YOUNG defender Themba Muata-Marlow has left the Newcastle Jets with a year to run on his contract to pursue more game time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Muata-Marlow agreed to a mutual termination of his contract on Friday and the paperwork is expected to be completed on Monday.
The 21-year-old was signed by Phil Stubbins from Sydney FC last year in the dying embers of the Nathan Tinkler regime but has not played in the A-League under new boss Scott Miller. He spent the summer playing in the National Youth League.
Muata-Marlow’s agent, David O’Keefe, said his client was looking at opportunities in the Sydney National Premier League.
“It was a classic example of him being signed by previous management and new management obviously not rating him as highly as the previous one,” O’Keefe said.
“He was never going to play, and ultimately he wants to play football.
“It was all very amicable, but we just had to get him out of there to play football.”
Muata-Marlow has watched his opportunities dry up this season.
Miller signed central defender Lachlan Jackson from Brisbane, promoted youth team player Nick Cowburn to the senior squad and has used midfielder Ben Kantarovski as a makeshift centre back.
Winger Andy Brennan is another Stubbins signing who has not played under Miller and has a year to run on his contract, but it is understood he plans to stay at the club and fight for an opportunity.
The powerful 22-year-old has also been playing in the youth team after overcoming injury issues last year and scored in a 2-1 loss to Hamilton Olympic in a practice match on Friday night.
Fellow wide player Brandon Lundy, a 19-year-old Hunter product who is on an A-League pro youth contract, has played just once this season.
Midfielder Josh Barresi, 21, has played exclusively in the youth team. His contract with the senior squad expires at the end of this season.