HE’S only been in Newcastle for a matter of weeks, but Newcastle Jets recruit Jordan Elsey can already assure his new fans the attractive, energetic brand of football being implemented on the training park in pre-season will entertain and excite throughout the 2021/22 A-League campaign.
Elsey joined the Jets in early July, getting straight to work under new head coach Arthur Papas who is leading the club into an optimistic future ahead of the upcoming season.
Newcastle was the first club to return to pre-season training on July 12, with double sessions and intense fitness work leaving the squad under no illusion about how Papas plans to operate as Jets boss.
READ: Hard work a “non-negotiable” for new boss Papas as Jets squad takes shape
Elsey is one of seven players who have joined Papas in Newcastle to date, with 14 previous squad members heading out the door in the process as Papas assembles a team he hopes will reflect the hardworking culture of the city itself.
As pre-season preparations continue to ramp up ahead of the league’s starting date of October 30, Elsey told reporters of his plans to embrace Papas’ coaching ethos to help the Jets climb back up the A-League table in 2021/22.
“I didn’t come here to lose,” Elsey said.
“I didn’t come here to just change my lifestyle, and (say) ‘yeah, this is fun, let’s live in Newcastle a couple of years’. No, I came here to win things, and with what Arthur and the coaching staff are building I really believe we can do that.
“I’m well driven, and at this time in my career I want to make a push forward, and I think this year is very important for me.
“It’s something I’ve really never had in a coach. (He’s) so interested in where I want to take my career, and where he wants to take the team as a whole.
Obviously I can’t talk too much about tactics and (all) that, but it’s a really exciting brand of football. It’s going to put bums on seats at (McDonald Jones Stadium), I can assure you of that.
“The lucky thing is the A-League pre-season is so long, we have plenty of time to work on it.
“It’s about getting everyone in the squad over how we want to play, it doesn’t matter who is injured or who can’t play on the day, someone is going to step in and do the job. We’re all on the right path.”
Elsey’s move to Newcastle comes after spending the best part of eight years at hometown club Adelaide United, which began with an A-League debut in October, 2013. Now 27, Elsey joins the Jets after playing 141 games for the Reds – the seventh-most of any player in club history.
Elsey scored six goals for Adelaide, winning five pieces of silverware including three FFA Cups, and the A-League Premiership/Championship double in 2016.
.jpg)
The experienced defender had an overseas move was on the radar after the 2020/21 A-League season, but the current difficulty of international travel coupled with his full belief in the Jets project put forward to him by Papas made a move to Newcastle the obvious choice, leading to Elsey signing a two-season deal at the club.
Papas said Elsey’s arrival ticked many boxes, as he brings a winning mentality, leadership and the skillset needed to play a part in the brand of football he wishes to implement at the club.
“I thought the time was right to make the move, challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone a little bit,” Elsey said.
“I mean, I’ve been in Adelaide my whole life, it’s also a life experience and a challenge more importantly.
“Also, what Arthur is building here was very attractive for me, and i’m looking forward to it.
“Every time I come to Newcastle I enjoy it; I enjoy the lifestyle, and yeah, there’s no complaints. I’m really settling in well here, and I’m enjoying every minute.
Elsey continued: “I thrive on pressure, I’m looking forward to it. Arthur and the coaching staff are building a winning mentality every day here, so when we come in it’s a winning mentality.
“As I said, trophies… you don’t win them often and you don’t even play in finals often in your career, so with the squad we’re building and the way we’re going I think we’ll be in that position.”
