Jets set recruit pace: Nogarotto

THE NEWCASTLE HERALD

By James Gardiner

NEWCASTLE director of football Remo Nogarotto has hit back at critics and is adamant the Jets are better placed on the recruitment front than their A-League rivals.

The departure of grand final heroes Stuart Musialik, Mark Bridge and Andrew Durante, and speculation over the future of Adam Griffiths has sent shockwaves through the Jets fan base.

But rather than panic, Rome-based Nogarotto said he had already identified four players in key areas, headed by left-sided stopper Adrian Madaschi, and hoped to finalise deals once coach Gary van Egmond arrived in Italy later this month.

"We have narrowed the prospects down to four players," Nogarotto told The Herald from Rome.

"I am going to watch Madaschi play later today and will get a better idea on him.

"Also on the list is an attacking midfielder from Nigeria who is playing in the Swiss first division, a right-sided attacker playing in Holland, and a striker with a couple of international caps playing in the Serie B.

"I hope this helps debunk the popular myth back home that the Jets football people are sitting on their rears.

"In fact, name me one other A-League club that has, at this point in the recruiting phase, been able to identify four hot prospects in key positions, across three countries in Europe, without relying on oily salesmen peddling DVDs from club to club."

The Jets have also been in negotiations with Sydney utility Ruben Zadkovich and AIS striker Jason Naidovski

"Obviously, once Gary gets here we will make a final decision on how many players we are after," Nogarotto told The Herald from Italy.

"Then the hard bit starts with trying to work out how to fund them inside the constraints of the salary cap."

Van Egmond is due in Italy on April 21.

His first week will be consumed by attending a series of meetings and training sessions with Italian giants AS Roma, who are in second place on the Serie A ladder.

The focus will then switch to recruitment.