Newcastle Jets have confirmed that locally born and bred attacking star Andrew Hoole is returning to the club next season following his release from Sydney FC.
Hoole has represented Australia at a variety of youth levels in the past, and came through Broadmeadow Magic Football Club during his days as a youth player in Newcastle.
Following his time with Magic, Hoole progressed through the Newcastle Jets Youth system, and then made the jump into the Hyundai A-League.
Hoole made 50 Hyundai A-League appearances for the Jets between 2013 and 2015, and earned the club’s 2015 Player of the Year prize for his standout performances throughout the 2014/15 campaign.
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Hoole swapped Hunter for Allianz Stadium last season, however will now return to his hometown club on a one-season contract.
The 22-year-old believes the Jets have made obvious improvements on and off the field over the past year, and is excited to work under Scott Miller – a coach who first attempted to bring the versatile attacker home in January this year.
“The progress that has been made at the Jets over the past 12 months is clear,” Hoole said.
“I am excited to be part of the club’s new direction, and am keen to get to work with the squad when pre-season starts next week.”
“Scott [Miller] has shown a real desire to have me at the club, and I appreciate that. I want to work closely with him, the staff and squad to develop my game next season and help the group to achieve its goals.”
Miller said that while it’s a bonus for the Jets to bring a local player back to the region, Hoole’s ability and potential is the primary reason why he has been re-recruited by the club.
“It’s undoubtedly a benefit for us that Andrew is a local product in that he understands culturally what it is like to play for Newcastle Jets and the region,” Miller said.
“However his technical ability and potential is what I look at, and in Andrew I believe we have a player capable of positively influencing matches.”
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“Over the next 12 months we want to see Andrew go to the next level technically and tactically, and expect him to become a commanding figure within our squad,” Miller concluded.
The addition of Hoole to the club’s first team squad for the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season adds to the strong local flavour within the Jets’ professional ranks.
Experienced professionals Nigel Boogaard, Ben Kennedy, Ben Kantarovski, Jason Hoffman, and the developing Nick Cowburn are also local juniors, meaning a third of the Jets’ current Hyundai A-League contracted players for next campaign hail from the region in which they will represent.
