Busch-bashed

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 6, 2008

JOSH LEESON A-LEAGUE

THE Professional Footballers Association has taken action against the Newcastle Jets for wages allegedly owed to former triallist Beau Busch.

The PFA claims that Busch, who will face the Jets tomorrow with new club Sydney FC, should have been paid for two months work for Newcastle between July 13 and September 14 this year and that he was verbally offered a three-month contract as an injury replacement for Shaun Ontong.

Jets CEO John Tstasimas denied last night an offer had been made to Busch and said he was only ever trialling for a position in the squad.

At the time Busch was still contracted to NSW Premier League club Manly United. He played two pre-season matches with the Jets in the backline but was overlooked once the season proper began.

Former Melbourne back Daniel Piorkowski was instead signed on an injury waiver. Busch was subsequently signed by Sydney FC as an injury replacement for Simon Colosimo.

After being cut from the Jets squad, Busch contacted the PFA, who wrote to the Jets.

"We've filed him a grievance procedure under the collective bargaining agreement against Newcastle Jets over a replacement player contract that Beau was offered," PFA chief executive Brendan Schwab said.

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Unwanted Busch in dispute with Newcastle over payment

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"He was offered a three-month deal, verbally accepted it and for the next two months he continually worked for the club and asked where the contract was and was consistently told they were sorting it out and they would back-pay him."

Schwab said the PFA wrote to the Jets immediately after the complaint was lodged.

"We wrote to the club requesting payment and the club has essentially ignored our correspondence," he said.

"We then referred the matter to the grievance procedure under the collective bargaining agreement and a hearing will be scheduled in due course."

The hearing is expected early next year on a yet-to-be-determined date.

Tstasimas said a contract was never offered to Busch because of problems getting a release from Manly United.

"There was never any inducement with the player being a contracted player," Tstasimas said. "The player was there trialling for a position as a replacement player.

"There were certainly approaches made to his club about borrowing the player for a period, which was in the middle of Manly United's season.

"They wouldn't let him go for the period so [Jets coach] Gary [van Egmond] had to go in another direction, yet they're making a claim for a player we had no hold of."

The Jets and their previous incarnation Newcastle United have had a history of payment disputes with players and coaching staff.

Earlier this year former Jets assistant coach Jean-Paul de Marigny was awarded $165,000 plus costs over his 2006 sacking.

Strength and conditioning coach Lee Clark was also successful in pursuit of monies owned, as was former Newcastle United players Matt Bingley and Joey Schirripa.

Busch, who is a former Broadmeadow Magic junior, would not comment on the dispute with the Jets yesterday but said he was looking forward to fulfiling a dream of playing at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

"It'll be a bit different. I always hoped I'd play there [EAS] with the Jets, but it turns out it's with Sydney but that's the way things turn out," Busch said.

"Leaving Newcastle wasn't really the best thing.

"It wasn't the way I hoped it would turn out there, but that's the way things worked out and they've probably worked out for the best, to be honest."

Since leaving the Jets Busch has impressed at Sydney and signed a one-year deal with new franchise the North Queensland Fury for next season.

Jets fans are expected to give fellow former Newcastle players Mark Bridge and Stuart Musialik a hostile reception tomorrow and Busch knows he will also have his turn.