A-League: Newcastle Jets captain say jobs deserve to be on the line

The 5-0 surrender to a depleted Wellington on Sunday was the Jets’ third loss in four games and left them unable to catch sixth-placed Western Sydney, who they meet on Saturday at McDonald Jones Stadium.

“Everyone is under pressure,” Boogaard said. “It is professional sport. If you are not producing and the output is not at the level it needs to be, then your job should be on the line. That is the way professional sport is around the world. Especially our game, it is a transient sport. Those who take their opportunity and prove they want to be here or can perform at a higher level will always stick around long term. At the start of the year, we openly stated that the top six was where we needed to be by the end of the year. That was a goal set by, not only the coaching staff and players, but the club in general.”

The Jets have 11 players off contract and management have stated their intent “to strengthen the roster”.

“It was disappointing to go to Wellington, and with the season on the line, we didn’t perform,” Boogaard said. “We have to deal with the consequences from that.”

Despite being out of contention for the finals for a seventh straight season, Boogaard insists there is plenty to play for in the final three rounds.

“We have to finish as close to the six as we can,” he said. “Finishing seventh would be one step better than last year. It is still not the six, we understand that, but we can still savage something from the season. The last two results haven’t been great. We admit that, but that is not us. We have performed better as a squad over the course of the season and two games in which we have not been at our best has cost us.”

The battle against an in-from Wanderers is the final game at home and a chance to give disapproving fans “hope going into next season”.

“I can understand their frustration,” Boogaard said. “They are fans and for a number of years now, we haven’t made the six. It is disappointing not to reach that target but we still have to play for the shirt and make sure we represent this club the best way we can. That is by going out this weekend in front of our home supporters and getting a result. Give them something to be proud about and give them some hope going into next season.”

The Jets were in the six and and targeting a top four finish a month a month ago.

“Unfortunately we just haven’t performed,”Boogaard said. When it came to the crunch – whether it is individual errors or team errors – we haven’t stood up.”