A-League: Newcastle Jets face daunting task against Sydney FC

Having axed coach Ernie Merrick, Newcastle Jets now face the daunting task of hosting Steve Corica’s league-leading Sydney FC.

Sydney FC coach Steve Corica says his side will be wary of a rebound from the Jets at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night. Picture: AAP

Newcastle Jets captain Nigel Boogaard has played just three games this A-League season and says it’s been the toughest period of his career not to be able to contribute on the pitch.

Following the sacking of head coach Ernie Merrick earlier this week, the Jets have been reeling from the shock while preparing for Friday night’s match with A-League leaders Sydney FC at McDonald Jones Stadium.

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Merrick’s sacking was the consequence of a difficult month for the Jets, who have conceded 17 goals in five games and find themselves at the bottom of the ladder.

“This is probably the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with in terms of not being able to contribute on the park,” Boogaard said, confirming he won’t return this week from an adductor injury.

“Not only on the pitch in games but at training as well. For me, my role and responsibility is to help out there in any way I can and I feel I could have done a bit more had I been out there.”

Merrick led the Jets to the A-League grand final in the 2017/18 season, and Boogaard said the players need to take responsibility for his axing.

“As a playing group you feel responsible when a coach goes partly because you feel like you’ve let them down and we all know what a good guy and a good coach Ernie is,” he said.

Caretaker coach Craig Deans now faces the difficult task of taking on A-League juggernauts Sydney FC while the shock of Merrick’s departure is still fresh.

For Sky Blues coach Steve Corica, it spells danger.

“We don’t know exactly what (Dean is) going to do with the team if he’s going to change it structurally or change personnel,” Corica said.

“It’s something that we need to be a little bit flexible with and maybe deal with on the day, but we’ll prepare as normal as to what we would expect and if we have to change we’ll change on Friday night.”

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In good news for Sydney FC, Serbian midfielder Milos Ninkovic is expected to make his return to action.

FFA have cleared Friday night’s match to be played despite fears it would be postponed due to poor air quality. On Thursday the FFA confirmed the Round 14 game will go ahead but will monitor conditions in Newcastle over the next 24 hours leading into the match at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The W-League game between the Jets and Adelaide United scheduled for 5pm on Friday has been postponed due to the forecast of a combination of hazardous air quality and high temperatures in the Hunter region.

The decision to reschedule the W-League match was made on Wednesday night, while the FFA delayed a call on the A-League match because Sydney were able to change travel plans on shorter notice.

AAP