Michael Bridges has signed a new one-year deal with the Jets. Picture: Waide Maguire
MICHAEL Bridges' Lazarus-like comeback at the age of 34 was complete yesterday after he was re-signed by the Newcastle Jets for a further season.
Now, after resurrecting his own career, his mission becomes saving the club's play-off hopes in Adelaide tonight.
After a shattering loss to Perth a week ago, the Jets sit precariously inside the top six, a point clear of Brisbane and two points ahead of Perth.
But they have just two games left to play while their chief rivals have three so they can't afford to slip up against Adelaide tonight or Western Sydney in the final round.
Bridges will be crucial if the visitors are to advance their cause with marquee striker Emile Heskey still sidelined through injury.
"This game is must-win. We have to get results. We know what we have to do," Bridges said before the squad left Newcastle yesterday.
"Looking back at the Perth game, I thought we played some fantastic football and created a lot of chances.
"We just didn't finish them so if we can go with the same mentally and create the chances and play the football we're trying to aspire to, we'll go down there and get a result for sure."
Jets fans will be hoping the club's decision to hand the popular Bridges a new contract will provide the former England playmaker with an added spur tonight.
His new deal is a reward for his fighting qualities and persistence. Six months ago, Bridges couldn't get a start on the Jets' bench.
Three months ago, he was told by coach Gary van Egmond he wasn't in the club's plans, fullstop.
He put his house on the market thinking if he couldn't get a start with another A-League club, returning to England was a real possibility.
"If I look back six months ago, I would never have seen this coming," he said. "You start doubting it (playing again) but I stuck in with hard work and carried on.
"Hopefully, I've set an example to the young boys in that if you are not getting a game and you are not involved, you work hard and you don't become a bad egg off the park and you stick at it.
"You are always going to get opportunities through suspensions, through injuries. One man's pain is another man's gain and you just have to be ready for that opportunity."
Bridges singled out Jets CEO Robbie Middleby and Hunter Sports Group boss Troy Palmer for having faith in him. Last year, he was retired and was working in the marketing department at the club but was desperate to play again.
That only became possible when former teammate Ali Abbas, a visa player at the time, was granted Australian citizenship, allowing Bridges to make a comeback.
The former Leeds striker is hoping to have his own citizenship finalised in September.
No comments:
Post a Comment