Culina looks to resurrect career with Sydney FC

Updated October 12, 2012 10:50:41

Socceroos midfielder Jason Culina has signed with A-League side Sydney FC, ending months of speculation about the 32-year-old's future.

The former Gold Coast United and Newcastle Jets midfielder has not played since the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar due to a serious knee injury.

"It's absolutely brilliant to be back," Culina said in a statement.

"It's something that kept me awake at night, thinking about playing again so I'm really happy and grateful to have the opportunity to continue my career so close to home with a club like Sydney FC.

"There were times I thought I wanted to give up but I knew that if I put in the effort and commitment I could get back so I never gave up on the desire to play again.

"I've had to put in a lot of hard work and some days it has been hard but I'd like to sincerely thank [Sydney FC physio] Stan Ivancic and the Sydney FC medical staff for what they did in helping me with my rehab at what was a tough time.

"Without them I wouldn't be where I am at the moment."

Culina, who has featured 58 times for the Socceroos, played for two seasons on the Gold Coast before his move to Newcastle, which was spent largely on the sidelines because of his knee complaint.

He lodged a $1.6 million claim against the FFA after it was revealed he had not been insured.

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted October 12, 2012 10:48:38

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Culina working out for Sydney FC

Updated October 09, 2012 16:04:04

Brett Emerton is hopeful Jason Culina will play for Sydney FC this A-League season as the injury-plagued Socceroos midfielder continues to impress in his quest for a contract.

Culina, who is on the comeback trail from a career-threatening knee injury, was put through his paces in a one-on-one session on Tuesday which included ball work and some intense stretching.

The 32-year-old Socceroos veteran has been training with the club for more than four months.

Veteran midfielder Emerton has been impressed with what he has seen on the training paddock from his former Socceroos team-mate Culina, who has not played competitively since breaking down with a knee injury at the Asian Cup in January last year.

He started training again with Newcastle in last year's A-League pre-season before breaking down again and was controversially released by the Jets.

"Jason has made tremendous progress over the last couple of months and he's starting to join in our training sessions," Emerton said on Tuesday.

"He's looking good and we're all hopeful that he gets back fit and can join us at some stage because when he is fully fit he's obviously a fantastic player and will be a great addition to our squad."

Emerton is expecting a physical confrontation against Newcastle when Sydney play the Jets, who boast former England striker Emile Heskey, at the Football Stadium on Saturday.

Both sides are coming off disappointing season-opening matches with Sydney falling 2-0 to Wellington while the Jets were beaten by the same scoreline at home to Adelaide.

"They're going to be desperate to get some points on the board as well," Emerton said.

"There's no bad teams in the A-League this year, everyone's tough and unless you're up to the task 100 per cent you're not going to win football matches."

Emerton admitted Sydney let itself down against Wellington with a poor attacking display and attitude.

"We gave the ball away far too easy and we found ourselves chasing it much too often," he said.

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted October 09, 2012 16:04:04

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Culina dispute settled

Updated June 06, 2012 21:12:26

Football Federation Australia (FFA), Newcastle Jets and Jason Culina have ended a long-running battle over the A-League club's shock sacking of the Socceroos midfielder.

Culina was dismissed by the Jets on the eve of the 2011-12 A-League season, with the club citing medical concerns over their marquee man's surgically-repaired right knee.

The ensuing wrangle became more complicated when the Jets lodged a complaint under FFA's grievance-resolution regulations in January - claiming the governing body negligently allowed Culina to play for Gold Coast United without appropriate insurance.

Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) chief executive Brendan Schwab declared on Wednesday the parties had reached a resolution.

"The PFA is pleased that FFA, Newcastle Jets and Jason have reached a settlement by mutual agreement, the commercial terms of which are confidential," Schwab said in a statement.

"As a result, Jason's employment agreement with the Jets has also been terminated and he is free to continue his playing career elsewhere in the A-League."

Culina was happy to put the matter to bed and is confident he'll return to the A-League soon.

"I look forward to resuming my playing career as soon as I have completed my rehabilitation, which is proceeding very well," Culina said.

"I would like to acknowledge the efforts of FFA and the Newcastle Jets to achieve a settlement and to avoid further legal proceedings.

"I would also like to thank the PFA for the support it has shown me throughout."

As a result of the resolution, the scheduled June hearings of the National Dispute Resolution Chamber under the A-League Collective Bargaining Agreement will not proceed.

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, a-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted June 06, 2012 21:09:38

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FFA hits back at Culina insurance claims

Updated December 26, 2011 08:05:20

Football Federation Australia has fired back at claims the governing body is responsible for ensuring injured Socceroo star Jason Culina was insured by his A-League club.

The Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) on Thursday served the FFA with legal papers on behalf of Culina - reportedly suing them for $1.7 million - after it was revealed that the midfielder had not been insured since his return to the the A-League in 2009 with Gold Coast.

The PFA claims in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, the FFA has to ensure that insurance is in place to cover wages for at least two years in the event a player is injured.

The FFA hands this responsibility to the clubs in their licence agreements, but the players' union is arguing the FFA still has the responsibility to make sure the premiums are paid by the club.

"The PFA is trying to make out that this situation involving Jason Culina can be boiled down to a dispute between FFA and Jason over insurance," said FFA head of corporate affairs and communications, Kyle Patterson.

"This assertion is a red herring, a quite mischievous distraction from what's happening. You have to question the PFA's motives in running this line through the media.

"Our advice is that the Newcastle Jets have been meeting their obligations under Jason's contract, as they should.

"We also understand that Jason is working hard on his rehabilitation in order to get back into action."

And while the FFA would not discuss Culina's case specifically it made a point of clarifying the terms regarding insurance for marquee players in the A-League.

"Any club that decides to contract a marquee player does so knowing they are responsible for all costs, including insurance, and any liabilities arising from that engagement," the FFA said in a statement.

"The cost of marquee players, as with the benefits, rest with the individual club, not the FFA or the A-League or other clubs."

Culina suffered a serious knee injury representing the Socceroos in January, while he was contracted to Gold Coast.

After surgery, he signed a three-year $2.65 million deal with Newcastle but was ruled out indefinitely before even playing a game for his new club after suffering an injury in the preseason.

Just four days out from the start of the A-League season in October, the Jets announced they had sacked his coach and father Branko Culina and would seek to have Jason's multi-million dollar contract "set aside" amid fears he would never play again.

The World Game reported on Saturday that Culina was set to return to training in the next week after receiving a clean bill of health after surgery.

AAP

Tags: socceroos, soccer, sport, a-league, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted December 26, 2011 08:05:20

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Culina reportedly set to sue FFA

Updated December 23, 2011 17:58:47

Football Federation Australia (FFA) is reportedly facing a claim of about $1.7 million from injured Socceroo Jason Culina after it allegedly failed to ensure he was covered by insurance.

News Limited said the players union had served a grievance notice on the FFA on Thursday after it emerged that Culina had not been insured since returning to Australia to play in the domestic A-League in 2009.

The players union and FFA could not be reached for comment Friday, but a spokesman for the governing body told News Limited that a grievance notice, the process for complaints within the sport, had been lodged.

"But we will not make any public comment on the merits of the claim," he said.

Newcastle Jets made moves in October to cancel the contract of their injured player but the players union, the Professional Footballers Australia, said at the time it expected the club to honour the deal.

Negotiations with the Jets are understood to be ongoing.

The union is expected to argue that even if the FFA can pass on the duty of insurance cover to individual clubs, it is still bound to make sure premiums are paid.

Culina returned to Australia after a decade overseas playing with Dutch side Ajax, FC Twente and PSV Eindhoven, signing with Gold Coast United.

But Gold Coast failed to insure Culina and after he sustained an injury at the Asian Cup in January, Newcastle was unable to insure the player due to his existing injury, the report said.

Culina signed for Newcastle in February after he had knee surgery.

He later needed a further operation and was ruled out for the entire season.

AFP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted December 23, 2011 14:32:19

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Union set to back Socceroo Culina

Updated October 05, 2011 20:38:18

Australia international Jason Culina is shocked and disappointed by Newcastle Jets' wish to tear up his contract and the players' union is set to fight any case vigorously on his behalf.

Culina was part of a double axing by the Jets on Tuesday.

The club sacked his father - coach Branko Culina - and also served notice they wanted to rip up Jason Culina's $2.65 million three-year deal after he was last week ruled out for the season.

Jason Culina has not played for the club since he moved to the Jets from Gold Coast in the off-season.

He had struggled with a knee injury late last season.

But his latest setback and surgery on the eve of this season has prompted Newcastle, run by billionaire businessman Nathan Tinkler, to take the most drastic of action.

The Jets floated the prospect of 31-year-old Jason Culina taking up to three years before he could play again in a statement released on Tuesday.

Professional Footballers Australia chief executive Brendan Schwab spoke to Jason Culina on Wednesday and says injury is no basis for contract termination.

"He's very disappointed and very upset, not only for himself but his father," Schwab said.

"He is also recovering from a very difficult operation (to fix his knee), so he's going through those things as well."

Football Federation Australia has wiped its hands of any direct involvement in the Jason Culina dispute, confirming on Wednesday it had no authority to set aside a player contract as the Jets had asked it to do.

The matter is now set to go to the National Dispute Resolution Chamber, which makes binding decisions over contract disputes between clubs and players.

Schwab says he has no idea why the Jets had taken such drastic action over Jason Culina's contract, going back on statements they made a fortnight ago that the club would stick by the player.

"I met with the club two weeks ago and they said they were going to support Jason and we don't know what's happened since then to change the club's position," Schwab said.

"We regard such an application as unprecedented.

"Being injured is an inevitable part of being a footballer and the collective bargaining agreement makes contract security on that point sacrosanct.

"We look to Newcastle to honour and uphold its contractual obligations with Jason."

AAP

Tags: soccer, sport, newcastle-2300

First posted October 05, 2011 20:15:36

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Culina confident of comeback next season

Updated September 21, 2011 18:26:49

Having been signed under an injury cloud, Newcastle's star recruit Jason Culina believes the storm will pass and he will come back as fit as ever after his troublesome knee ended his 2011-12 A-League season before it began.

Culina was on crutches when he was announced as the Jets' marquee signing in February after undergoing surgery on his left knee and was on the verge of a return several weeks ago before suffering a separate injury to the same knee.

Initial reports said Culina would be sidelined for up to six weeks but the Jets confirmed on Tuesday their star midfielder will undergo season-ending osteotomy surgery next week.

The 31-year-old, who signed on a three-year-deal reportedly worth $2.65 million, was forced to defend claims he was a risky recruit given he was still injured when he signed.

The loss of the Socceroo midfielder has left a gaping hole in the side and Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby admits Culina's insurance situation has left them with no money to sign another marquee player.

But Culina was adamant.

"No (I was not a risk), not at all," Culina said at a media conference on Wednesday.

"I knew exactly what (the first injury) I had done, the club was well aware of that as well and I had all the confidence, as did the club, in me coming back from that.

"I was 24 hours away from playing my first match and unfortunately I felt a different kind of pain.

"It is something we haven't rushed into; we've decided as a last resort to get this surgery done, unfortunately it's come to this."

Culina, who will be 32-years-old and will not have played in the A-League for nearly two years when the 2012-13 season begins, insists he will get back to full fitness.

"I'm very disappointed," he said.

"There's been a lot of sleepless nights obviously, you don't enjoy when something like this happens, especially when you're coming to a new club.

"But I'm 100 per cent confident I can come back to a really high level.

"My aim is to play for Newcastle, keep playing for the Socceroos and just giving back to the club."

Jets coach and Jason's father Branko Culina would not comment on the massive setback to his squad only weeks out from the beginning of the season, but admitted he was disappointed.

"The club's spoken about it, Jason has spoken about it this morning so there's no need really for me to say anything more," Branko said.

"As a father, you're always disappointed with this kind of news and as a coach you're always disappointed, but that's all I can really say."

Middleby was more forthcoming and admitted the club could not afford a replacement.

"We've looked into the insurance situation and because it's the same knee we haven't got insurance money coming in," he said on Wednesday.

"But we're confident in the squad we've got.

"So at the moment we're comfortable and we're not going to look at signing any other players."

Culina, who spent nine years in the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and FC Twente before joining Gold Coast in 2009, said he was happy to settle for a mentoring role at the Jets.

"I think I can contribute off the field, help the younger players and the more experienced players," he said.

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted September 21, 2011 18:01:22

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Culina backs Jets to start strong

Updated October 07, 2011 14:14:38

Fallen Newcastle coach Branko Culina believes the Jets have the players and staff to carry on their impressive preseason form against Melbourne Heart on Saturday after his shock sacking on the eve of the A-League season.

The Jets' build-up to the new campaign was rocked on Tuesday with the club abruptly terminating the coach's contract and applying to have the contract of his injured son Jason also annulled.

While Culina could still not comment on the circumstances surrounding his dismissal on Friday, he threw his support behind the team ahead of the season opener in Newcastle.

The Jets were unbeaten in 12 preseason matches, winning 11 and drawing one against mixed opposition.

"It was a phenomenal preseason," Culina said.

"The players have been absolutely brilliant, the support staff excellent, there was a good feel about the club and they proved it in the preseason.

"The players have really worked hard to get themselves in that situation and I think there's no reason that that can't go on. I really do believe in the team.

"I'm disappointed I won't be a part of it, but I'm confident they will do very well."

Jets players this week said they would not be distracted by the week's dramatic events, with caretaker coach Craig Deans also insisting the players had been training hard for six months and knew what was required.

"We've done all the work in the preseason and the boys understand the gameplan and their individual roles and their roles as groups; defenders, midfielders attackers," Deans said.

"It's just about making sure they stay focused and keep pushing themselves and each other and to be ready for Melbourne Heart."

Deans has virtually a full squad to choose from ahead of the clash, though Marko Jesic (ankle) and Jeremy Brockie (quadriceps) are under injury clouds.

The Heart have their own injury woes, with veteran goalkeeper Clint Bolton out with a groin injury and back-up gloveman Nikola Roganovic set to come in.

Defender Simon Colosimo is also out with a calf injury, allowing teenager Curtis Good a chance to make his A-League debut.

The sides met in preseason with the Jets triumphing 1-0 in Morwill, Victoria, in August.

The Jets are reportedly keen to announce a new coach prior to their away clash to Wellington next weekend, with former coach Gary van Egmond linked with a possible return to the role from the Australian Institute of Sport.

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, newcastle-2300, nsw, australia

First posted October 07, 2011 14:14:38

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