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Jets coach prepares for AL from quarantine

3 minute read

Newcastle Jets coach Carl Robinson admits preparing his team for their remaining matches of the A-League season from a hotel room in Sydney isn't ideal.

Keeping an eye on his players' preparations for the A-League restart is proving difficult for Newcastle Jets coach Carl Robinson.

Stuck in a Sydney hotel while he undertakes a 14-day quarantine period after arriving in Australia from Canada on the weekend, Robinson has been using a camera at the Jets' training base to watch sessions.

Only problem is, that camera is no longer working.

"I'm trying to fast track another one because I can't say to the players 'you're not doing this and not reacting to this, they need to change this' because I can't see it," the Welshman said.

"All I can see is watching the news in here and if you watch CNN news too often, too regular, it actually messes up your mind.

"Lots of challenges, but it's in good hands. Deansie (Craig Deans), he's looking after the group while I'm away, I speak to him on a daily basis I give him plans that I want to incorporate in training.

"I kept it very simple because if you go into too much detail while I'm not there, then when I do come in there I don't want them to have mixed messages."

Unlike another former Premier League player in Robbie Fowler, who returned home during the coronavirus shutdown and won't be returning to his post at Brisbane, Robinson says he always intended to be back in Australia.

Robinson joined the Jets in February and says he's committed to the club long-term.

Amid rumours a Sydney-based consortium is poised to complete a takeover of the club from Chinese-based owner Martin Lee, Robinson's primary focus is on attempting to sneak the Jets into this season's finals.

In his six matches in charge, the Jets have won three, drawn two and lost only once and are three points outside the top six with four matches remaining.

"We need to try and hit the ground running. We probably need to win four games," he said.

"If we don't win four games based upon the slow start that we did have then we might miss out this year but nothing will change in relation to what I want, what I expect and what I require from these players.

"I will say to them that they're all fighting for jobs for next year to try and be part of Newcastle Jets because it's the start of a project when I came in in February, and it's not changed."

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