HIS coaching future may hinge on the result, but interim Jets boss Craig Deans is focused purely on taking advantage of a tired Melbourne City outfit at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
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Jets executive chairman Shane Mattiske told the Newcastle Herald he expects to finalise the appointment of a head coach early next week.
Deans has held the reins since the departure by Carl Robinson in October, but was seemingly out of the picture after the Jets opened the season with four straight losses.
Interviews with a a shortlist of four candidates were held last week.
However the recent spike in results - and the positive way the Jets are playing - have prompted a rethink.
Another win on Sunday would strengthen Deans' case for the job full-time.
Victory is certainly a priority, but Deans insists his motivation is not driven by personal agendas.
"It's not about me, it's about winning games," he said. "I want to win purely because I don't want to be where we are on the ladder. If something comes of it outside of that, than great.
"The first four games, we didn't get results but you can see there has been a plan and progression week to week. The last two weeks it has got better.
"I am doing what I'm doing because I want to win games and for us to go as far up the ladder as we can. You don't want to take your eye off the ball for the sake of one game. You have to stick to the process, do what you do and hopefully the players execute on the day."
The Jets, after four games in 13 days, including confidence-boosting results against Wellington (2-1) and Western Sydney (1-1), have had nine days to prepare for City.
In contrast, City are facing a third game in seven days and are backing up from a 3-2 defeat to Central Coast on Wednesday night.
The Victorians have been in camp at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley since Wednesday to lessen travel, but are low on defensive stocks after the suspension of centreback Kerrin Stokes and a hamstring injury to right fullback Scott Galloway.
Deans is keen to expose weary legs or frail confidence.
"We have had a good week of training and are ready to go," he said. "It's important to start on the front foot. It is about going out with the mindset that we want to be aggressive and take the game to Melbourne City and put them under pressure.
"We have to be clever with how we defend and keep things tight at the back. They have some good players as well, we have to mindful of their front three.
"The more aggressive we are with the ball, the more difficult it is for them to score."
Leading the Jets charge will be in-form front two Valentino Yuel and Roy O'Donovan.
Yuel has been a revelation with his pace and energy, netting three goals in the past four games.
O'Donovan, after a frustrating start to the campaign, hase scored in consecutive games.
"Val has freedom to what he wants to do," Deans said. He is not the type of player you want to talk to much to him about where he stands or runs. He has good instincts so you let him go. The more predictable you are, the easier you are to play against. Val has a bit of X-factor.
"There are some structures with the ball and without the ball, but for someone like him,you can't put them into little boxes and say 'you can't do this, you can't do that'.
"Roy is a little different. He is a box striker so you can give him clearer defined roles."
A win would propel the Jets (four points) off the bottom and within a point of the top six, however they will have played at least one game more than most teams.
"We go with the confidence of the last two games and knowing if we get a win, it changes the table," Deans said. "It's still very tight from top to bottom. City have lost their past two games and will be desperate to make sure they don't drop three."
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IN THE NEWS:
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
