Newcastle United Jets FC season 2008-09

The 2008-09 Season will be the fourth season of the A-League and the first for the Newcastle Jets as defending champions. The Jets will also be competing in the AFC Asian Champions League for the first time at season's end.

quad

Changes

After the success of the 2007-08 season a number of Jets players left the club including Mark Bridge and Stuart Musialik to Sydney FC and Joe Marston Medal winner Andrew Durante and Troy Hearfield to Wellington Phoenix. Although rumours persisted about captain Jade North and Adam Griffiths wishing to leave the club after being a part of the Socceroos squad that faced Singapore and China, both of which have chosen to remain with the Jets for the start of the 2008-09 season.cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/73239,now-adams-off-as-jets-rebuild.aspx |title=Now Adam's off as Jets rebuild |first=Aidan |last=Ornomd |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=2008-04-04 |accessdate=2008-04-12 ] cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/72808,jade-its-time-to-quit-jets.aspx |title=Jade: "It's time to quit Jets" |first=John |last=Ritson |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=2008-03-28 |accessdate=2008-04-12 ] cite news |url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/afl/north-staying-put-jets-captain-to-see-out-contract/798728.aspx|title=North staying put Jets captain to see out contract |first=James|last=Gardiner |publisher=The Newcastle Herald|date=2008-06-27 |accessdate=2008-06-27 ]

Most players who left the Jets suggested wage demands as the major issue with Jets owner Con Constantine refusing to allow players to utilise service agreements which would allow more flexibility under the salary cap.cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/71113,jets-will-stay-for-mates-rates.aspx |title=Jets will stay for mates rates |first=John |last=Ritson |publisher=AU ForFourTwo |date=2008-02-29 |accessdate=2008-04-12 ] cite news |url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/jets-take-off-inevitable-106655/ |title=Jets take off Inevitable |first=Staff |last=SBS |publisher=SBS |date=2008-02-18 |accessdate=2008-04-12 ]

Forward Jason Naidovski was the first new player to sign on for the Jets for season 2008-09, arriving from the Australian Institute of Sport followed by right sided midfielder Shaun Ontong from Adelaide United,cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/73732,dutchy-wants-scruffy-goals.aspx |title=Dutchy Wants Scruffy Goals |first=John |last=Ritson |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=2008-04-11 |accessdate=2008-04-12 ] cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/74667,jets-snap-up-exred-ontong.aspx |title=Jets snap up Ex-Red Ontong |first=Aidan |last=Ormond |publisher=AU ForFourTwo |date=2008-04-24 |accessdate=2008-04-24] and exciting under 20's Australian representative Kaz Patafta from Benfica.cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/77382,patafta-signs-for-newcastle-jets.aspx |title=Patafta Signs for Newcastle Jets |first=John |last=Ritson |publisher=AU ForFourTwo |date=2008-06-02 |accessdate=2008-06-02 ] Defender Antun Kovacic soon followed. Former Danish Under 21s representative, Jesper Håkansson signed a 2-year contract with the Jets on 30 July 2008 after a week's trial. [cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/81491,jets-sign-jesper.aspx |title=Jets Sign Jesper | |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=2008-07-30 |accessdate=2008-07-30 ] and Ecuardorian Edmundo Zura signed on as the new Marquee player soon after.

Transfers

In
*flagicon|Australia Daniel Piorkowski from "Walsall FC"
*flagicon|Australia Jason Naidovski from "AIS"
*flagicon|Australia Shaun Ontong from "Adelaide United"
*flagicon|Australia Kaz Patafta from "SL Benfica"
*flagicon|Australia Antun Kovacic from "Richmond SC" [cite news |url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/newcastle-preparing-to-unleash-joel-jade/805825.aspx |title=Newcastle preparing to unleash Joel, Jade |first=Josh |last=Leeson |publisher=The Newcastle Herald |date=2008-07-07 |accessdate=2008-07-08 ]
*flagicon|Denmark Jesper Håkansson from "Lyngby BK" [cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/81491,jets-sign-jesper.aspx |title=Jets Sign Jesper | |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=2008-07-30 |accessdate=2008-07-30 ]
*flagicon|Ecuador Edmundo Zura from "Imbabura SC (loan)" [cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/81572,zura-is-newcastle-jets-marquee.aspx |title=Zura Is Newcastle Jets Marquee |publisher=FourFourTwo |first=Adrian |last=Ormond |date=2008-07-31 |accessdate=2008-07-31 ]

Out
*flagicon|Australia Stephen Laybutt, "Contract Not Renewed"
*flagicon|Brazil Denni, "Contract Not Renewed"
*flagicon|Australia Andrew Durante, to "Wellington Phoenix"
*flagicon|Australia Mark Bridge, to "Sydney FC"
*flagicon|Australia Paul Kohler, "Released"
*flagicon|Australia Stuart Musialik, to "Sydney FC"
*flagicon|Australia Troy Hearfield, to "Wellington Pheonix"
*flagicon|Australia Scott Tunbridge, "Released"

Triallists
The following players trialled with the Jets but were unsuccsessful in gaining a contract. [cite news |url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/dutchy-considers-unleashing-italian-striker-in-trial/792519.aspx |title=Dutchy considers unleashing Italian Striker on trial |first=James |last=Gardiner |publisher=The Newcastle Herald |date=2008-06-18 |accessdate=2008-06-19 ] [cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/79294,italian-duo-jet-out-of-newcastle.aspx|title=Italian Duo Jet Out Of Newcastle |publisher= [AU FourFourTwo] |date=2008-06-27 |accessdate=2008-06-28 ] [cite news |url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/jets-strike-out-again-in-recruitment/809718.aspx |title=Jets Strike Out Again in Recruitment |publisher=The Newcastle Herald |date=2008-07-11 |accessdate=2008-07-12 ] [cite news |url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/young-iraqi-pair-fail-to-excite-jets-during-training-run/812956.aspx |title=Young Iraqi pair fail to excite Jets during training run |publisher=The Newcastle Herald |date=2008-07-16 |accessdate=2008-07-17 ]
*flagicon|Australia Jarrad Ross
*flagicon|Australia Mark Byrnes
*flagicon|Australia Yanni Galanos
*flagicon|Italy Valerio Mastrelli
*flagicon|Italy Simone Bracalello
*flagicon|Cameroon Severin Brice Bikoko (could not obtain Visa)
*flagicon|England Joe Keenan (signed for Hibernian instead)
*flagicon|Iraq Ali Abbas
*flagicon|Iraq Ali Khader
*flagicon|Germany Andre Gumprecht (returned to the Mariners)

Players

Pre Season Cup

Group A Points Table

References