COACH Arthur Papas is "committed to finishing the job" he started at the Newcastle Jets regardless of where the club finishes on the A-League ladder this season.
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The Jets take on Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium in the final round on Saturday, needing a miracle to qualify for the finals.
They sit in eighth place on 29 points, three points adrift of sixth-placed Wellington.
To climb into the top six, the Jets (minus-13 goal difference) need to thrash Sydney, and rely on Macarthur beating Wellington (minus-seven) to turn around a six-goal deficit.
They also need a favourable result from the game between Perth (minus nine) and Western United (minus-14), who are also on 29 points.
Papas has a year remaining on his contract in Newcastle but there has been speculation this week regarding his future at the club.
However, the 43-year-old, who is in his second season back in Newcastle, said his commitment and desire to turn the club into a force was as strong as ever.
"I'm committed to finishing off the work that has begun," he told the Newcastle Herald. "When we started, we were almost 20 points outside the six.
I'm committed to finishing off the work that has begun.
- ARTHUR PAPAS
"Realistically, we are gutted right now. We are either going to finish three or six points outside the six.
"We have closed the gap, but we haven't got to the exact part where we want to be as well. There is a lot of motivation to finish that."
Although the odds are stacked against them, Papas hasn't given up hope of beating Sydney and pushing for a finals spot.
"We want to give it a crack and see where it lands," Papas said. "We understand that it is going to take something pretty special to get there. We need to start as aggressively as possible and try to score some goals."
It is a dead rubber for Sydney FC, who are locked in fifth spot and likely to rest Robert Mak, Jack Rodwell and Luke Brattan.
"They are consistent in the way they play regardless of which players are playing," Papas said. "When you are talking names like Robert Mak, Jack Rodwell, Luke Brattan .. you are talking the top echelon of the league in terms of individual quality.
"They have a good squad and that will be an opportunity for other players. "There is no pressure on them at all. They are playing with a different mindset.
"We will have to take more risks. It's a fine line because we are playing a very good team as well.
"The intent always is when we can go forward, let's go forward. It' a matter of can we do that more frequently and get outcomes from them."
The Jets' biggest win this season has been a 4-0 rout of Brisbane on January 27.
"We have definitely been strong in a lot of parts without being clinical enough," Papas said. "We have missed so many chances over the season. And also conceded goals in poor periods when the game was almost over.
"Ultimately that will be the difference. The difference won't be tomorrow's game, it will be the course of the season and the moments we missed along the way."
The Jets will be without suspended co-captains Brandon O'Neill and Carl Jenkinson.
Mo Al-Taay is likely to come into midfield. Mark Natta is the front-runner to replace Jenkinson in the heart of defence, with Jason Hoffman a chance to slot in at left back.
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