THE NEWCASTLE HERALD
By ROBERT DILLON
JETS owner Con Constantine will not relent on two crucial issues that would help his club retain the likes of Mark Bridge, Stuart Musialik and Andrew Durante because he feels they are matters of principle.
Bridge and Musialik have both asked to have exit clauses in their contracts, so that if they received offers from overseas clubs Newcastle would receive a set transfer fee known as a "ceiling" that would be well below their market rate.
Constantine has told The Herald he will refuse to comply with such a condition, because it would create a precedent, but insists he would never stand in the way of players heading abroad if Newcastle receive adequate compensation.
He also said last week that he had no intention of using service agreements to provide his players with financial sweeteners.
Each club is entitled to use service agreements third-party sponsorships for players that are collectively worth $450,000 a season and are not included in the $1.8 million salary cap.
Jets director of football Remo Nogarotto said yesterday that Constantine had firm and "highly principled" views on both issues.
"Australia should no longer be some sort of backwater for cheap talent," he said. "Our clubs should receive transfer fees in line with what the market is prepared to pay overseas. This is a fight Con and myself are having not just for Newcastle, but on behalf of Australian football."
Nogarotto said that when the Jets released Nick Carle to Turkish club Genclerbirligi last year "everyone was a winner".
"We were happy with the fee we got, which was around $600,000, Nicky was exceptionally happy with his deal, and the buying club was happy with what it paid," he said.
"My message to Bridgey and Stuey is that they should speak to Nicky Carle and see what his observations were and the way that was handled."
Constantine opposes service agreements because he believes they are not transparent and provide clubs like Sydney and Melbourne with major advantages, but he has called on Football Federation Australia to increase the salary cap by $400,000.
By using a service agreement, Newcastle might be able to match the lucrative offer Durante has received from Wellington.
"Sometimes in life there is a cost attached to being principled and consistent in your position," Nogarotto said. "We might be short-term losers out of that, but if our view prevails in time, I think the game and ourselves will be better off because of it."
Article source http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/sport/soccer/australia-should-no-longer-be-some-sort-of-backwater-for-cheap-football-talent-jets-stick-to-guns/1189865.html
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