To be fair to the FFA, this isn't completely about them. Since the O'Farrell government rejected Tinkler's coal loader proposal a couple of months ago, his incentive to suck up to the Newcastle community has been eliminated. He never really wanted to get involved in the Jets so I'm not really surprised that he's taken the out when it's been presented to him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him try and extricate himself from the Knights at some point in the next few years either. Although that would occasion far more of a public backlash.
I don't understand how exactly the FFA think they're going to force HSG to keep a team going. They've just watched Clive Palmer in seeing how to piss the FFA off until they lose their license. If they were forced; I don't see why HSG wouldn't just start putting random slogans on their shirts and "bringing the game into disrepute" etc etc. Or simply not put any cash into the game. This is awful news for the A-League. The corporate primary ownership model was bound to have an event like this occurring.
Just thinking there probably aren't many clubs being run better than the Jets. Bit of a disaster and I'm very curious how Buckley/Lowy will respond (other than saying: "No you take the license").
Given the population of Newcastle, there would be a strong case for the Jets been the best run and most supported club in the league.
Props to Troy Palmer. I just watched their press-conference about this issue. He/They have conducted themselves well and they're not appearing nuts like Clive Palmer did. The other owners won't shy away from siding with Troy Palmer here and change will be happening sooner rather than later (or complete collapse). They need to have a 10th team. Chances are GCU will be propped back up. Without 10 teams they'll be screwed in TV deals. And the whole A-League will go down the sink.
I blame the Glory. They were playing well when the NSL collapsed. They starting playing well again and now the A-League is collapsing. Where there is smoke there is fire
He was never going to get the Coal Loader though. The position is completely inappropriate. It should be a container terminal, but infrastructure doesn't happen outside the Sydney Basin. He only wanted the coal terminal because he doesn't have a coal quota in the new T4 coal terminal about to be constructed. If his new mine happens, he has no way to get it on the boats. He has been backing out of a few things of late though. A lot of us up here though always thought the Jets were a stepping stone to get the knights. Now he has them we were surplus to his needs. the email all the members got this morning made it clear several times that this situation would in no way affect the Knights. he is a fan of the knights and has backed them for years, unless he is in dire cash-flow shortages, I can't see the knights being affected. While I think Tinkler/Palmer have some very valid points, they have gone about it all wrong and alienated and spat on a lot of fans.
I feel for you bro. Good news is though with the Canberra consortium again expressing interest, hopefully the FFA will show a tad of sensibility and used the western Sydney money to prop up the jets and they'll have their 10 teams. Its a no brainer really, but the FFA seem a bit short on brains lately.
Fox want the WS team, so it will happen. For newcastle the question is how much the FFA want us. If Tinkler is forced into continuing the Jets as the FFA want, it will be a gold coast scenario with a youth team put on the park. That will just prolong the death.
Culina of course saw it coming. http://www.foxsports.com.au/footbal...r-current-owners/story-e6frf4gl-1226323083997
And now Tinkler foresees the future for the A-League: http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1101213/Tinkler-says-A-League-doomed-to-fail
For those who support newcastle and are in the area or can get here, there are two events planned in the next week to show support for the club. First up, On Saturday get to the NNSW State League Game South Cardiff V Jets Youth to show support. Game is at Ulinga Oval, South Cardiff at 2:30pm. For those who weren't aware, the Jets youth team now plays in the State League. On Friday the 20th, a Rally has been organised at the gates to the Hunter Stadium. More details on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/207316406047881/ There is a massive groundswell of community support happening up here at the moment. It certainly wasn't here when previous incarnations of the club have almost gone under.
Here is some of the local coverage of the story. I'll just post links with the headlines because there is so many. April 10 Tarek Elrich left in Limbo - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/football-soccer/tarek-elrich-left-in-limbo/2515229.aspx A-League in Crisis - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...nalysis-the-aleague-is-in-crisis/2516687.aspx NNSW Football shocked by hsg announcement to ground jets - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...-hsg-announcement-to-ground-jets/2516913.aspx 11 April Shock and Anger as Jets decision cuts deep - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...anger-as-jets-decision-cuts-deep/2517248.aspx The Trouble with Billionaires - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...is-the-trouble-with-billionaires/2517252.aspx Tinklers not short of a quid - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...cer/tinklers-not-short-of-a-quid/2517273.aspx Jets Fans feel their Hearts ripped out - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ans-feel-their-hearts-ripped-out/2517275.aspx Northern NSW Football shocked by Jets Announcement - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...all-shocked-by-jets-announcement/2517281.aspx Tinkler Knights buyout damaged Jets: Branko Culina - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...uyout-damaged-jets-branko-culina/2517282.aspx Northern NSW must fund W-League side says Barbieri - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...-fund-wleague-side-says-barbieri/2517284.aspx Players Union says Jets contracts secure - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...union-says-jets-contracts-secure/2517287.aspx Jets youth Team under pressure to quit State League - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...er-pressure-to-quit-state-league/2517288.aspx Its not bluff: Tinkler group says of decision - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...lers-group-says-of-jets-decision/2517244.aspx CLive Palmer laughs off FFA legal threats against Tinkler - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...fa-legal-threats-against-tinkler/2518452.aspx 12th April Footballers Association Boss Optimistic Jets will kick on - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...oss-optimistic-jets-will-kick-on/2518816.aspx Suits Argue as Juniors get on with the game - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...cer-juniors-get-on-with-the-game/2518821.aspx Jets players cling to hope of quick resolution - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ling-to-hope-of-quick-resolution/2518824.aspx Knights drawn into Tinklers A-League Battle - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...awn-into-tinklers-aleague-battle/2518841.aspx Fans Rally in support of Jets - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...er/fans-rally-in-support-of-jets/2518846.aspx
Oh really, get outta here. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1101377/Jets-future-remains-up-in-the-air
Bridges on ABC Radio this morning http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2012/04...tml?site=newcastle&program=newcastle_mornings From todays Newcastle Herald (13th April) Email details rift between FFA and Jets - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...etails-rift-between-ffa-and-jets/2520149.aspx Jets dispute bitter blow for Ali Abbas - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ispute-bitter-blow-for-ali-abbas/2520155.aspx Jets youth hang tough in state league - http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...youth-hang-tough-in-state-league/2520159.aspx
Door remains slightly ajar for Tinkler to rescind withdrawal threat, but FFA stays wary Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-leagu...-stays-wary-20120415-1x1nj.html#ixzz1sAKGg5zA
Hmm.. Did Tinkler make a booboo? Sounds like he thought he had more leverage and the FFA went out and found a new owner.
The motives of Poole becoming an owner worry me. Given the way the knights take over went, it just comes across as poole wanting to take the jets just to spite tinkler. not sure that really leaves us in a much better place to what we are now. There is no doubt tinkler got it wrong in the way he went about this. There is some valid points being made by Palmer and Tinkler, but both of them are incapable of sticking to rules/contracts and see them selves as above the game. When you add in that they are as inflexible as the FFA are in trying to sort things out, it was always going to be messy. It will be interesting to see where this all leads, but it is looking like we will have a team next year, just who owns us and who sticks around to play is the issue.