STEVEN Ugarkovic is far from happy at the Newcastle Jets but the wholehearted midfielder has vowed to "give his best", starting with the A-League season opener against the Mariners.
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Frustrated with the uncertainty engulfing the A-League battlers, Ugarkovic this week offered to buy out the final year of his contract.
Disgruntled striker Bernie Ibini was granted a release on those terms last week and has since signed with Western Sydney - Ugarkovic's preferred destination.
However, the Jets regard Ugarkovic a far more important figure and have stone-walled his requests, prompting the player's agent to accuse club management of "double standards".
The 27-year-old fronted the media on Wednesday and, though clearly frustrated with the situation, said he was 100 per cent committed to starting the season.
"I'm here, I'm playing, I'm contracted," he said. "When I step out onto that field I will be 100 per cent ready to give my best for the boys and the fans. That is my character in general.
"I have been here five years and every game I have given 100 per cent. I can say that proudly.
"The boys know what they will get from me week-in, week-out and I'm sure the fans do as well.
They know when I step on that field I will give 100 per cent.
- - Steve Ugarkovic
"They know when I step on that field I will give 100 per cent. Everything else goes out the window and I just focus on playing football."
Ugarkovic declined to reveal details about his contract talks with the club.
""I'll keep that behind closed doors," he said.
"That is between my agent and the club. All I am worried about is the first game and being fit and ready, making sure everything is clicking with the boys and we go from there."
Asked if he would play out the season with Newcastle, Ugarkovic said: "We will see what happens. Things change all the time. At the moment I am focused on stepping out on that field with the boys. I don't want to let anyone down ... We will leave it at that. That is out of my head now."
Ugarkovic, who can sign a pre-contract for next season with another club from January 1, first expressed a desire to leave the Jets in October, shortly after the shock defection by coach Carl Robinson to Western Sydney.
At the time, Ugarkovic cited uncertainty over the club's ownership and a reluctance to be "part of another rebuild" as the reasons for wanting out.
The ownership situation is yet to be settled after a takeover deal broke down earlier this month, with the owners of other A-League clubs likely to be given the licence to run the Jets until a new buyer is secured.
"It does take a toll," Ugarkovic said.
"You can say you can block it out as much as you can.
"But at the end of the day, it's your job, it's your contract, it's the club that you love and you enjoy playing for."
Urgarkovic was critical of club management over a lack of communication.
"We rarely get information," he said. "There was a period there for three or four weeks where we didn't hear anything. It's worrying. You don't know what is going on behind the scenes."
The Jets have only 16 players signed, two less than the minimum required, but Ugarkovic is confident they will be more than competitive despite being $17 outsiders with the NSW TAB to win the championship.
Central Coast, at $41, are at the longest odds.
"We are always written off," Ugarkovic said. "That is nothing new for us.
"Yes, 100 per cent, we will be competitive. We have good players who have come in. We have a good spine to the team and experience. Ramy Najjarine has come in and is excellent. Gus Thurgate next to me in the midfield, he is proven at international level now. We have Nigel Boogaard and Nikolai Topor-Stanley at the back. Roy O'Donovan up top and Val Yuel has also come in and done an excellent job. I think we are a good chance to do well this year."
An industrious midfielder, Ugarkovic was arguably the Jets' best last season. As well as command the centre of the park, he scored four goals, including a couple of contenders for best of the year.
A former Olyroos, he is on the radar of Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.
"I have to perform to my best every week and win games," he said. "I think when you are higher up the table you obviously get looked at a bit more. [Interim coach] Craig Deans has given me the freedom to shoot, get forward and be more aggressive with the ball.
"I will do that and I will work on those things in training so it just clicks. If a do get the goals it's a bonus, but if we are winning it's even better."
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