Dutch international forward Siem De Jong makes his long-awaited return for Newcastle on Saturday against Swansea at St. James’ Park after an injury-hit first season in English football.
Having played only briefly at the season’s outset before a hamstring injury sidelined him, the 26 year-old was on the brink of a return in February before he suffered a collapsed lung.
Alan Pardew had looked to build his new 2014/5 team around the no. 10 he likened to Teddy Sheringham when his former club paid £6 million for his services and John Carver will hope to finally harness the former Ajax Captain’s intelligence and goal-scoring ability.
‘He is a terrific player,’ said Pardew back in August. ‘I have been lucky enough to have managed great players — and he can be one of the best. He reminds me of Teddy Sheringham, the way he conducts a game and conducts himself.’
In Papiss Cisse’s absence through injury, suspension and African Nations Cup duty, Newcastle have lacked a cutting edge despite the attempt by Ayoze Perez to plug the gap while Carver’s only home win came with Manu Riviere leading the line alongside Cisse against Aston Villa.
While Riviere offers the hustle of a more physical striker, De Jong has a gifted football brain and guile that could prove the difference in the final third in tight Premier League encounters.
He scored three times against Manchester City in The Champions League for Ajax over two legs in 2012 including a brace at The Etihad and will look to dismantle the five sides Newcastle face before the end of the season. As well as an eye for goal which saw him bag 7 goals in 19 games for Ajax in 2013/4 – the exact same record the departing Yohan Cabaye notched for Newcastle – De Jong is equally adept at assisting others and leading attacks.
This was in evident in Newcastle’s midweek U21 win against Aston Villa, when he was at the forefront of every good attacking move and as well as setting up Adam Armstrong for one goal, he played in forgotten man Facundo Ferreyra for chances which hit the woodwork.
This vision and creativity is something the Magpies have been crying out for this season and will add another dimension to their forward line as danger men Ayoze Perez, Remy Cabella and Cisse latch on to his forward-thinking and ability to pick a pass.
He is adept in dead-ball situations as well, both taking and scoring direct free-kicks and using his 6ft 1in height to pose a real goal-scoring threat from corners which The Magpies urgently need.
De Jong’s elite experience – 6 Holland Caps have yielded 2 goals to add to 5 so far in The Champions League – and the natural leadership qualities which saw him named one of two Vice Captains along with Cheick Tiote at the outset of the season could prove important in the run-in.
Indeed, the diplomatic skills of a man born in Switzerland could prove useful in his time on Tyneside negotiating the off-field politics of life at the modern Newcastle United.
Protests against club owner Mike Ashley are set to continue for a second successive week and home game and De Jong will be aware that ending a 6-game losing streak at the lucky 7th attempt will be the fastest way to restoring fan harmony.
His spell on the sidelines has acclimatised him to how the club works off the pitch and behind the scenes and afforded him a chance to improve already eloquent English-speaking skills.
With five games to go and Newcastle not mathematically secure from relegation yet, it is on the pitch where fans, fellow players, management and the club owner will hope to see his return coinciding with a return to the club’s winning ways.
Fans can look forward to fantastic finishing with both feet and head in and around the box as well as a long-range drive with either foot – De Jong is dangerous anywhere in the final third.
He Captained Ajax to the Dutch title last season – a League just won by brother, former Magpie Luuk’s PSV side – and was a key figure in a Championship-winning side 4 years running.
Manchester United’s Daley Blind shared the Amsterdam Arena with him last year, a player coming into his own in The Premier League after early struggles with the pace of English football.
De Jong isn’t the quickest forward yet his instincts are razor-sharp, one of the reasons Alan Pardew compared him to former England and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham.
NUFC U21 coach, England legend Peter Beardsley, agrees that the Dutchman can have a big impact and can’t wait to see him play in a black and white shirt –
“Siem is a top player and I’m a fan of his,” Beardsley told Newcastle’s official website. “I was lucky enough to see him play for Ajax when they won the league on the last day of the season three years ago and he’s a player, there’s no doubt about it.”
After a dark period of just one win in 10 games, De Jong’s return provides some light at the end of the tunnel and with the imminent return of Paul Dummett, Rolando Aarons and Papiss Cisse, the well-respected and dangerous player could help The Magpies end the season on a high note.
