Jason Hoffman is well versed in the cutthroat nature of professional football, but the wholehearted veteran believes "it would be a crime" if the Jets were not able to keep developing under Craig Deans and his staff.
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The Newcastle board - the owners of four rival A-League clubs who are bankrolling the Jets - were to make a final call on the head coaching position at a meeting on Tuesday night.
Barring a hiccup in negotiating terms, the successful candidate will be confirmed on Wednesday.
Interim coach Deans has emerged as a clear front-runner to get the nod, ahead of former Perth Glory boss Kenny Lowe who was on the shortlist of four candidates.
In his third term as caretaker, Deans has been at the controls since the sudden departure in October by Carl Robinson.
After a slow start results-wise, the Jets have beaten Wellington (2-1) and Melbourne City (1-0) and drawn with Western Sydney (1-1) in the past three outings. They sit in eighth spot on a jammed table ahead of a trip to Brisbane to take on an in-form Roar on Sunday.
"As a player you focus on your role," Hoffman said. "In saying that, I can only comment on what is happening now which is under Craig Deans.
"The way we have played from round one has been really good. The results early didn't go our way. Now the results are matching the performances. That gives the group confidence that what we are doing is working. We have beaten some good teams now.
"With a young group,confidence is key. The last three weeks have injected that into the squad.
"Under Deansy things are going really well ... I feel like the group is confident and we can carry that forward in the next few weeks."
As well as the positive way the Jets are playing, Deans has given opportunities and created an environment for rising stars Ramy Najjarine, Valentino Yuel, Angus Thurgate and the recently arrived Luka Prso to thrive.
"Players like Valentino Yuel have built tremendous momentum under the current coaching staff ... the way things are going it would be a crime for that not to continue," Hoffman said. "In saying that, people will make decisions and the players will move on."
A foundation player, Deans has filled a myriad of roles over 15 years and has been working with the A-League squad for 13 months.
He was pitched in as interim coach last January after Ernie Merrick was sacked. He then put in place building blocks - switching formation to a back three - before Robinson took the reins and suffered just one defeat in 10 games to end the campaign.
Again on Sunday, Deans showed his technical nous, changing from a back three to a back four on the run, in the 1-0 triumph over City on Sunday.
"From round one, we felt really prepared for the season," Hoffman said. "Our performances were good but there were moments in games where we really let ourselves down.
"The work that we do at training will continue.
"The key for our group is to keep the same mentality. Physically we are prepared every week, it is about mentally being able to stick to our jobs. Understand that as a player you a role with and without the ball.
"We have done that really well in the majority of games. But there are patches where we let ourselves down.
"If we do that for 90 minutes, and put in a complete performance, we will really belt a team. I hope that comes this weekend."
Hoffman suffered a twinge to his groin in the win over City - the 32-year-old's 150th appearance for the club.
He was on light duties at training on Tuesday but expects to be fit for Sunday.
Matt Millar was in Melbourne for a funeral but is back in full training. Najjarine (ankle) worked on the field with physiotherapist Nathan Renwick on Tuesday and is expected to join the main group on Wednesday.
Hoffman welcomed the extra bodies and extra competition for places.
"As you become more experienced, you realise that competition is a great thing for the squad," he said. "It's a great thing to keep boys on their toes every day at training. You have to be focused and perform, otherwise someone will take you spot.
"If you are doing everything you can and playing to the best of your ability, and you are not in the team, then the boys who are playing must be doing a really good job.
The were unlucky to lose 2-1 to Brisbane at McDonald Jones Stadium on January 20.
"If we pull apart the game we played against them a few weeks ago, I felt that we played extremely well," Hoffman said.
"We were a little unlucky with the early goal we copped from a deflection."
"In the past few weeks, we have taken the games by the scruff of the neck and created our own luck. We have learnt a bit along the way since that game."
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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.
