hmmmm, tells you all you need to know about the Dutch league really, he's at one of the big clubs and going well, but still not satisfied there: Asked about his longer-term future, De Jong said that it would be ideal if Newcastle "are promoted first and then I return to play in the Premier League". I'm not sure we should take our chances with this walking disaster for much longer - bring him back in the summer and see how he does close season, if he looks like he can hack it, give him one final chance, otherwise throw him back to the crappy Dutch league with an automatic buy clause, Cabella/Santon style.
Cabella, Santon, Thauvin have all put in better individual performances than De Jong. I don't think De Jong has every played a game for Newcastle and been at the peak of fitness, I reckon he has always had a niggle or lack of fitness. Could he do a job in the PL, I don't think anyone knows really, I would get him back for Pre-season, run the rule over him and make a decision before deadline day
well Santon was clearly a decent player, but his situation was different to Cabella, Thauvin and De Jong, Santon wanted to stay and the fans wanted him to stay, he was basically forced out so the board could make a few mill. Re Defoe: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/03/2...s-want-rafael-benitez-to-make-move-for-sunde/ Well that would be a good deal (and perhaps send Colback back as part of the bargain....), but I can't see it,he's massively popular up there and would he want to sour all that? He's definitely leaving in the summer, but surely West Ham is his likely destination? Former club and his London background.
To be fair De Jong looked great in the pre season before the injuries came. After he never really cut it. Obvious leadership qualities. I don't think you can dismiss him out of hand or have enough evidence to say he was not good enough. Indeed his international form, CL form and time at Ajax suggested he was definitely good enough for Newcastle
De Jong suffered a series of freak injuries. I think he will do a job here if he stays fit. He's done that at PSV this season. I blame those that were managing him. If you have the likes of Pardew, Carver and McClaren as your manager you are clearly going to struggle.
I don't think you can even pin it on those guys to be fair. They were not to blame for some weird and wonderful injuries. I don't know. Often we look for the obvious thing to pin something on: he wasn't cut out for the league; he didn't fancy it; he was too lightweight; he was poorly managed; etc etc. Sometimes you are just **** out of luck to be honest. The injuries come and one leads to another, until it gets to the point where all the fans are saying "he's a crock". Sometimes that is true of course. Sometimes you get a HBA and he is just so unprofessional, it doesn't matter who the boss is, he will undoubtedly discover a way of letting you down. There are things that you can pin on Pardew, Carver and McClaren no doubt, I just don't think injuries or unprofessional tossers are among them. They are essentially responsible for managing the team tactically and picking the team. There are a plethora of highly qualified coaches taking care of the other facets. They can't really be held responsible for a collapsed lung or some tosser acting up.
I wasn't blaming the injuries as such. Some of them were just freakish and strange. However, I do generally blame them for the state of the side at the time he was fit. That can be pinned on them. De Jong is clearly a talented player. Yes, he lacks pace, but his footballing brain compensates for that. I suspect that a fit De Jong, under a good manager will be a completely different player. I may be completely wrong of course. I would be willing to give him a second chance though. He's our player after all and I don't see clubs beating the door down to sign him.
To be fair he is the sort of player Pardew would have got a lot out of if he'd been fit. Pardew liked those players like Cabaye. They don't need managed mentally as such because they have a good brain and leadership qualities.
My guess is Rafa will have a look at him pre-season and decide he's not for him and move him on. I think Rafa likes pace in attack and that's something De Jong doesn't have. Will be interesting to see what happens (if we go up, etc, etc).
I'd definitely be open to him coming back as long as he's fit. hes a smart player but does need people on the same page around him. When he was fit and on the ball at the time the rest of them just used to stand there staring into space most of the time
My memory may be playing tricks but did his return to the team (last season I think but may have been the season before) in place of Perez not result in a significant upturn in form until he got crocked like 5 games later. Pretty sure it did and wish i could be arsed to check line-ups and results to confirm it...
You have to wonder whether these were freak injuries though. Cutting your foot with a dropped salad cream bottle is a freak injury. Two collapsed lungs maybe not.
That's because he is a significantly better player especially in a 10 role. Perez is a poacher for me. He's good in the box in a tight situation. We always asked him to be doing too much because he was at least putting some effort in.
There is likely to be some good options around in the summer. Sigurdsson wants a move, probably a bit above our station but you never know. The likes of Markovic (Hull) and Traore (Boro) are Rafa type wingers. All these guys know the league. I know many are against purchasing from teams going down or struggling, but they are not all bad players. If someone said to me we'd get Sigurdsson at 10, Markovic wide, and Defoe up top I'd be over the moon.
I don't think he will be above our station - he tried a top 6 club and failed (or not given the chance), that then leaves the rest of the PL. I suppose an Everton would be slighlty higher than us but from position 12 downwards we would have a chance?
Swansea aren't going down though and he suits their style. I'm not sure why he would leave there to come here if they don't get relegated. He and Defoe are the two stand out quality players though, no doubt about that - though Pickford is a possibility, I'm not sure I can realistically say it as they'll lynch me on their board for doing so!