NEWCASTLE Jets players and coaching staff will dip into their own savings to ensure teammates meet financial obligations as management attempts to negotiate a rescue package for the ailing A-League club.
Owner Con Constantine has approached Football Federation Australia for financial assistance after he was unable to pay wages last week. The Newcastle Herald understands a number of creditors are also owed significant amounts.
The next round of wages are due on Friday but are unlikely to be met unless the governing body agrees to loan Constantine the funds or give him an advance of the $325,000 quarterly grant clubs receive.
Head of A-League operations Lyall Gorman issued a statement last night which said: ‘‘FFA is still in the process of understanding the full extent of Newcastle Jets’ financial situation. Until that is determined we will not be making further comment.’’
In the past the governing body has moved quickly to help clubs facing financial difficulty but it recently instituted $5million in cost cutting across the board.
In the meantime, the Jets players and staff have financial requirements – mortgages, car loans and rent – which have to be met.
‘‘We have already experienced a couple of players who are finding it financially tough because they rely on that income,’’ Jets coach Branko Culina said. ‘‘We might have to do a bit of a whip around ourselves to help out some of the guys who are not as fortunate as the rest of us.
‘‘Everyone has different financial responsibilities, and it is fair to say that those responsibilities are planned according to what you expect, and hope to get, on a weekly basis from your employment.
‘‘When that stops it throws everything out a bit.’’
Jets chief executive John Tsatsimas addressed the players for 15 minutes before training yesterday. Culina then spoke to the squad separately.
Though concerned, the players presented a united front at training and were satisfied that club management was doing everything possible to alleviate the problem.
Captain Michael Bridges, who recently bought a house in Bar Beach, said it was up to Constantine and the FFA to find a resolution.
‘‘What is going on behind the scenes, we will let the staff get on with that,’’ he said.
‘‘We have a game against the Roar on Sunday and the best way to answer everybody is to get a result.
‘‘What John passed on to us, it wasn’t anything different to what we knew. We haven’t been paid this week.
‘‘But we just have to get on with it. We want to put it to rest until Monday. Get the game out of the way and then see what happens next week.
‘‘It has given us an easy excuse, but we don’t want that.
‘‘If we start making excuses and get down and depressed, you may as well give the Roar three points already.’’
Culina said it was imperative the issue did not drag on.
‘‘We can prepare ourselves for this game but if a resolution is not found after the Brisbane game it is very hard to keep people happy and team spirit high when you know that some are unable to survive financially from week to week,’’ he said.
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