The Newcastle Jets could arrest their consistently poor Hyundai A-League performances by expanding their junior player development program.
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With the Jets on the verge of scoring another own goal by claiming its second Hyundai A-League wooden spoon in three years, Football Mid North Coast general manager Bruce Potter has some advice for the maligned Newcastle-based Jets.
“The crux of the development issue is that the junior systems at the Jets are based in the Hunter Valley,” he said.
He says this leads to a sole focus on Newcastle for junior development rather than bringing the Jets back to the grassroots areas, including the Mid-North Coast.
“We have a good number of talented players (on the Mid-North Coast) who have been selected in the Emerging Jets programs,” he said.
“But some of them fall through the cracks because they just can’t afford to travel three times a week for training and then play of a Saturday.”
Potter says the Jets need to do more and should start by delivering more youth system programs outside of Newcastle.
That could start by simply hosting training camps which worked for Brisbane Roar coach Miron Bleiberg when he took the Roar to Coffs Harbour.
Some of the players identified at this level included Todd Gava (Lismore), Royce Brownlie (Coffs Harbour), Jai and Dane Ingham (Ballina) who then went on to play first team football for the Roar.
We have a good number of talented players (on the Mid-North Coast) who have been selected in the Emerging Jets programs.
- Football Mid North Coast general manager Bruce Potter
With the right direction it could happen here.
“We would certainly be interested in participating in any sort of hub-type activities with the Jets which would benefit all of our players,” Potter said.
“If they held talent identification camps up here it would benefit those who can’t afford to go to Newcastle and subsequently fall through the cracks.
“We are getting kids into junior Jets level, but are they progressing to the senior Jets? And if they’re not, why are they not?
“I’m comfortable in our program and that we will continue to develop kids on a consistent basis.”
Port Macquarie’s Angus Thurgate is the latest graduate from the Emerging Jets program and he has been selected in the Jets reserves team.
Potter would like to see the Newcastle club do more because after all, they do consider the Mid-North Coast as part of their area.
If they held talent identification camps up here it would benefit those who can’t afford to go to Newcastle and subsequently fall through the cracks.
- Bruce Potter
A similar scenario could unfold with players progressing to the Jets from the Mid-North Coast.
Troy Hearfield (Tamworth), Sam Gallaway (Coffs Harbour), Jade North (Taree) and James Brown (Fingal Head) are the only players to do so since the start of the A-League.
North won a championship with the Jets in 2008, but currently plays for the Roar.
