ANGUS Thurgate can expect Newcastle Jets National Youth League coaches Lawrie McKinna and Labinot Haliti to be on his case this season.
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Thurgate was the club’s second-top goalscorer during a tour of China in July where he played in three of their five games.
Since then, McKinna and Haliti have kept a close eye on the former Port Saints junior.
“We pulled him aside after training one day and told him we think he has what it takes to be an A-League player,” McKinna said.
“He knows we’ll be harder on him this season and that’s because he just has got something.
“I don’t say that to too many players just for the sake of it, but we don’t want to see a player with plenty of ability do nothing with it.”
McKinna and coach Ernie Merrick were impressed with what they saw soon after Merrick signed to become the club’s first grade coach last year.
“We played a game against Charlestown and Ernie and myself went out there to have a look and he was the best player on the park,” McKinna said.
The former Port Saints junior moved to Newcastle full-time at the start of 2016, sacrificing the comfort of home surrounds for a football career.
We pulled Angus aside after training one day and told him we think he has what it takes to be an A-League player.
- Newcastle Jets Youth League coach and chief executive Lawrie McKinna
It started as a drive three days a week from Port Macquarie to the Hunter with the Emerging Jets and then became a permanent move when he was selected in the club’s youth program.
Over the last 12 months he has attended regular first-grade team training sessions and has been one of the more consistent players in their youth setup.
“When you get a taste of it and come back down to youth level you know what’s expected and what you have to do to get back up there,” Thurgate said.
“It just makes you want to work harder.”
The centre midfielder said he had struck up a relationship with first grade midfielder Steve Ugarkovic and fan favourite Labinot Haliti.
Haliti co-coaches the Jets youth team alongside chief executive Lawrie McKinna.
“It was good that they have offered bits of information to me,” Thurgate said.
It just makes you want to work harder.
- Former Port Saint, now Newcastle Jet Angus Thurgate
“Labi was a player last year and even at the end of last year when he knew he was going to be taking over coaching, when I was training with him he talked to me about what I could be doing better.
Thurgate doesn’t hold high hopes for a first grade debut in season 13 which starts in Gosford on Saturday, but remained hopeful a first grade appearance was on the horizon.
“I think it will be longer than a year but you never know because people can change their mind on players and then you get injuries,” he said.
“It would be very surprising if I did play this season but hopefully in the next couple of seasons I can break through and get some game time.
“I’m a lot more experienced this year than last year, but I guess you could say I’ve got to sharpen up a bit on a few things that will make me a better player.”
The talented midfielder said his grounding with Port Saints and the FMNC competition had set him up to chase his A-League dream.
It would be very surprising if I did play this season but hopefully in the next couple of seasons I can break through and get some game time.
- Angus Thurgate
He felt there could be more players following in his footsteps from the Mid North Coast.
“Port Saints were a great club and FMNC put themselves in the right competitions for me to get scouted,” he said.
“What the Jets did when they came up to Port Macquarie; it’s a chance for country players to get established with A-League clubs.”
