FIRED-UP coach Scott Miller insists commitment and passion are more important than club bank balances and labelled those who have written off the Jets as ignorant.
The Jets enter their A-League season opener at Wellington on Sunday as $2.35 favourites to claim back-to-back wooden spoons.
Miller joined captain Nigel Boogaard and Brazilian import Leonardo in Sydney on Tuesday for the league’s season launch.
Many commentators and tipsters share the opinion of the bookmakers and have predicted the Jets will finish among the also-rans for a sixth consecutive season.
Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat went further, suggesting the league was in danger of splitting into two distinct halves, the haves and the have-nots.
The Jets, who are in the hands of Football Federation Australia for now, are firmly in the latter.
‘‘The competition can only be as strong as the floor and, at the moment, the gap between the floor and the ceiling is too big,’’ said Muscat whose Victory side are $3.75 favourites to win consecutive championships.
Miller, in his first season as a head coach, said the barbs were ‘‘pretty standard’’ but unwarranted.
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‘‘I have had people speaking to me saying that we have been written off already,’’ he said.
‘‘I find that quite ignorant that you could do that before a game has been played.
‘‘Games aren’t played on a bank balance; they are played through commitment and passion. I think we have a group of players who can demonstrate that.’’
Recommended by Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, Miller had spent nine years at English club Fulham in a variety of roles. The 34-year-old has a squad with 11 new faces, including a number of fringe players signed by previous coach Phil Stubbins.
Key among the arrivals are proven performers Nigel Boogaard, Mateo Poljak, Labinot Haliti and Cameron Watson as well as imported midfielder Leonardo and striker Milos Trifunovic, who is waiting for a visa to be approved before he can travel to New Zealand.
Miller, who inherits a team that won just three games last season, is desperate for a strong start, despite the Jets’ poor record in Wellington.
Winning is obviously the goal, but at the very least he wants the squad to be organised and hard to break down. ‘‘That is what I will be demanding from the players, structure and organisation,’’ he said. ‘‘When you are sitting in the living room watching the game you can see patterns and understanding, teammates showing commitment to each other.
‘‘If I see it, [assistant] Jean-Paul De Marigny sees it and the community sees it, we will all be happy. We are certainly going there prepared.’’
It has been 16 weeks since Miller’s appointment. He started the rebuild from the back and has placed a strong emphasis on discipline and professionalism.
After losing to Perth on penalties in the FFA Cup, the Jets drew with Melbourne City (1-1) and Brisbane Roar (0-0) before completing the pre-season with a 1-0 win over the Mariners.
Coaches are rarely content, but Miller has been encouraged by the signs.
‘‘I have to commend the players on their application and commitment,’’ he said.
‘‘If we perform the way we are capable of, the players will get respect from the community. That is what I’m looking forward to.’’
Miller has sensed a positive vibe towards him and the team as the season has drawn closer.
‘‘People are very supportive when they come and speak to me,’’ he said. ‘‘People are starting to notice us and take notice of what we are doing. It is all very positive in that sense.
‘‘But I’m under no illusions. I have seen managers in the UK under a lot of pressure, how it affects them and how things can change very quickly.’’
source:theherald.com
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 