Evergreen defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley says it's vital Jets players move on from the shock defection of coach Carl Robinson and focus on a strong pre-season as the A-League club moves closer to securing a new owner.
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Topor-Stanley was surprised "to put it mildly" when Robinson sought a release from the Jets last week to sign a three-year deal with rivals Western Sydney Wanderers.
"The initial reaction wasn't pleasant," the 318 game veteran said. "You don't expect to be planning for pre-season face to face one week and the next week it changes.
"I don't know if let down is the right word. After a while you tend to expect the unexpected in football. Nothing ever lasts forever. Did I think we would start pre-season under Carl and [assistant coach] Kenny Miller? Yes.
"After the shock of it all, the emotions calm down and you accept it for what it is. We have to move on and move on quickly. We have a pre-season to prepare for and we can't linger on what could have been."
The Jets have been inundated with expressions of interest in the vacant coaching position but an appointment won't be made until the club's ownership is finalised.
The purchase of the club from Martin Lee is understood to have advanced since last week and McKinna confirmed he was discussing potential coaches with the prospective new owners.
"I have started to share some information," McKinna said. "We are compiling a short list and will look to make an appointment in the next week or two."
As well as a new coach, the Jets have at least three places on their roster to fill. That is likely to increase with attacker Nick Fitzgerald understood to be keen to take up an offer from Indian Super League club Jamshedpur.
Robinson indicated that uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the Jets had been a factor in his decision to exercise a get-out clause 10 games into a three-and-a-half-year contract.
Topor-Stanley said the Welshman had sent a message to the players informing them of his decision.
"I can't comment exactly on why he left because I don't know the full circumstances," the defender said.
Topor-Stanley, who helped negotiate a new pay deal for the players with the club, was hopeful the ownership "gets sorted".
"In the A-League there is a very small difference between making the finals and not," he said. "When we came second [in 2018] and were flying, we had investment, we had the crowd behind us, good staff. When we haven't done so well, unfortunately there hasn't been stability. It is directly correlated.
"I have been through a few of these situations. It doesn't get easier but I have learnt to accept that these sort of things can happen, and if they do, I need to stay calm and focus on what I can focus on."
Robinson, appointed in February to replace Ernie Merrick, took the Jets from bottom of the ladder to within three points of the play-offs.
Topor-Stanley is confident the squad can carry the improvement under Robinson into the new campaign.
"We have to draw on the positives," he said. "Hopefully the new coaching staff comes in sooner rather than later and we end up having a structure that works with this group. I have said all along we have a good core group of players. A good blend of youth, experience and good characters. I'm not worrying about heads dropping too much."
The Jets assemble on Monday for the start of pre-season training. The A-League begins on December 27.
"Pre-season is a vital part of preparation," Topor-Stanley said. "In my experience, if you get pre-season right, you can build into the season and minimise injuries. That is what gets you far in the league. "Myself and a lot of players have been working in the back ground anyway. We haven't been taking it easy or been in neutral."
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James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
