JETS' Mr Fixit Jason Hoffman has faith in management to "find the right person" to take the coaching reins and dismissed suggestions that the embattled club was a basket case heading into the new A-League season.
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The Jets hit the training track for the first time on Tuesday since the shock defection of coach Carl Robinson a fortnight ago.
The Welshman cited the Jets' dire financial position and uncertainty over the ownership as factors in his decision to take up a three-year deal at Western Sydney.
Current owner Martin Lee hasn't put any funds into the Jets in almost a year.
Star players Steve Ugarkovic and Bernie Ibini last week unsuccessfully sought releases from the final year of their contracts.
Both were on deck for pre-season testing on Monday and worked strongly during a field session on Tuesday.
Hoffman, despite the unsettled duo going public with their dissatisfaction, maintains that moral is high and is looking forward to a successful campaign, which kicks off on December 27.
"It's humorous to hear the way people outside of Newcastle - and some within Newcastle - speak about our club," Hoffman said. "Newcastle has a rich football history. We believe that our future will be secure in the next few weeks and we will build a very strong playing style that will be successful."
The Jets won six of 10 games under Robinson - jumping from last to nearly snatch a finals berth - and Hoffman conceded the coach's exit was a "big story".
"The way we played in the back end of the season was extremely exciting and to lose a key part of that ... it was disappointing," the versatile veteran said.
"Why can't it be even better now." Hoffman said. "We have a lot of faith as a playing group in the club to get the right person to take us on that path.
"The majority of the boys are still here. We are extremely excited to build on what we achieved at the end of last season and make a really good run."
A new coach, which chief executive Lawrie McKinna has indicated will be Australian, won't be appointed until the ownership is finalised.
Football Federation Australia are in the final stages of conducting due diligence on a prospective owner.
"Lawrie and the club have been really transparent with the playing group on where we sit," Hoffman said.
"In the first couple of days that we have been back, we all had individual meetings where we had the chance to speak to Lawrie and the club about the outlook. We are optimistic that it will be put to bed imminently. We are really excited about what is around the corner for us.
"Part of that will be the new ownership and the new head coach. For now we have started training and have Craig Deans and Daniel McBreen here and people who have been around the club a long time and are really experienced coaches. They will build us up in the first few weeks of pre-season.
"At the end of the day, we focus on playing. That is our role within the club.
"Lawrie has his job, the staff have their jobs and the coaches have their. The players job is to play."
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James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
