^ so, that was the other 13998 of you? \:d/ 8-[

Two more signings to complete Jets puzzle

By JAMES GARDINER
July 24, 2015, 9:30 p.m.

JETS coach Scott Miller is satisfied that he has a squad that will be competitive in the A-League.

But the former Fulham assistant is also acutely aware that his next two signings could determine how high the wooden spooners from last season can climb.

Miller put another building block in place with the addition on Friday of industrious former Adelaide midfielder Cameron Watson, taking the squad to 19 players.

‘‘If you look at the players we have recruited, they are not robotic in a sense, but they have a disciplined approach to the game,’’ Miller said

‘‘I do need a different link. Someone who can actually break the back four and give us a bit of attacking impetus.

‘‘My view is [we need] a 9 and 10, both visas players of quality and experience.’’

Miller has a shortlist of potential recruits he is working through methodically.

‘‘We are getting there,’’ he said. ‘‘We have identified a number of people. It is coming down to the decision-making process now.

‘‘You get to the negotiation stage and the reality of the salary cap comes into play.’’

A veteran of 106 A-League games, Watson joined fellow new arrivals Labinot Haliti and Mateo Poljak for their first training session at Ray Watt Oval on Friday.

‘‘The new players add depth and quality to the squad,’’ Miller said.

‘‘Their experience is what I am looking for; understanding and ability to manage the game when we need to do so.

‘‘Cameron will be an important part.

‘‘He is a disciplined player, he is combative but he also has that creative mindset.’’

After five years in Adelaide, Watson is looking forward to a fresh environment and new challenge.

‘‘I had finished at Adelaide and was back in Melbourne when I got a call from the gaffer here,’’ Watson said.

‘‘It was a pretty quick conversation. He was very positive on the phone and spoke about having a fresh start here.’’

A mainstay for most of his time in Adelaide, Watson made just 11 appearances and two as a starter last season.

‘‘I broke my toe, which kept me out for nearly four months,’’ he said. ‘‘Then I had a couple of strains in the calf coming back from that on the same leg.

‘‘I got past that, but Adelaide were playing so well and it was hard to break back in.’’

Released by the Reds at the end of the season, Watson thought his A-League days might be over.

‘‘There were times when I was unsure,’’ he said. ‘‘In the back of my mind I was quietly confident that something was going to happen. You need to have that in you.’’

Watson, who played in Portugal and Holland as a teenager, will compete with Poljak and Ben Kantarovski for a place in central midfield, but is also adept at right back.

‘‘If need be, I can slot back there,’’ he said. ‘‘All my life, whether it be overseas at youth level, it has always been in the centre of the park.’’

Triallists Max Burgess, Kofi Danning, Aryn Williams and Pat Alelmi were told on Friday that they will not be offered contracts.

‘‘They will train with us in some capacity, but at this point they won’t be joining the club,’’ Miller said.

South African-born target man Ryan De Vries, who represented New Zealand in a friendly against South Korea this year, will accompany the Jets on their pre-season training camp in northern NSW, which runs from Monday until next Saturday.

The Jets will stay overnight in Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour en route to Armidale, where they spend four days.

As well as engaging with fans, the Jets will use the trip for team building.

‘‘Next week will be of huge importance. It will be enjoyable as well, travelling and spending time together.’’

Striker and attacking mid will hopefully be of a decent quality and provide some x-factor and SPEED that is missing at present in that proposed line-up. Still a question mark over alivodic due to visa problems/cold feet. I doubt both he and carney would start on opposite wings basically due to lack of speed and desire to get back in transition.
I think miller is near enough on the money with regards to signing disciplined players, especially in the midfield. We ofcourse have to bare in mind the lack of cap space he has to work with.
All we can hope for now is that there is enough for a decent quality 9 and 10.

Edited by tommyjet: 26/7/2015 11:53:29 AM

We have been extremely quite this pre-season...pretty worrying.

We have been extremely quite this pre-season...pretty worrying.

Really? I feel like we've been really vocal tbh.

Heaps of members forums, lots of pressers from the FFA (aka owners), Miller and the new coaching staff.

#Jetstour preseason tour in the valley.

Really? I feel like we've been really vocal tbh.

Heaps of members forums, lots of pressers from the FFA (aka owners), Miller and the new coaching staff.

#Jetstour preseason tour in the valley.

I suppose you are right; the member forums are actually very positive, just havent heard a lot in maybe the last couple of weeks. Perhaps Im just not looking in the right places. Would like to see more signings but not exactly holding my breath for anything huge.

I'll be satisfied if we win in Gosford, and finish above CCM.

Genuinely don't care about the rest. And tbh, if we achieve the above two, it'll be far above anything we've achieved in the last 7 years.

I don't think the Jets or the FFA in this regard have the money to spend on quality players especially in the No.9 and 10 roles.

Word last night was we've signed a visa #10 and it will be announced within a week, as it's pending medicals and clearance etc.

I've heard a pretty solid rumour of his pedigree, and if true then I am very excited.

Bump!

With Hoole and Duncan most likely joining us that effectively leaves two visa spots, a mature age rookie and a guest player to fill out our squad

Our squad currently:
GK: Kennedy, most likely Duncan

Defence: Boogaard, Mullen, Cowburn, Hoffman, Alessi, Kanta, Jackson

Midfield: Poljak, Cooper, Ugarkovic, Clut, Brown, most likely Hoole, Kanta

Attack: Nordstand, Haliti, Brennan, Pavicevic

Honestly if Boogaard stays on the pitch we have a solid enough defence. We need an out-and-out no.9 and a visa player with some versatility somewhere on the park