JETS striker Francis Jeffers is accustomed to life in the shop window.
It is part and parcel of being a professional footballer and a situation Jeffers has dealt with since making his debut at age 16 for Everton in the English Premier League.
The England international, who is in his second stint in Newcastle, is one of nine players coming off contract.
He believes his best chance of a new deal is if the Jets are winning games, starting with the battle against A-League champions Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
‘‘You are never, ever guaranteed to be at a club, whether you have five years left or five months,’’ Jeffers said.
‘‘I am no different to any of the lads in the team.
‘‘All I can do is play to the best of my ability, keep trying and take it from there.
‘‘Obviously I’d love to stay. That is the reason I came back. I enjoy my football here.
‘‘First and foremost I need to stay fit and stay in the team. But it is not just about me; it is about the lads getting results. ‘‘We have some good players at this football club who are a bit low on confidence. I think once we win that game, you will see a different side to the team and us as individuals.’’
Jeffers made a successful return from a heel injury, playing 30 minutes as a substitute in the Jets’ 1-1 draw with Adelaide in Bathurst on Wednesday night. It was his first appearance since scoring an equaliser against Perth on New Year’s Eve.
Introduced with the Jets down 1-0, he combined with fellow English veteran Michael Bridges to spark a revival.
‘‘Bridgey is a clever footballer,’’ Jeffers said.
‘‘My game is based on people finding me. If you can get players like Bridgey and Jobe on the ball, the two players out wide, Ryan [Griffiths] and [Jeremy] Brockie, and make your runs off them, you will look a better player.
‘‘I’m not the type who is going to beat six or seven men and stick one in the top corner. My game is all about movement off the ball, being on the move in the box and getting chances.’’
Jeffers, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Wednesday, is expected to be recalled to the starting XI tonight as coach Gary van Egmond adds fresh legs for the club’s third game in eight days.
‘‘A couple of players have pulled up a little sore, so we will have to rotate the squad to a degree,’’ van Egmond said.
‘‘Frannie is a chance of coming back in, as is Jobe.
‘‘Jacob Pepper will come in and Byun [Sung-hwan] as well. There might be one or two others.’’
Despite the rotation, it appears unlikely that Jeffers and Bridges will be put together from the outset.
‘‘Brisbane are a highly mobile team and we have to ensure we compete with that mobility, especially early doors,’’ van Egmond said.
‘‘When the game starts to tire, that is when Francis and Bridgey are at their best.’’
The heavy schedule will affect the Jets’ approach against Roar who, after five straight losses in December, have returned to their free-flowing best.
The Jets played with three at the back and went all out at the Roar, pressing at every opportunity, at Ausgrid Stadium in round seven. They led 1-0 but went down 2-1.
‘‘It is a little different this time,’’ van Egmond said.
‘‘We have played midweek, a three-day turnaround, against a side that is fresh.
‘‘We have to be a little bit smarter with regards to the type of pressure we put on.’’
The Jets’ bid to lure Nathan Burns back to Australia failed after the fringe Socceroo agreed to terms with Korean club Incheon United.
In a further blow, Turkey-based transfer target James Troisi has ruled out a stint in the A-League.
Troisi, 23, is involved in a pay dispute with Super Lig team Kayserispor but said his priority was to stay in Europe.
‘‘I do have a few problems in Turkey but I have definitely not been in discussions with the Jets or anybody and have no idea where the information about me supposedly heading back is coming from,’’ he told SBS.
The A-League transfer window closes on February 15.
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