NEWCASTLE Jets have started searching for a replacement for injured marquee Ronny Vargas but coach Ernie Merrick admits finding a like-for-like player “could be difficult”.
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Vargas faces at least four months on the sideline after breaking and dislocating his left ankle in the second half of the Jets’ gritty 2-1 win over Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
The magical midfielder underwent surgery on Sunday night and is set to begin a rehabilitation program that, baring a set back, the Jets hope will have him fit for the finals, if they make it.
In the meantime, the Jets can sign a replacement player as cover, however there are restrictions.
“We will look around,” Jets coach Ernie Merrick said. “But the likelihood of finding someone we feel is worthwhile could be difficult. There have been a couple of players sent to us already. We will have a look, and you never know, but I’m not necessarily looking at replacing him.”
To sign a replacement foreigner immediately, the player must have been a free agent on or before October 16 when the A-League transfer window closed. Most contracts in European leagues finish in June, meaning a player off-contract will not have played a competitive game in five months.
The Jets could wait until January to bring in an overseas player, possibly on loan. Signing an Australian is also an option but securing someone of the same ilk as Vargas appears unlikely.
“Before Sunday’s game was finished, I was being contacted by agents,” Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna said. “They sent their condolences first and then said by the way I have players available. But a lot of them weren’t aware of the restrictions on signing replacement players. Players had to have been off contract in the window. If the players are off contract, what have they been doing? How fit are? There is a lot of things to look into.”
The Jets, sitting second with seven points, have made the best start to a season in the club’s history and face an unbeaten Wanderers at McDonald Jones Stadium this Sunday.
Vargas has been a revelation in the opening three games, but the Jets did record wins over Melbourne City (3-1), Sydney FC (2-1) and Wellington (2-1) in the pre-season before the Venezuelan touched down.
“In the short term, we need one of the boys in the squad to step up,”
- McKinna said
“One player doesn’t make a team. On Sunday, the boys showed, when they were under the pump in the final 20 minutes, that they can dig in.”
McKinna has been overwhelmed at the response from Jets fans and the league overall to Vargas’ injury.
As a show of support for the Venezuelan, the Jets will ask fans for a minute’s applause in the eighth minute of the clash against Wanderers.
“I have never seen an outpouring of emotion for an injured player like this,” McKinna said. “At a meeting of A-League clubs today, all the chairman wanted to talk about was Ronny.
“Sunday will be an opportunity for fans to show Ronny what he means to Newcastle. He is such a good guy and has fitted in very well. It looked like he was going to be something special and in the long-term hopefully he can be.”
Meanwhile, Jets winger Dimi Petratos has been named in the A-League team of the week after his 20 metre screamer against the Roar.
