Newcastle United midfielder Siem de Jong is determined to help his side turn their fortunes around, but is ready to remain patient for his chance to do so.
Newcastle’s no. 10 is yet to start a Premier League game for the Magpies this season, and has been featuring regularly for the Under-21s in order to maintain his match fitness – most recently against West Bromwich Albion on Monday .
Speaking with the Shields Gazette, de Jong was questioned about the possibility of a prolonged run in the first-team:
I don’t know, I’ll just wait to get my chance.
I’ll do my best in training and get as many minutes here and with the Under-21s as possible to stay fit.
The Dutchman signed for Newcastle last summer, but his debut season on Tyneside was ravaged through injury. The former Ajax captain says he is now fully fit and raring to go:
I’m fit, but I haven’t played for a while. I’ve been fit all season. It’s not a question of being fit, it’s a question of getting a chance for a couple of games in a row.
I think we had a couple of pretty good games which we didn’t get the results we deserved.
We were lucky against Bournemouth, but (Leicester) was a bad game. I’ll just wait to get my chance.
Newcastle boss Steve McClaren will no doubt be considering changes after Saturday’s horror-show at home to the Foxes, and de Jong could be one of the names called upon to improve the Magpies’ dwindling side.
The 26-year-old has been restricted to a bit-part role from the substitutes bench in recent weeks with Newcastle adapting a 4-4-2 formation, a strategy which isn’t conducive to de Jong’s natural no. 10 position.
But de Jong insists he is happy to play wherever he is needed:
He (McClaren) sees me a little bit more as an offensive player. I could play a little bit more (further) back as well. It’s a little bit of a different option.
I hope I get my chance whenever he thinks I’m ready for it.
It’s tough being patient. It’s difficult, but it happens in football. Everybody wants to play. I need to stay prepared.
