LITTLE OVER four weeks out from their inaugural Asian Champions League campaign, the Newcastle Jets have finally added some new, relatively experienced faces to their otherwise largely pubescent squad.
That's not to say the young guns are bad eggs - they're not - but what our latest arrivals do guarantee is a certain level of know-how, even if they don't immediately fill our hearts with joy.
Love him or loath him, statistically speaking it is undeniable that Sasho Petrovski has a consistent goal-scoring record at A-League level. Early in my au.fourfourtwo.com blogging career, I called for Newcastle to seek to sign players of proven A-League ability. Petrovski fits that bill.
At the moment, I find the "F3-derby" about as intense as a day spent knitting, so unlike others I couldn't really care less what clubs our new players come from. Yes, there are other players (A-League ones) who I'd sooner see us sign, but ask yourself: if Petrovski can replicate the goal-every-three-games record he has maintained over four seasons of the A-League in his stint at the Jets, will you still fume at his capture? If your answer is yes, then I reckon you're kidding yourself.
Unsurprisingly, and potentially disappointingly, Newcastle has again ventured largely into the unknown by snapping up 29-year-old former De Graafschap striker Donny de Groot. Although de Groot's goal-scoring record (namely in the Dutch second division) is reputable, all the press and the video he was probably partly signed off indicates he plays a similar style of game as Petrovski. This may be okay, but having let speedy front-man Joel Griffiths go to Beijing Guoan, a front-third flyer with a killer cross and instinct for goal is now of incredible importance as the pair of poachers seem too like-for-like. Nathan Burns...anyone?
At the back our stocks have been replenished. Whilst opinion is mixed about whether Ljubo Milicevic will be a good addition to the Jets' squad, let us not forget that only a few seasons ago he was a regular Socceroo and was playing in the UEFA Champions League. Having read and witnessed numerous interviews with Milicevic recently, you get the feeling his head's in the right place and he's ready to reignite his football career in a big way. He may prove to be the best signing of the lot.
Nikolai Topor-Stanley has also been confirmed for the ACL campaign and with his height and aerial prowess should complement Milicevic in the centre of defence. If, as expected, Angelo Constanzo signs on, this will give van Egmond an eclectic mix of youth, experience and leadership, with the common trait amongst the three players that they all have something to prove. This augurs well for competition for places on the training track and credible match day performances.
So, whilst Jets fans are left to continue to take Con Constantine's talk that there is "something big in the wind" with a grain of salt, at least it looks as if we've added at least four players of a decent ability to our squad. With the addition of the underrated Branko Culina as technical director to our coaching staff, the rapid flow of on and off field staff from the clubs faucet has been slightly plugged this week.
