Asian/Australasian Football Discussion

SMELTZ CONSIDERING MALAYSIA OFFER

Sydney FC striker Shane Smeltz could be the next to join an exodus of Australian talent to Malaysia, with an unnamed leading club from the Malaysian Super League seeking to snare the New Zealand international with a lucrative offer.
By David Lewis


Smeltz, who sits second in the A-League’s all-time scoring behind Archie Thompson, on 80 goals, has not garnered the game time he had hoped to after signing for Sydney FC from Perth Glory on a one-year deal in May.

It’s understood, through sources in Malaysia, that the club on Smeltz's trail is one of the top teams in the competition and wants to sign the 33 year-old when the Malaysian transfer window opens in April – four rounds before the end of the home-and-away A-League season.

An unused substitute as nine-man Sydney beat his former club Perth Glory 3-1 on Saturday night, Smeltz has scored three goals in 10 appearances for the Sky Blues this season, but has only started seven of the Sky Blues'16 league games.

With his career entering its latter years he is known to be seeking regular first team action, rather than a bench role.

With Corey Gameiro out for the season with a knee injury, Arnold does not have great depth up front.

Bernie Ibini and Alex Brosque can also play anywhere across the front third, so the prospect of possibly releasing Smeltz prematurely may not be out of the question.

Having played in England’s lower leagues and briefly in the Turkish Super Liga, Smeltz scored freely in the A-League for Wellington, Gold Coast United and Glory, before arriving in Sydney.

His former Glory teammate Steve Pantelidis made 33 appearances the Malaysia Super League for Kuala Lumpur-based Selangor after quitting nib Stadium in 2013, and former Socceroos like David Mitchell, Alan Davidson, Simon Colosimo and Australia assistant coach Ante Milicic have all had spells in Malaysia's top flight, along with Alistair Edwards, Abbas Saad, Scott Ollerenshaw and Griffiths brothers Ryan and Adam.

Most recently, former Australia defenders Robbie Cornthwaite (Selangor) and Jon McKain (Kelantan FA) have followed in their footsteps.

In excess of 70 Australians have played professionally in Malaysia and former Melbourne Victory coach Mehmet Durakovic is currently in charge at Selangor.

theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/02/08/restless-smeltz-ponders-malaysia-offer

Joel blows up at Jets training

Tensions between Newcastle Jets boss Phil Stubbins and his outcast players blew up at training again today, with former star striker Joel Griffiths yelling "Have some f***ing respect!" at the coach.

Five senior players - Griffiths, David Carney, Kew Jaliens, Adrian Madaschi and Billy Celeski - have been club outcasts since they were told to leave the Jets last month by Stubbins and owner Nathan Tinkler, but have remained on the periphery until a contract stalemate is resolved.

As training began yesterday, Jaliens, Madaschi and Celeski - wearing their full kit - left the playing fields at Ray Watt Oval together in Jaliens's Hyundai car.

But Griffiths and Carney looked like they might be back onside with management as training began, with both included in the early training drills with the main group of players.

However as the squad moved across the playing fields to the next drill, Griffiths and Carney were told to leave the main group and return to training by themselves.

Clearly frustrated, Griffiths unleashed his anger at Stubbins, shouting abuse at the coach who didn't even look back at the player.

The pair were sent to the opposite side of the field to practice their dribbling and shooting. "Do we even get a keeper?" muttered Griffiths as they made their way across the field, slamming footballs into the ground in fury.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DRAMA UNFOLD

Stubbins later downplayed the incident.

"We've just had what we've had," he said "The same's been happening every day at training. The players have obligations to their contracts we have obligations to the club and we are trying to fulfil them as best we can and just get through it.

"The sooner we can put an end to it and everyone can get a general direction of where they're going with some clarity, then I think it's going to be better for everybody."

He denied the atmosphere at training was toxic but conceded: "I think there is some angst from the boys unable to be a full part of everything moving forward. It is what it is and we're managing it as best we can."

Stubbins refused to be drawn on whether the squad was stronger or weaker without Griffiths and Carney and the other outcasts.


"The squad is what it is at the moment. I'm just going to focus on the players we've got without commenting," he said. "We're not going to comment on players that aren't going to be available for the game. We'll be using the players that we used in the squad last week."


He admitted the circus on the sidelines was a distraction but said the negotiations were now for the club to resolve and he would be focusing on the football.

Stubbins added: "There's a lot of negativity going around at the moment but as a result of that we want bring something that is going to be positive for the club moving forward, and try to be sustainable moving forward.

"I've come to the club at a time when it was never going to be easy. There is a transition in place. We're not going to give up, we're going to keep fighting and we're going to do everything we can to get results."

Read more at www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/joel-blows-jets-training#8YoODSzzQU8XHG6v.99