PERTH Glory fans proclaim with painful regularity each and every goal kick how ‘shit’ the opposing goal keeper is.

Finishing their chant, members of the ‘Shed’ embarrassingly perform a stupid laugh-cum-screech which begs the FFA to fine Glory for bringing the game into disrepute.

But yesterday, the terribly monotonous Glory fans actually had some reason to sing their pitiful song. Ante Covic was far from impressive and seemingly started to believe the Glory fans’ recital. At fault for Perth’s first goal with a dubious clearance, his all round performance was not what we’ve come to expect from the former Hammarby custodian.

With next season’s departure of Jade North to North Queensland Fury and the expected exit of Adam Griffiths to Gold Coast, Covic is one of the senior players Jets fans have been demanding we re-sign. Probably the A-League’s best ‘keeper when on song, yesterday wasn’t the first time this season Covic has been out of tune. Round three against Melbourne comes to mind with Covic involved in a number of gaffes.

Whatever is preventing Covic from reaching the lofty standards he set for himself last season needs to be sorted out. Whether that means getting his signature inked on a Newcastle Jets contract or with a club elsewhere (J-League club Kyoto Sanga have been mentioned), Newcastle need him fully focussed for the rest of the season. Behind an uncertain defence, too many goals are being given away too cheaply.

And for someone keen to keep himself in Socceroos contention, Covic ought to get it together quickly. I’m pretty sure more efforts like that won’t impress Pim Verbeek or rich J-League clubs.

Coach Gary van Egmond said after the match it’s a matter of Covic “dotting the Is and crossing the Ts” to get his game back on track. I reckon this was more than metaphorical. Covic needs to get his future sorted so he can get on with his present.

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Mike Cockerill put a bee in my bonnet yesterday. He was only doing what he was paid to do (respect, I want to do it one day myself, Mike), but he stated the likes of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Robbie Fowler and Patrick Kluivert were being looked at by the club as possible guest recruits. “All the big names,” he said.

Again it seems likely Jets management will tout these possible recruits in the media rather than keeping their cards close to their chest. In a time when the Jets need to focus on what they can do to rectify their stuttering season, again they are looking to experiment with uncertainties.

I’m sick of it. Hasselbaink is currently retired so probably wouldn’t come match fit, Fowler is on a three month “pay-as-you-play” deal with Blackburn Rovers after giving Cardiff City the run around in the English summer, and Patrick Kluivert is currently without a club after playing in Ligue 1 with Lille last season, so won’t be match sharp either. All might be useful, but probably wouldn’t fit in instantaneously. To them it would probably be a pay day holiday and could make us look stupid again.

When, if ever, will Jets management learn? I’m thankful for Con for funding our club, but enough is enough.

• For more on my views about imports, see my last blog Importing Problems.