Less than four weeks out from the start of the A-League, Newcastle Jets' hired gun Bernie Ibini is nowhere to be seen.
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Ibini was again a no-show at training on Friday, despite assurances this week from the players union that the wantaway attacker would be on deck.
Under normal circumstances, the one-time Socceroo would be spearheading the Jets attack against Melbourne City in a pre-season hit out at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
But nothing has been normal about the Jets' preparation for the 2020-21 A-League campaign.
The transfer of ownership from Martin Lee to a new consortium is still awaiting the final tick. A new coach is also yet to be appointed. Both are flagged to occur in the next 10 days.
Meanwhile, Ibini, whose request for a release from the final year of his Jets contract was turned down, hasn't fronted for training since last Tuesday (November 24).
The 28-year-old has an exit clause in his agreement that allows a move overseas. However, a proposed deal in Thailand hasn't eventuated.
"He was supposed to be at training and he never appeared again," Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna said on Friday. "Because he is not being considered for the game against Melbourne City tomorrow due to a lack of fitness, he will be expected at a gym session."
The players union are acting as a mediator between the disgruntled player and the Jets.
When contacted by the Newcastle Herald on Friday, a players union spokesman said "we cannot comment on individual player matters".
The Jets have continued to pay Ibini's wages. Asked if the club would consider standing the player down McKinna said: " We may look into that. There is more to it than issuing a breach notice."
Ibini's recent absence followed 10 days stress leave last month.
His agent, James Hardy, hasn't returned calls or messages this week, but told the Newcastle Herald last month: "Bernie is going through a lot and it is taking a toll on him physically and mentally," Hardy said. "He is quite stressed with everything that is going on and that is obviously affecting him."
Hardy acknowledged that Ibini has a contract which "he has to honour" but the agent added that little had changed at the Jets since his client sought a release.
Ibini, who has returned to Sydney to live with family, hasn't featured in any of the Jets' three pre-season games.
Caretaker coach Craig Deans said Ibini, who scored one goal in six appearances after joining the Jets midway through last season, had a lot of ground to make up. The Jets open their campaign against Central Coast in Gosford on New Year's eve.
"Bernie missed 10 days with illness and then came back for three or four. Then he has been out for over a week," Deans said. "Unfortunately for him, he has to restart physically at the bottom again. The risk for him now is coming in and joining sessions and getting injured. It's a balancing act from the staff point of view to make sure we respect him as an athlete and keep him healthy. For him, it's a matter of staying here and working his way back to full fitness and being able to be involved in games."
Deans said the Ibini saga hadn't been a distraction for him or the players.
"In sport, you turn up each day and do your job," he said. "We plan the sessions and if Bernie is a part of it, then he is part of it. If he is not then we just get on with it.
"There is no time to worry about one individual over the rest of the team.
"We need to make sure we are preparing the team for when the new coach gets here. If Bernie is part of that at that point in time, great. If he is not, then we move on and it's an opportunity for someone else.
"We can't let one person take our attention away from the other 21 who are here. If he is here we are happy for him to be here. If he is not, we just move on and keep working."
Ibini signed a one year extension with the Jets in August, but sought a release after the shock defection of coach Carl Robinson to Western Sydney in October.
Steve Ugarkovic also expressed a desire to leave after Robinson's exit but has continued to train.
"Stevie has been top notch," Jets operations manager Joel Griffiths told the Newcastle Herald this week. "Everyone has been great in the pre-season considering there has been a lot of what ifs. The older boys - Nigel Boogaard, Nikolai Topor-Stanley,Jason Hoffman, Ben Kantarovski, Roy O'Donovan - have all helped the younger boys during this time. Without that experience leading the way, especially at training, you would be worried about the new season. Those older boys have been fantastic."
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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.
