Jets coach Branko Culina has praised the contribution of guest player Francis Jeffers, who played a starring role in the Newcastle’s impressive 3-1 win over Adelaide United on Saturday night.
Jeffers, playing in the first of his 10-match guest stint at the Newcastle club, put in an impressive first-up performance.
He caused the Adelaide defence plenty of headaches with his runs in behind the back four, held the ball up to bring other players into play and delivered some sublime passes including a lovely through ball for Marko Jesic to grab Newcastle’s third goal of the game.
“He delighted me with the way he played,” Culina said of the former England international.
“As soon as I saw him (at training) I knew he had something to offer but I didn’t know how much until we got into a game situation. Just in different bits of training it was quality and class.
“I felt confident but it was just a question of how long he would last. Today was a fairly warm day but he handled it superbly.”
Jeffers was delighted with his first appearance with his new club.
“It was important that the way I play could rub off on the other players and I said that to Marko (Jesic) playing up there with him,” HE SAID.
“He is only a young lad and he has had some injuries and I said if there is anything he needs to ask me or anything I am there for him. I was pleased for him that he got two goals.”
The 29-year-old Jeffers admitted to having some nerves before the game but denied he felt any pressure to score goals for the Jets who have endured a goal drought this season.
“During the week there were a lot of journalists saying to me ‘you are the man to get the goals’, but I said I am not just about goals I can play as well and I can create a few chances,” Jeffers said.
“I can help the team and it is not just about me it is about the team. I said if we win the game and I don’t score we will go home just as happy.”
Culina said the win was significant in the fact that it showed the potential of the Newcastle team.
“I always knew we were capable of more than what our performances indicated and I think we showed that in our first two games without winning, against Adelaide and Melbourne Heart here,” he said.
“How we dropped those points is a mystery from there on everything went pear-shaped for us with many things working against us, but this is more the Newcastle Jets that I know.”
“It is a credit to the players, we worked hard on this.”
“If you ask me what is the one main reason there isn’t. There is many little things. Francis arrival ahs helped because he provides that quality up front to look for, a target.”
“Formation certainly helped us. I think we knew exactly what Adelaide was going to do and who their key players were and we stopped that.”
“But we also worked hard on being positive. I think we rallied and got behind each other and showed we had a lot of energy tonight.”
The win lifts the Jets off the bottom over the table, leaping over North Queensland and Sydney FC into ninth place.
