as his told as a professional, or disagree and leave. Compared to Stubbins I can't see other players being as disatisfied as Carney was. Obviously wanting to move on to a club with greater opportunities (finals and ACL).
Griffo
Roar Guru
Yeah hard to know: depends on who owns us ;-) Maybe a shiny, gold-plated carrot for potential new owners: 'Look - you have this much to spend on players in the salary cap..'"
jamesb
Guest
Fadida, the problem with Newcastle is they are not based in Sydney or Melbourne. FFA needs to look after ALL clubs, not just the selected few.
Fadida
Guest
A poor team's best player released for free, with no replacement lined up? Show me when that has happened before?
Fadida
Guest
Agree. Carney is trouble. I doubt he'll make it to the end of next season with Sydney
Fadida
Guest
A bit of both Griffo. Carney is a disloyal mercenary. You could see he gave up in the Perth game, and a sulking Carney is useless. Miller is clearly an alpha-male, but I have no doubt Carney was the instigator of all this
Fadida
Guest
How far under the cap are we now Griffo? There's no way that money will be used. An attacking player would be worth a lot more...,,
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Griffo, I thought your mob looked better against Adelaide than I've seen them for a long time. There was a certain player not in the game day squad......
Waz
Guest
Hasn't this happened in previous seasons - why all the fuss today?
Kaks
Roar Guru
After the fuss Tony Pignata and Sydney FC kicked up over the Caceres deal, you have to laugh at the hypocrisy of all this. Disgraceful.
Griffo
Roar Guru
No, I wouldn't ;-) It would be the same message. There is no doubt he was good for the side and brought quality. Whether that was quality enough to resign, at the same or higher wage, or to release him we'll never really know. Reading between the lines, Carney wanted to leave early during the transfer window. Whether because of or the cause of the alleged falling out with Miller - and whether due to wanting to stay and resign or leave - his head seemed to not be in for the team anymore. He got dropped only once on the weekend, and by Monday talks obviously progressed far enough that he couldn't be risked, with a healthy dose frayed relations within the team added in. Note that he had an offer from SFC the previous season's transfer window to leave, but stayed. Short time later was the massive falling out with Stubbins after the Adelaide implosion - a different coach, owner, etc. in every way compared to this season. Not the club, per se, but what? Two bad, egotistical coaches? Carney's attitude? A bit of both? I think Carney is seeing bigger opportunities elsewhere, and will continue to chase those until his career is in the twilight. A good run in the ACL and the offers will come.
Paul
Guest
Yes Carney wanted to have a chance of playing finals and ACL but as owners they should have stood their ground on a player swap. I don't think any of the other owners would have let Sydney FC get away with paying nothing.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
So the FFA put a gun to Carney's head and made him sign for Sydney, so they would win the league for Arnold. Not sure I follow that logic too well.
Ago
Guest
What a joke. Weak management and once again Arnold gets his way, joke joke joke. Carney the cancer is out, he will sign on play ok then look to sign for. Ore money somewhere else, if he doesn't get his way he will start causing trouble internally and force the club to suspend him and seek to remove him. He is trouble and in my opinion best thing to let him go, but they should have gotten at least one top line player in exchange. Transfer rules and salary cap are a joke complete and utter joke.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
To be fair to Carney, he hasn't been treated that well has he. Banned from training with the team and team talks. Not selected in the match day squads. His contract finishes in a few weeks and no word from the club about whether they will re-sign him for next year. And its not the first time that the Jets management has banned him from training and playing. What else could he do? If Melbourne Victory signed him, you'd be praising their "astute coach".
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Lets not jump to conclusions shall we. No contract has been signed yet and there are no details of the agreement released, so lets not start putting the boot into the FFA, Sydney FC and the A-League, although I did notice the sky is definitely falling down.
Paul
Guest
Agree. The FFA have stuffed up on this one so Grumpy Graham can get his own way. Are the FFA does Sydney FC are leg up for the finals and ACL? Still remember Carney mooning Wanderers fans at the Christmas Eve game. Surely he should have been reprimanded for bringing the game into disrepute. How many weeks did they give O'Donovan?