May 1 (Reuters) – Newcastle Jets have done an about face and
decided to remain in Australia’s professional soccer league,
three weeks after team owners said they were relinquishing their
franchise following a loss of confidence in Football Federation
Australia (FFA).
Hunter Sports Group (HSG), owned by Nathan Tinkler, said
last month it had suffered an ‘irrevocable breakdown in
confidence’ in the FFA, who had come in for a raft of criticism
for their running of the league.
However, after mining magnate Tinkler met with FFA Chairman
Frank Lowy, the Jets agreed to continue in the 10-team league.
“Today, my confidence is renewed over Nathan’s personal
drive to make the Jets and the Hyundai A-League successful,”
Lowy said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We agreed on a way forward that addresses the issues HSG
have raised and we are now going to get on with developing the
game together in a key region for football.
“With more than 10,000 Jets members and an average crowd
this season over 12,000, HSG has demonstrated its ability to
engage with the community and to run a successful team and
club.”
Tinkler said he welcomed Lowy’s efforts to fix the problems
between the two, which Australian media said centred around an
acquisition fee that the owner was charged when he took on
Newcastle’s licence.
“Frank Lowy flew to Brisbane to meet with me face-to-face
and I took that as a sign of goodwill. It was a gesture I
certainly appreciated,” Tinkler said in a statement.
“I welcomed the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues
in person. We now have a way forward and I remain committed to
ensuring the Newcastle Jets is one of the most successful clubs
in the Hyundai A-League.”
HSG, who acquired the club 18 months ago, said they had
invested A$12 million ($12.49 million) in the side, who won the
title in 2008 but finished seventh in the standings last year.
The agreement is welcome news for the FFA, who have endured
a difficult year. In February, they terminated the licence of
Gold Coast United after a row over a slogan on the team shirts
with mining billionaire Clive Palmer accusing the FFA of acting
like dictators.
The demise of Gold Coast was offset by the FFA’s
announcement last month that a new team would take part next
season called Western Sydney.
Despite the problems, the FFA said the recently concluded
season had attracted record attendances since the league was
formed in 2005.
(Reporting by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
($1 = 0.9606 Australian dollars)
