Newcastle Jets went from wanting two Sydney FC players for David Carney, to being prepared to take one, to ending up getting none. That is the off-field equivalent of a 5-0 flogging.
Sure, Sydney FC asked a couple of their players – Andrew Hoole and Chris Naumoff – if they were prepared to be part of a switch, but it sounds like the pair couldn’t run fast enough in the opposite direction.
The deal was done even with Hoole reportedly having been offered an increase on his Sydney deal to return to his hometown club.
>> UPDATED: Sydney FC sign David Carney after Newcastle release
There are a few different interpretations you can put on what happened with the Carney matter, but whatever spin you want to apply it looks bad for the Jets.
Sydney reportedly gets a transfer fee of $300,000 to sell promising young defender Alex Gersbach overseas and within days they pick up Carney – a former Socceroo who has clearly been Newcastle’s best player this season – for nothing.
It doesn’t seem right and it certainly doesn’t seem fair to the Jets that it can happen this way, but it is allowed under the rules. It will just be another thing Football Federation Australia – Newcastle’s current owners – will have to review at the end of the season.
Newcastle didn’t want to keep Carney in the end, but they wanted to get something tangible in return for him. The fact they weren’t able to is embarrassing for the club.
They could have played hardball and kept Carney on their books for the rest of the season, but they’ve got enough problems without hanging on to a player who didn’t want to be there.
The Jets began the season well and were comfortably in the top six early on, but they have lost seven of their last nine games and are now genuine contenders for the wooden spoon – particularly since Perth Glory are getting a wriggle on and even the Central Coast Mariners are moving forward.
Carney is a bit like a ‘carny’, the slang term traditionally used to describe travelling show employees in the United States. He’s never in the one place for long. He has had a multitude of clubs and this will be his second spell at Sydney.
It must be pointed out that Newcastle were in no rush to re-sign Carney, who is 32 and coming off contract at the end of the season. My understanding is that there had been discussions, but that they hadn’t really gone anywhere and there were no immediate indications of them picking up again.
Perhaps the Jets underestimated Carney. He had been prepared to make a move out of a club before if the scenario wasn’t favourable to him, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that he would look towards other options in this case.
And since he was in good form, he was always likely to find alternatives.
Sydney was having its up and downs, were losing a player whose position Carney could fill and they have a busy schedule coming up with a campaign in the Asian Champions League on top of their A-League commitments.
As soon as Newcastle coach Scott Miller declined to play Carney in last Sunday’s game against Adelaide United, you knew the end of the Jets-Carney association was nigh.
Newcastle will reportedly save about $80,000 on what would have been Carney’s remaining payments for this season and will be allowed to add that to their spending on top of the salary cap for next season.
It’s something, I guess, but obviously nothing remotely like picking up Hoole or Naumoff – or both.
Newcastle have clearly come off second-best here, but Miller can’t be worrying about that. He has to concentrate on getting the Jets to finish the season well.
Carney, meanwhile, can look forward to domestic and Asian campaigns with a much bigger club.
That’s football.
Jets Fan
Guest
The whole sage required NEGOTIATION. Eland's management style as shown over his years at Northern, is Dictatorial, he won't negotiate. His way or the Highway. He stated "we will deal when we are good and ready". Now the Jets again pay the bill. FFA knew this when they put him in. He was only appointed because he would take the job on a part-time basis, saving money, not the Jets. Wrong man in the job, changes have to be made for the Jets to survive!
Jets Fan
Guest
Newcastle have been let down again by the FFA. Carney's move to Sydney was handled badly by the Jets! And that the Fault of Jets Management! But.. FFA sacked the CEO of the Jets after taking over, and after doing so appointed their own part-time excuse David Eland. Elands history at Northern NSW Federation should have been enough to ensure he was not chosen, but by appointing him as part-time in both positions, the FFA chose to save money rather than save the Jets! FFA have provided NO money for marquee players, and have stated they will not! They did when they owned the Wanderers, but that's Sydney! They did get rid of Nathan Tinkler and for that we are grateful, but every other promise made at the public meetings has vaporized during the season so far. We were promised a competitive team, a team we could be proud of. We were promised the support of FFA. Well we have all seen what that is worth. The way they support North Queensland, Gold Coast, and tried to get rid of Wellington to put in another Sydney Team. The People of Newcastle no longer believe a word that comes out of Headquarters. And all Northern are interested in is promoting their five a side competitions at their white elephant at Speers Point. (Mr Elands work). The chances of there being a club left to sell diminish daily as fans continue to walk away from this bus crash being driven by the current Jets Management! The Future of the A-League involves teams from only two cities Melbourne & Sydney under this current FFA Administration.
Buddy
Guest
Agreed....Abramovich wanted a team that played with style and swagger and Mou could deliver results but not in the right manner. By far and away the vast majority of fans want results...they want to win the vital games, the niggly ones and if the team wins 1-0 38 times a season, most are happy. Sadly for me, I don't belong to that group; these days I want to be entertained and at the prices charged for watching EPL I reckon its a fair ask! However, EPL regularly fails to deliver and Mou did upon his return so I have stopped watching it from afar and don't bother when I visit which is fairly regularly. There is far more entertainment to be found in lower leagues and even non league albeit a different type of entertainment. I am far happier with the A League this season and even though Mr Arnold receives criticsm for lack of style, I think it has a place up there.......but if everyone played that way, i would not renew my season ticket, nor would I be hogging the TV each weekend at game time!
Kaks
Roar Guru
Im a Chelsea fan, I love Mou. The control of the team argument also had to do with the style of play.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
The Jets played better against Adelaide without Carney. Getting rid of dead weight is sometimes a good thing. If the Jets keep playing like that the fans will keep going to watch.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
Carney is a SFC old boy and might help them win the Championship or Premiership, so the money was invested wisely, who knows? Obviously SFC valued him more than the Jets did and he is motivated now to repay that faith. Scott Miller has a bit more to learn about player management, but I hope he does and one day he is one of Australia's best football coaches. Good luck to the Jets. What were SFC supposed to do. Vardy is not for sale at any price, according to Cousin Claudio.
Punter
Guest
Now Kaks, you know I love your work, but my friend you are talking the proverbial, Mourinho was sacked by one person Abramovich, because he wanted more control of the team (he's paying the money). Abramovich wanted & forced Shevchenko onto Mourinho's team. He was sacked because they clashed, the players, the fans did not want him to go the first time, totally nothing to do with style of play. Chelsea has won the Premiership 5 times in it's long history & Mourinho was in charged 3 times, he is a living LEGEND at Chelsea.
marron
Roar Guru
Yeah I was going with Allardyce.
marron
Roar Guru
Don't disagree RF.
Realfootball
Guest
That manager was being both supercilious and disingenuous, probably to defend the awful football his team was playing. All sport is entertainment. And no one willingly pays money to be bored. You would be a very strange person to think "I feel like being bored today. I know - I'll pay 40 dollars to be bored by Graeme Arnold and his blue bus. That will be fun." Arnold has his back against the wall. He'll say anything to justify himself.
Qantas & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
You mean like Garcia? He is only 32 yrs old. I wouldn't wait too long, an ex Danish international would be ripe and juicy enough for us SFC supporters... I will predict he'll see a bit of Sydney FC and want to join the Bling Boys and be apart of an amazing football culture. ;)
Fadida
Guest
We are waiting to see how he performs. The Danish media are saying he's on a fairly rapid downhill trajectory, hence his lack of game time in recent years
Kaks
Roar Guru
“Tell me one coach, ever, who has been sacked for not entertaining.” Jose Mourinho during his first stint at Chelsea was sacked due to the defensive football employed by Mourinho.
Fadida
Guest
Absolutely
marron
Roar Guru
Upon his appointment, from 442: 'Most important for Arnold though was to bring the beautiful game to Sydney and win with flair to bring fans back and keep existing ones. “Success for me is attractive football,” he said.”Success is putting bums on seats and filling that stadium. Exciting football, exciting players, attacking football, high pressure possession-based game - a modern football game.' Keep em coming arnie you crazy diamond.
Sydneysider
Guest
It's a fine balancing act AZ_RBB. Last year Sydney was playing in 4-3. 3-2 games and their defence was shonky. Arnold has tried to fix the defence this year, which has worked BUT...... to the detriment of SFC's attack. The team has no pace, lacks a classy striker up front to score goals and lacks that little bit of creativity in midfield. Arnold is too blame for the recruitment and current tactics, which all stem from the fact that he hasn't adequately replaced Janko, Ibini, Antonis and now Gersbach. Yes, he can get results, but it's not pretty. I think he knows he screwed up his recruitment over the off season. Will have to get it right for the 2016/17 season otherwise he'll be looking for another job.
marron
Roar Guru
It sure is. A beautiful incisive pass to me after a patient build up is as good as a goal to me. But what was it a manager once said. If you want to be entertained, go watch clowns. This is an argument as old as football itself!
marron
Roar Guru
"Tell me one coach, ever, who has been sacked for not entertaining." I can think of one without too much trouble. Currently on track for relegation in the EPL on his new job. here's the thing, playing a counter attacking game built around defense in order to win is all very well but when you get rid of your goal scorers and your pacier players and you start losing and sit half way down the table, well, I have to say i think you're doing it wrong.
AZ_RBB
Guest
I agree. I wasn't a huge fan of Guardiola's Barca for much the same reasons. But the current Luis Enrique lead team is one of the most incredible forces world sport has ever seen.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Here's my problem with what he said 1) You are there to entertain. That is the point of professional sport. Yes its not an obligation, but if the fans want it then you should take some pointers and stop being so stubborn. 2) Results and entertaining football can go hand in hand. I understand what he says, his career hinges on results - but that does not mean that you go the opposite way and play the way SFC are currently playing. I understand WSW played in a similar fashion, but we all gave them the benefit of the doubt as they were a new team. Last season was the season that fans got frustrated with the type of football that was played and to Popa's credit he has listened to the fans and changed the style. We are now top of the table while getting results and playing good football. Melbourne City is second by getting results and playing good football. MV won last year by getting results and playing good football. This all just seems to be a massive excuse by Arnold because he has no idea of any other way to play. Look at the way the Socceroos played under him. How CCM played under him. How SFC are playing under him now. He has no clue about any other way to play, thats all there is to it. Yes, there is more than one way to play football and defence is as important as attack- but whether Arnold likes it or not, he owes it to his fans to entertain them. Fans pay for the tickets to be entertained while watching their team play. I wouldnt be pleased to hear comments like these from Arnold if I was a SFC fan considering they're not getting the results they want while playing this boring football.