The season might be all-but-over for Newcastle Jets, but coach Ernie Merrick is already plotting the club’s return to the Hyundai A-League summit.
And the canny Scotsman, 66, believes the Hunter Valley outfit have stolen a match on their rivals for next season’s re-build.
Newcastle have already acquired Central Coast Mariners star Matthew Millar on a two-year deal, while leadership trio Glen Moss, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Nigel Boogaard have all pledged their futures to the Jets for next season.
READ: How to watch Hyundai A-League Round 24
WATCH: Every goal from Round 23
“I’d say we’re way ahead of just about every other club regarding our signings,” Merrick said on Tuesday.
“We’re in a good position and there’s a lot of good young talent here.
“We’ve got to make sure we get the right players at the right price. That started months ago, it never really stops.
“Goal scoring will be a major part of that, because we feel we’ve got a good defence, a good midfield.
“Perhaps [we will go for] an attacking midfielder who scores goals, because we’ve missed that a little bit [this season].”
THE RUN HOME: Predicting the Hyundai A-League’s final four rounds
WATCH FOR FREE: How to watch the Hyundai A-League LIVE and FREE
TOTW: Who made the cut for Round 23?
In order to stage an unlikely charge to the top six, the seventh-placed Jets must make up a seven-point deficit on Melbourne City, currently in sixth, with just four rounds remaining.
“We’re certainly going to do our best to win all four and play well,” Merrick said.
“But when you’re waiting for other teams to lose matches I don’t think you’re in a good place.
“We’re disappointed by that, we feel we’ve let the club down, we’ve let the fans down, but we’re going to work very hard to build a better team for next season.”
