There are times when no amount of sugar coating will help. Australia’s Davis Cup captain Pat Rafter recently unloaded on an underperforming Bernard Tomic, labelling him a disgrace and stating he was tired of sugar coating the truth from the big lazy kid with potential and issues as long as your tennis raquet.

There is no sugar in this article. The Sky Blues’ abject performance at Hunter Stadium was nothing short of a disgrace. Sure the fight was there, but our inability to string more than three passes together and impose ourselves on the contest is what really cost us the match.

Both sides went into the game fired up, determined to get their seasons back on track. And within a few minutes from the opening whistle it became apparent that only one side was capable of doing anything football-like with the ball, and it wasn’t ours. The Jets cleverly exploited Fabio and Grant’s defensive frailties, the once again impressive Goodwin and Queresma-like Virgili cutting them to shreds out wide, Sydney FC reduced to panicked clearances.

It was good coaching by Frank Farina to drag an ill and ineffective Brett Emerton off the park after a half hour and give a debut to young Peter Triantis, who showed enough capability to be considered again. Still, his selection was a surprise – I thought Hagi Gligor has done enough to be ahead of him in the pecking order, and we could have done with Gligor’s passing range.  

Once again it was open season on Alessandro Del Piero, unsurprisingly Ruben Zadkovich welcoming him to Newcastle with a tackle worthy of a yellow card. Which is why it was so much more galling to see a caution produced to Adam Griffiths for a similar challenge on Emile Heskey. To date there has been no protection given to Del Piero by the referees, and the last three games have indicated to potential thugs that they can get away with fouling Del Piero with impunity. It is long overdue for Farina or Pignata to make this point in the media, placing the spotlight on the thugs and shaming the referees into doing their job.

None of which indicates that Strebre Delovski cost us the match. Or indeed that Newcastle played dirty football, which they did not, other than Zadkovich’s agricultural “softener” on the Sydney #10. The Jets outplayed Sydney in every department, and the Sky Blues had no answers.

Dragged back into the match after a lovely through ball to Yau by Del Piero, Sydney FC still could not manage even a half-decent passing game. And as the inexperienced Jets went back into their shell, Sydney failed to take advantage and instead launched long ball after long ball, Route One the order of the day. It was frustrating and tragicomical to see the Italian master attempt heading duels with his far larger markers, the Sky Blues evidently forgetting that Del Piero was not brought to the club to win aerial duels. If we are to lose the great man next season, this match may well have been the tipping point.

Jason Culina and Pascal Bosschaart were sorely missed against Newcastle, but I found myself wishing for Nicky Carle, a player who had the technique to unlock defences and the toughness and determination to fight for the Sky Blue cause. We also miss Bruno Cazarine, the big Brazilian with the soft touch and aerial presence who gave us the outlet we currently lack. Here’s hoping Joel Griffiths can fill Cazarine’s shoes which are bigger than some may think, the cleanout at the end of last season throwing the proverbial baby out with the bath water.

Few complained when Liam Reddy was shown the door last season, but it seems we now have two backup keepers and no #1, neither Ivan nor Vedran impressing sufficiently to put fear into opposition attacks. Janjetovic’s flap at Goodwin’s delivery was cringe-making and a clear indicator that the club needs to dip into the transfer market for a keeper of quality.

We are also missing the guile of Karol Kisel, the 2010 title winner who had the knack of being in the right place at the right time with goals and assists. But more than anyone else we miss Nicky Carle and I can only hope that his loan to those other Sky Blues of the UAE proves to be just that. Anything else would be bad management by the club and the board.

Having said that, I welcome the re-signing of Rhyan Grant, Seb Ryall and Terry Antonis. In a performing Sydney side Grant should provide useful squad options, Ryall is best suited to rightback where he has the ability to go a long way in the game, and Terry Antonis adds quality to midfield and gives us a potential transfer fee in a year or so.

The squad is getting no time off over Christmas. The team will be doing daily training sessions and I can only welcome Farina’s hard stance as he attempts to drag an underperforming side towards success by its bootlaces, whatever it takes. It’s a tough task and he must be given time and managerial backing to achieve it. We are a club that expects victories and titles and the fans have every right to be unhappy and clamour for change. Everyone at the Sydney FC organisation, from chairman to water boy, needs to take responsibility for the disaster that this season has been to date and work hard to turn it around.

Things get no better with the visit of the table-topping Mariners on Thursday night and while I am certain there will be no repeat of the 7-2 Gosford demolition, I lack the confidence to suggest that the Sky Blues have the ability to outplay the visitors. Winning is a complicated business and comprises many elements – physical, mental, tactical and technical. There is presently a chasm between the two sides. Let’s hope Sydney FC can step up.