Newcastle Jets coach Phil Stubbins says his side will not stop fighting for wins and pride until the final whistle is blown on the club’s 2014/15 Hyundai A-League campaign.
With the Finals out of reach for the Jets and the team in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon, Stubbins told local media on Friday that it is up to everyone at the club to ensure that Newcastle is represented passionately and proudly until season ten concludes.
The men from Hunter Stadium travel south to Victoria today in preparation for Saturday night’s round 21 encounter with Melbourne City.
“We’re not in a position on the league ladder now that we want to be in,” Stubbins said.
“We want to be as competitive as we can in every game that we take part and I think over the course of the last five games we’ve shown that.
“We don’t want to finish last, there’s no team in the comp that wants to be in that position and we’re no different.
“What we will do is continue to battle on, fight, and put on a show week in week out that we’re representing the shirt with real pride attached to our performance.”
City are currently seventh on the competition ladder but have played two games less than sixth-placed Brisbane Roar.
“For them [City] it will be a disaster not to finish in the top six, so for us it’s good motivation as well. We’re playing a team that is going to be desperate but there’s going to be pressure on them. For us we need to go out there and make sure that we’re very difficult to beat, certainly in the opening exchanges of the game, and build overselves into the game.”
“Hopefully we can get ourselves in a position where we’re looking to score goals and be more effective in the front third, we’ve worked a bit more on that side of our play and hopefully that’s what eventuates.”
Stubbins confirmed that Taylor Regan will miss the match against Melbourne due to injury. Ben Kantarovski is likely to start alongside Daniel Mullen in central defence, while Jacob Pepper is the most likely option to return to the starting side to partner the likes of Zenon Caravella and Mitch Cooper in midfield.
