Newcastle Jets can today confirm that goalkeeper Mark Birighitti will re-join the club for the Hyundai A-League 2015-16 season.
Birighitti, who has made over 50 senior appearances for the Jets since linking with the club in 2012 from Adelaide United, will return to the Hunter having spent the second half of last season on loan to A.S. Varese in Italy’s Seria B.
The one-time Socceroo and regular former Australian youth international will arrive back in Newcastle tonight, and will link with his Jets teammates for pre-season testing on Monday.
Birighitti said that he feels he’s picked the right time to recommit to the Jets and is excited to work alongside the club’s fresh on and off field personnel.
“I believe this is the right move for me to come back to the Newcastle Jets,” Birighitti said. “I believe the appointment of the two new senior coaches, Scott Miller and ‘JP’ (Jean-Paul de Marigny) are good ones.”
“I feel that they (Miller & de Marigny) have the right qualities and the right attributes to get the best out of every player and to make the Jets a real force. That’s something that I really want to be a part of.”
“Special mention to the Jets members and passionate fans, they deserve every bit of success in the Hunter.”
“The future looks bright.”
Birighitti said he feels he progressed as a player during his time on loan with the side from the 8,213 capacity Stadio Franco Ossola, despite only featuring in a handful of matches.
“It was a fantastic experience,” Birighitti said of his time in Italy’s second tier. “I was playing and training with some top quality players over there in a fantastic league, so I definitely learnt a lot. The experience has matured me a lot as a person and a player.”
“But that’s in the past, now I am really looking forward to getting back to Newcastle, starting fresh, and getting amongst it with the boys first thing Monday morning.”
Birighitti said he is keen to play alongside one of his best mates, Daniel Mullen, during Hyundai A-League season 11.
Indeed, Mullen moved into Birighitti’s apartment when the latter left to join ‘The Leopards’ on loan in January.
“Daniel Mullen has been a close friend of mine since the Adelaide United days when we played together, so I am really looking forward to playing with him again,” Birighitti concluded.
