Woah, Blogger just changed.
You know how I literally just said that I'd keep you updated on the Newcastle Jets situation? Well a statement was issued in the last half an hour on behalf of the Jets.
"The Newcastle Jets confirm that following last week’s announcement and attempts at seeking resolution with Football Federation Australia (FFA) that the decision remains to return the Newcastle Jets A-League licence.
Despite recent inflammatory comments by FFA Management, lengthy discussions between Troy Palmer of Newcastle Jets and Ben Buckley, CEO FFA took place in which the Newcastle Jets proposed options for a compromise.
In relation to the major issues between the Newcastle Jets and FFA that have led to this untenable situation, Newcastle Jets proposed the following:
1. The Newcastle Jets Licence fee be reviewed and amended in line with the fees paid by the owners of Adelaide United. A transaction completed only 2 months after the Jets were saved.
2. The Jason Culina insurance matter be settled immediately with financial liability being shared equally between the Newcastle Jets, FFA and the Player.
3. The Newcastle Jets will invest $250,000 on behalf of all clubs and the FFA to create an independent taskforce to review ownership, financial and commercial models of football competitions globally to make recommendations on improving the sustainability and transparency of the A-League with a view of implementation in the 2013/14 Season.
4. The Newcastle Jets continue with the A-League Licence until 30 June 2020.
Mr Buckley immediately rejected the above proposal.
This inflexible stance highlights the inequitable position and ongoing discrimination in which the Jets have been placed over the past 18 months. The FFA’s mindset of being unwilling to negotiate provides a clear impression that FFA does not want the Newcastle Jets to be part of the football family.
Confident of its legal position, Newcastle Jets now welcome and look forward to any forthcoming legal action. Such action will bring transparency and integrity to dealings that the Newcastle Jets have sought throughout its involvement in the A-League.
Whilst disappointed to be pushed into this position, the Newcastle Jets remain proud of its achievements to rebuild the Jets by attracting over 10,000 Members, greatly increasing crowd attendance, securing major corporate support, creation of a Merchandise program that set benchmarks in the A-League and the establishment of a Football Department befitting of a professional code. All elements that were not in place when the Newcastle Jets were saved in September 2010.
As a not for profit organisation, the Newcastle Jets made a commitment to its community, to football and to aspiring juniors in the area. This commitment remains, with further investment in junior development and an elite academy in the Hunter.
Finally, the Newcastle Jets remain committed to working with contracted players and staff to identify new career opportunities."
Quite lengthy, I know. But let's have a look at it, shall we? Hunter Sports Group - the owners of the Jets - have made clear their intentions for the past few weeks, and it's sad to finally see them confirm their decision. From the sounds of the things, the FFA are way too unflexible when it comes to negotiations. They seem to want to be 100% in the driving seat. I genuinely think the way the league is set up is wrong. It would be better to have the European/British system of each team in the league having an equal amount of shares in the league, allowing them to make decisions that affect them rather than having to negotiate with a 3rd party.
Another possible side affect from this withdrawal could be that Gold Coast are saved. The FFA desparately want 10 teams to get better TV deals, negotiations for which begin soon, and since this, even with the addition fo the new Western Sydney side, would leave the league with 9 teams, there could be added impetus to maintain the GCU side or even to fast track a Canberra side.
The demands were not unreasonable. There is a great disparity between license fees for each team which I don't believe is fair. HSG were right to want that sorted. For those of you who don't know, the Jason Culina case was about a player - Jason Culina - who signed for the Jets while his dad was the head coach. He then went and got injured, and as their marquee player, it was quite a blow especially since the injury was fairly severe. They want that sorted out, which i suppose is reasonable. I believe proposal 3 - the investment for sustainability and transparency - is desparately needed, and all clubs should chip in if they want to save a league it seems is in an increasingly untenable position. As for point 4...that's a given really. Nobody wants to lose the Jets. They're a decent side and showed that in the closing stages of last season. It would be a shame to lose another club. New investors need to be found, and the league and FFA in particular need to be sorted out.
Greater transparency, more control for the clubs over their own destinies, and a willingness to negotiate are what is needed.
poor Peter why didn't you just put Nathan Tinkler's name or Hunter Sports Group instead of the Newcastle Jets throughout this article. All you are doing is portraying the Newcastle Jets as a team of whingers when in fact it is only one man who is whining
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good point, the bits that I wrote I'll change :) not wanting to sound biased, it was very late in the day.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part though, this article is the Jets' press release, so that's why it came out like that. Admittedly Tinkler and HSG as a whole are totally out of line and have really let down the people of the Valley.