DO YOU think Ljubo Milicevic's training ground tantrums are becoming all too predictable?

You may have missed his latest. It didn't receive too much attention in the national football pages, yet it still managed to make back page news in the Hunter's Newcastle Herald. I witnessed it first hand and, boy, was it colourful. Parents in Newcastle and its surrounding suburbs still have their children wearing earmuffs.

Now, I'll be the first to put my hand up to say I glorified Milicevic's capture. Largely I stand by it. He's performed well in his three matches so far, and if game time efforts are all that matter then great job, Ljubo.

I can also see where Milicevic was coming from in his rant. He was right in his technical analysis of Sean Rooney's mistake (failing to track back having lost possession in midfield). It's the way he went about telling him that's got me worried.

Mere minutes before the Milicevic-Rooney melee, Gary van Egmond called a drinks break in the intra-club trial which the club were using as a crucial component of their lead up to tomorrow nights must win ACL clash against Beijing Guoan.

Eavesdropping on the players as they guzzled back some fluid, Milicevic, in a constructive manner offered some fatherly advice to Kaz Patafta. "Don't take as many touches on the ball in midfield Kaz. You already know where you're going to pass it so why take more touches?" Milicevic said.

So why such a short time later did Milicevic not use a similarly helpful tone with Rooney? Do Milicevic and Rooney just not get along? I don't know.

What I do know is that I read with frustration the view of one poorly informed Hunter citizen who a couple of days later wrote a letter to the editor praising Milicevic's "mongrel", and saying young players like Rooney need to be put in their place.

Absolute bollocks. Had this woman actually witnessed the event, she would have known Rooney took Milicevic's barrage for some time before he ran at him. As far as Milicevic having been quoted as saying: "then that young boy has the nerve to talk, not even talk but swear back...at one of the senior members of the team", what exactly makes Milicevic immune from getting sworn at? You get what you give.

Ljubo, if you happen to read this know that I am actually a really big fan of yours. I am stoked to have you at our club and am hoping you do in fact stay on. It's because we all know how good you are and what an influence you could be on our team that it's disappointing to see and read such instances. We understand you're more experienced than most people at the club. Please channel this know how in the correct manner. Although another shot overseas for you is probable, know that you'll gain as much respect from the Newcastle football fraternity for your professionalism off the pitch, as you will for your performances on it.

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Newcastle Jets v Beijing Guoan (Wednesday May 6 2009 / Newcastle Stadium)

Possible Lineups:

Newcastle Jets: B. Kennedy, M. Thompson, L. Milicevic, N. Topor-Stanley, A. D'Apuzzo, T. Elrich, A. Griffiths, K. Patafta, B. Mooy, S. Petrovski, D. de Groot.

Beijing Guoan: Travelling squad list unavailable at time of writing. It is however know that Beijing have brought a largely second string squad to Australia.

Kick off: 8pm AEDT. LIVE on Fox Sports 1 & 1233 ABC Newcastle

Prediction: Jets