COACH Rob Stanton expects new signing Matt Scarcella to challenge for a start in the Jets midfield and his first opportunity could be in the Australia Cup qualifier.
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Scarcella has joined the Jets on loan from Sydney FC.
The 20-year-old made his A-League debut last season, playing six games, but was stuck behind fellow young gun Corey Holman.
"Last year he was on a scholarship at Sydney," Stanton said "He has trained full-time with the first team and has minutes in the A-League.
"He will fit straight in. He already has good exposure, he has good engines, is good on the ball and moves well.
"Matt will provide cover for Kosta [Grozos] and Cal [Timmins] and challenge them. I know the kid really well. I know his character and how he has been trained. He is ready to step up.
"It is a one-year loan deal. It works for us and them. If he does really well we could potentially get a fee for him if he plays a certain amount of minutes and they sell him."
The Jets take on Western United in the Australian Cup play-off in Darwin in three weeks.
Socceroos striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos is back in training but on a modified program and may not be risked against Western United.
"Stamma has a carry-over hamstring issue from his time with the Socceroos," Stanton said. "With the A-League All-Stars and Socceroos, his season went longer than the rest of the squad.
"We have to manage him. I wanted him back in and around the group.
"I'm mindful that his wife is heavily pregnant. If he travels, he travels. I am also happy to give an opportunity to a young player."
Stamatelopoulos' manager Tony Rallis confirmed that the striker had rejected a couple of approaches from overseas clubs.
"His ambition is to play for the Socceroos and go to the World Cup," Rallis said. "The offers didn't fit the profile of that."
The Jets will play an intraclub trial on Wednesday and Stanton expects to take a young squad to Darwin.
"The Australia Cup is only three weeks away. We need to get on the pitch and play some minutes," Stanton said. "It will be quite a young team in the Cup. Ryan Scott will be the only player over 25."
The addition of Scarcella, who had a season in Greece at Xanthi, leaves Stanton with two places, which are earmarked for a striker and midfielder, to fill on the roster.
"These next two players need to make a difference," Stanton said. "I'd like to get a foreigner. Something different up top to complement the team.
"I am talking to a player in the next day or two. I will start with a conversation and see where that leads. There is another player I have enquired about.
"I am prepared to be patient. That allows other players to get more minutes in the preseason. We did it last year and got a lot of benefit from it."
AAP reports: Max Balard is the latest player to leave the Central Coast, opting to pursue opportunities overseas.
Balard's exit follows that of fellow treble winners Ronald Barcellos, Jing Reec and Dan Hall. Captain Danny Vukovic has retired.
Ben Drzyzga
Newcastle Herald print producer.
Newcastle Herald print producer.
