MARK Milligan will become the Newcastle Jets' marquee player for the rest of the A-League season and the Asian Champions League, but coach Gary van Egmond said it did not mean the hunt was over for an international striker.
The Olyroos captain and former Sydney utility joined the Jets on a seven-match guest stint in October and has one game to go before that arrangement expires.
Jets coach Gary van Egmond yesterday said keeping Milligan in Newcastle had become vital since skipper Jade North announced that Friday's home game against the Mariners would be his last for the club.
"I think its the case where we obviously had Mark on a guest appearance and we're obviously looking to try and keep him here this year and for next," van Egmond said yesterday.
"So he's coming into the marquee role for the remainder of this year and the Asian Champions League."
Milligan has made a measured start in his first six games for the Jets. Signed as a holding midfielder, he has spent the past two matches in the centre of defence.
"He's got versatility where you can play him in the middle of the park or in defence," van Egmond said. "I like his organisational skills in the back third as well with the way we play out."
Milligan has attracted interest from Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, but a deal is far from being reached.
By becoming the marquee player Milligan will replace Ecuadorean striker Edmundo Zura, who did not score in seven games for the Jets.
Jets officials have been searching the globe for a new international striker but have not sealed a deal.
The latest deal to fall through was for former Ghanaian international Moses Sakyi.
The Jets could not reach an agreement with the 27-year-old and talks broke down over a transfer fee from Portuguese club SC Olhanense.
Players used in the Asian Champions League are exempt for the $1.9 million salary cap, which will rise to $2.25 million next season.
Van Egmond said signing Milligan to marquee status did not mean the club will be unable to spend big on a striker.
"We're still looking to get a number of forward players because we've got a number of positions becoming available, so there's definitely some real scope in those areas, and it's one we're still looking to fill," van Egmond said. "It's a case of what we can do for the Champions League and if we're getting a player specifically just for that, or is it a case where we're getting them for now and for next year. And then we see how it works into the cap."
Meanwhile, van Egmond has escaped censure from the Football Federation Australia over a run-in with referee Craig Zetter in Friday's 4-2 win over Melbourne.
Zetter stopped play in the 57th minute to warn the Jets coach.
Van Egmond returned to the sideline only three games ago after serving a two-match suspension in the stands for a post-match confrontation with referee Matthew Breeze after the 2-2 draw with Perth in round 11.
The Jets are still an outside chance of making the play-offs and Melbourne Victory coach Ernie Merrick is not about to write them off.
Newcastle ended an eight-game winless streak in style on Friday night when they beat Melbourne 4-2 at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
The defending champions remained in last place on the ladder on 15 points, seven outside the top four with five games left to play.
Sydney stayed in sixth on 20 points after a humiliating 4-1 loss at home to Perth last night in which they scored two own goals and were booed off the field by their own fans.
Newcastle may need to win all their remaining games to sneak into the finals, but Merrick said the A-League was such a tight competition that all teams would be wary of Newcastle staging a late charge for the play-offs.
"They're certainly a finals-type team, the way they played against us," Merrick said.
"The finals are always to be a last-minute thing, because if you go on a run of three wins, you're back in the finals race again."
Newcastle's last five games are against Central Coast (home), Wellington (away), Adelaide (away), Perth (home) and Sydney (home).
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