JETS goalie Glen Moss plans to keep on keeping on.
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At 36, the veteran of 237 A-League games needs no reminding that he is closer to the end of his professional career than the start, and regularly jokes about needing to find "an over-35s team".
But he also takes inspiration from the knowledge that he is younger than the likes of Liam Reddy, who last season featured in a grand final with Perth Glory.
"I want to play as long as I can, obviously," Moss said.
I want to play as long as I can.
- GLEN MOSS
"But I'm not going to be one that's going to hang on, if it's not there.
"I'm usually the first one to put my hand up and know if I'm not at the level I need to be, fitness wise, mentally and physically.
"Look, at the moment I've still got that love, and I'm sure that with a few wins during the season, that will continue to grow."
The former All Whites international signed a one-year extension with Newcastle at the end of last season that will give him the opportunity to take his A-League career past 250 games, after stints with New Zealand Knights, Gold Coast, Melbourne Victory and Wellington, before he followed coach Ernie Merrick to the Jets.
Moss's pre-season was hindered by a foot injury, allowing understudy Lewis Italiano to stake a claim for Newcastle's first game of the 2019-20 A-League campaign, against Central Coast at Gosford on Saturday week.
But Italiano was sent off in the recent FFA Cup quarter-final loss to Adelaide and must serve a mandatory one-game suspension, which means Moss will start the season as Newcastle's No.1 gloveman.
This week's round-one bye will give the Jets a chance to freshen up before their derby clash with the Mariners.
"Personally it's not a bad thing," Moss said."It lets the old guys like myself rest a few niggles and sit back and watch round one."
Moss was largely oblivious to the media pundits who this week have overwhelmingly predicted the Jets will miss the finals for the second consecutive season.
"I hate to play a straight bat to everything, but it doesn't mean much," he said.
"Honestly we go out every week - and out here every day at training - working hard for each other, and on match day, for our fans.
"They deserve us to give everything we can. That's the goal. It's not a matter of proving anyone wrong or proving points.
"You won't get too far in life or in football if that's all you're going to live by."