PFA slams Stubbins as Jets coach fights to keep his job

Newcastle Jets coach Phil Stubbins' treatment of players has been condemned by Professional Footballers Australia as the Englishman battles to retain his job for next season.

Phil Stubbins

Newcastle Jets coach Phil Stubbins on the bench in the club's last game of the 2014-2015 season. (Getty) Source: Getty Images Asia Pacific

Stubbins was instrumental in a purge of five players and three members of the coaching staff in the dying embers of Tinkler’s turbulent reign, and his immediate future remains unclear with the Jets now back in the FFA’s control pending the emergence of a new owner.
Currently in England on a scouting mission, Stubbins - who has a year left on his two-season deal – has expressed his desire to remain with the Jets and rebuild a decimated squad but has not been guaranteed a position by the FFA during the search for a new owner.

The PFA's head of player relations Simon Colosimo was scathing of Stubbins' conduct in collaboration with Tinkler during the course of last season.

“From a player’s perspective, he hasn’t been a players' manger that’s for sure,” Colosimo said.

“His treatment of our members is something that we believe is the complete opposite of what is set down in the Collective Bargaining Agreement in relation to the protection and safeguarding of players rights.

"It certainly made us question his actions.”

Colosimo also took issue with Stubbins’ attitude to the Tinkler regime paying player wages late for three of the last four months, with the coach saying last weekend “it was all part of the landscape" and "I wouldn't ruffle feathers over it".
“For the head coach to say it’s the lay of the land is terrible. Does he expect players not to turn up for the first 20 minutes of his games? Colosimo added. “Those things should not be taken lightly.”

Stubbins survived a player mutiny in January as Tinkler backed him instead and the club then moved to cancel the contracts of those it believed were the ringleaders.

When that proved impossible, the unwanted players were forced to train alone and kept out of first team calculations for the remainder of a horror campaign which saw the Jets slump to the wooden spoon.

“The way players have been treated, and the disregard for their rights, is against what football in this country stands for," Colosimo said.

It's believed, though, that Stubbins does have significant support among the 15 players who remain contracted to the club.

Colosimo confirmed that with the FFA now back in possession of the licence after Tinkler's removal, all players and staff would be paid May's wages on Friday after Tinker's non-payment sparked his ousting by the governing body.

“For the players, there is now some light at the end of the tunnel. We understand that all contracts will be honoured and all outstanding obligations will be met," he added.

“A huge point is that the players will not have to check their bank accounts every half hour on the 15th of each month to make sure that salaries are in (after being late for three of the past four months).

“Their rights will be safeguarded and protected while they are working, that’s a big one.

"The players have been tremendous through all of this in terms of what they have had to deal with with the club's owner and coach deciding to unilaterally terminate contracts, and when realising that they can’t do that then turning around and saying, ‘well, you go and train on your own'.

“The playing group should be applauded for their conduct in what they have gone through in fronting up and have done the right things by the supporters and the Hunter region."

Colosimo cited David Carney, who still has a year left on his contract after the club’s attempt to oust him failed, as an example of how to behave in adversity.

“Players respect their contracts an understand their responsibilities and also their rights," he said.

“David Carney turned up every day for training and just went about his business and if he’d been selected he would have been great for the team and he is great also in the changing room.”


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4 min read
Published 21 May 2015 6:14pm
Updated 21 May 2015 10:11pm
By David Lewis

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