Gloves are off in battle to be Jets No.1

It is out with the old and in with the new at Newcastle Jets but goalkeeper Ben Kennedy is the one constant in the ever changing world at Hunter Stadium.

Kennedy

Ben Kennedy is up for the battle to be Newcastle Jets' number one goalkeeper. (Getty Images) Source: Getty Images Asia Pacific

For Kennedy, this pre-season takes on extra significance, and not just because of the appointments of the unheralded Scott Miller as head coach, and Jean-Paul de Marigny as his assistant.
Jets goalkeeping coach Jess Van Strattan will be running the rule over Kennedy and Mark Birighitti, who has returned from an unsuccessful loan set Serie B club Varese.
Birighitti played only twice and has returned to Newcastle in order to reclaim the No. 1 jersey, which he lost to Kennedy midway through last season.

"Pre-season's been good so far, obviously with new coaches coming in they have their own ideas," Kennedy said.

"It's been as tough as you would expect it to be but the boys have enjoyed it.

"JP (De Marigny) is a winner and Scott comes from overseas at Fulham, so they both know their stuff."

Kennedy snared the starting goalkeeping position from Birighitti in Round 8, going on to make 21 appearances for only three clean sheets.

The 28 year-old has now made 103 appearances for his home town club but he is under no illusion as to the size of the challenge posed by Birighitti.

"It's good having competition for places," Kennedy said. "It means you have to work your hardest in every session.

"Only one of us can play but that's part of the position.

"We spend a fair bit of time together, as the goalkeepers do most of their training alone, so we have a good relationship.

"We both understand only one of us can play."

Football Federation Australia (FFA) acquired control of the Jets with the aim of fostering some much-needed stability in the long term.
Phil Stubbins was moved on, with Miller and De Marigny appointed, the latter off the back of Melbourne Victory's double-winning campaign.

Kennedy said the building blocks are in place for a prosperous future in the Hunter.

"I think we are starting to lay the platform for a long and successful period for the club," he said.

"We have all put last season behind us. So far we have laid the ground work for this year."


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2 min read
Published 28 July 2015 3:01pm
Updated 28 July 2015 3:24pm
By Matthew Connellan
Source: SBS

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