The Newcastle Jets have severed ties with striker Milos Trifunovic, who has left the A-League club to pursue a contract overseas.
The Serbian’s contract was due to expire at the end of the season but the club announced on Friday that they had reached a mutual termination agreement.
Trifunovic scored nine times in 22 A-League appearances for the Jets but despite coming to the club with a strong goal-scoring record at his previous clubs in China, Uzbekistan and Serbia, he was a largely underwhelming addition.
Only five of his goals came from open play and his lack of mobility and aggression even irked his coach Scott Miller, who singled him out for harsh criticism following November’s F3 Derby win over Central Coast.
The 31-year-old’s continued lack of form and potency had him dropped to the bench in Newcastle’s last two matches, with summer recruit Morten Nordstrand preferred.
Nordstrand and two other visa players, midfielder Leonardo and winger Enver Alidovic, are also coming off contract, giving Miller plenty of scope to re-shape his squad as expected over the off-season.
Meanwhile, Newcastle travel on Sunday to face title-hunting Brisbane Roar, who have beaten every A-League team bar the Jets this season.
The two sides have shared the points in their two meetings thus far, one in Newcastle and one in Brisbane.
“It’s an interesting one,” Miller said when asked why he thought that was the case.
“You do look at their threats and quality overall and without sounding disrespectful to the quality we’ve got, it is a fantastic (Roar) squad.
“But we seem to play well against them, here or there.
“I think it comes down to discipline – ideally, recognising that playing against a top side, you have to step up.”
Miller has set his side the ambitious target of beating the ball-hungry Roar for possession, something that rarely happens when they play at home.
“I’m looking to go up there and have more than 50 per cent possession and control it,” he said.
“If you’ve got it, (the Roar’s attackers) don’t have an impact.”
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