Arthur Papas has been contracted by A-League’s Newcastle Jets for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons and will commence work with the club immediately.
Papas previously worked with the club close to a decade ago as the team’s assistant coach.
“It’s an honour for me to become the Manager of the Newcastle Jets,” Papas said in his statement with the Jets.
“It’s a wonderful story having been part of the Jets almost 10 years ago and to be coming back here now as Manager to lead a club desperate to improve. I’m incredibly excited to work here.”
The 41-year-old has spent the last two-and-a-half years in Japan, first assisting Ange Postecoglou at Yokohama F. Marinos before taking the reins at J3 League side Kagoshima United in December 2020. He left partway through the season due to family reasons.
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As Postecolou was announced as the head coach of Scotland’s Celtic, eyes were on Papas as rumours swirled about him joining forces with the ex-Socceroo coach again.
It seems that other plans were in the works behind the scenes, and now Papas will bring his wealth of knowledge and experience back home.
“Arthur comes to the Club after building a significant resume in both the elite Australian football systems and more recently in overseas football structures,” Executive Chairman, Shane Mattiske said.
“He was the understudy to Ange Postecoglou, who has just established himself as the most successful Australian coach in Europe, with his appointment at Celtic and Arthur comes to us from a lead role within Japanese football.”
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Papas’ coaching CV also includes a stint in India with the U23 National Team and in Saudi Arabia as an assistant coach with Ettifaq FC.
It is the Jets’ hope that its new head coach will pull them out of what was not a particularly successful 2020/21 season after finishing second-last on the A-League ladder.
“At the moment there is a lot of work happening behind the scenes but the overall aim is always to make our supporters happy, and to do that we need to proceed with a recognisable style of play, a team that plays without fear to attack and a team that resonates with such a hard-working community,” Papas said.
