Andre de Jong (Orlando Pirates FC | South Africa)

https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2025/09/29/all-white-andre-de-jong-could-still-switch-clubs-despite-failed-transfer-bid/

De Jong (28) is in the second year of a contract with South African Premiership club Stellenbosch who turned down an offer for him to join league rivals Orlando Pirates during the September transfer window.

Reports say a prospective deal fell through because his departure would have left Stellenbosch short of player options, especially as they are 14th in the 16-team competition.

De Jong plays in a number 10 role for his side.

Stellenbosch chief executive Rob Benadie told the iDiski Times: “The clubs just couldn’t reach the agreement.”

South African media reports indicate that the Pirates, currently fifth on the table, are expected to renew their interest in de Jong when the transfer window reopens in January.

Stellies host Kaizer Chiefs in Carling Cup QF

Recalled AW, De Jong on the pine.

QF finishes 0-0 and goes to pens. ADJ who came on at 72 mins doesn’t convert his pen in the shootout but Stellies win it 5-4.

After the FIFA break, Stellenbosch start their CAF Confederation Cup campaign with a trip to play 15 de Agosto FC in Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea the only African country with Spanish as it's official language.
ADJ will be racking up the air miles.

Well ADJ's club coach can't complain anymore. He got his AWs callup. But feeling is he didn't do enough. Tellingly not subbed on by Baze in Oslo.

Stellies CAF Confederations Cup tie in Ecuatorial Guinea against 15 De Agosto

No ADJ.
Pick up a niggle with the AWs?

Edit - finishes 0-0

Stellies host Golden Arrows in the PSL.

coochiee

No ADJ.
Pick up a niggle with the AWs?

Edit - finishes 0-0

Was the niggle and potential reason he didn't get real minutes with AW? Doubt it, just surprised he pick up a niggle

Adj brace!
Stellenbosch FC 4 - 3 Golden Arrows

In a classic episode of "What's a defense or who is defender" Stellies come up top(at last) in the shoot out with Lamotville Golden Arrows.

Lots of "first goal of the season" in this match lol, with both defensive coaches walking away in absolute shame lol

Well done, Andre. Is this the start to 20 goals? We can all hope.

https://youtu.be/Ei2cVeMtV-s?si=GUAGOfVQbrT_fHfn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=GUAGOfVQbrT_fHfn&v=Ei2cVeMtV-s&feature=youtu.be

ADJ benefiting both times from some questionable goal keeping.

Sounds like he didn't get to Equatorial Guinea on the weekend, as not easy to get to from Oslo.

Stellies having to play games in Cape Town as their home ground Danie Craven Stadium undergoes a facelift.

Stellies host 2nd leg (0-0) of their CAF Confederations Cup tie against 15 De Agosto

Fresh off 2 goals in his last game, ADJ starts for Stellies at their temporary home in Cape Town.

ADJ the 3rd goal in a 4-1 win

His 3 goal compilation from the last 7 days.
A brace in the PSL, and then his one overnight.

2nd year in a row, with Stellies into the group stage proper for the CAF Confederations Cup. They made the semis last season.
 

Andre De Jong hadn’t actually scored in 14 games (across all comps) to begin his season with Stellenbosch

But since his All Whites call-up he’s banged in three in a week#FlyingKiwis pic.twitter.com/NinQhndTri

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) October 26, 2025

Tomorrow
Carling Cup quarters, Stellies travel to Marumo Gallants.

https://us.soccerway.com/game/marumo-gallants-Gnghzo3C/stellenbosch-fc-fJsWcA5b/?mid=6u4aqbVQ

Stellies 0 - 4 Maruma Gallants

Stellies get hammered in the quarter finals of the Black Label Knockout Cup. Stellies clearly in a rebuilding phase with some of their young talent still needing to grow and made better decisions on the field. Its only going to get much worse as Adj contract comes to an end in January. Taking shots from crazy angles or distances when a pass would have served them better.

Stellies player their reserve goalkeeper in this match. It was really a tough day for him. On the plus side it's nice to see Adj take shots in the area instead of passing it. Amazing what a few goals can do for ones confidence

Full game ADJ.

Kaizer Chiefs the other PSL club in the CAF Confederations Cup with Stellies.

CAF CONFEDERATIONS CUP DRAW 

The draw for the group stage will be held on 3 November 2025, 13:00 local time, UTC+2), in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The 16 winners of the second round of qualifying rounds will be drawn into four groups of four.

The teams were seeded by their performances in the CAF competitions for the previous five seasons (CAF 5-year ranking points shown next to every team). 

Stellies travel to TS Galaxy in the PSL

Stellies 0-2 TS Galaxy

Stellenbosch bad run continues in the Betway Premiership with a 2-0 lose. Adj still chooses to pass the ball in the oppositions box instead shooting. He just does not have that killer instinct to make space and shoot. 

TS Galaxy is one of the youngest teams in the PSL with an average age of 22/23 yo. Stellies has to find a striker quick.

CAF Confederation Cup Competition Groups have been drawn with Stellies in Group C

Group C

Who knows which Stellenbosch is going to turn up in these games. Teams that tend to struggle in the PSL go on to do a bit better in this competition. Still think it's a poison chalice competition. Stellies better watch out.

Tanzania is very dodgy at the moment. Over 200 reportedly killed in civil unrest. The sitting President won the election with 97% voting for her!  Of course her two main rivals were barred or prevented from running. TIA

Might need a neutral venue for Stellies verus Singida Black Stars 

Wednesday
Stellenbosch host Siwelele in the PSL.
https://us.soccerway.com/game/siwelele-x6s5gTDd/stellenbosch-fc-fJsWcA5b/?mid=tSDZy99c

Wow! What a joke 97% of a population agreeing on anything is impossible. 

Only 85% of kiwis agree that the sky is blue. 

Saffa

Wow! What a joke 97% of a population agreeing on anything is impossible. 

Only 85% of kiwis agree that the sky is blue. 

 Having grown up in Dunedin, I can confirm the sky is grey

ADJ comes on at 54 mins (0-2) in a 0-2 loss

Stellies now 2nd last in the PSL

Last 2 seasons Stellies have over performed but ADJ not in the AWs 

Now they are really struggling and ADJ has been recalled. 

CAF Confederations Cup tie. Stellies host Otoho d'Oyo from the Congo

Funny how footie life is, Brockie complained about the same thing.
Don't really think Baze has a plan for Adj though. He needs to fill the numbers at the WC and Adj is a number.

He might as well pick an up and coming player than take someone he really doesn't believe in.

PS Stellies wins it 1-0 against the Congolese team in the Caf Confed Cup. A nice distraction from PSL difficulties.

coochiee

ADJ comes on at 54 mins (0-2) in a 0-2 loss

Stellies now 2nd last in the PSL

Last 2 seasons Stellies have over performed but ADJ not in the AWs 

Now they are really struggling and ADJ has been recalled. 

Baze only picked him in Oct because of a clash with ALM starting so left out Barba and Randall

Then in Nov, Wood and McCowatt were unavailable 

He didn’t give ADJ a min in the Nov games. He ain’t going to the WC unless they are 30 man squads which is unlikely 

He was an unused sub in last night's 1-0 win for Stellies.

Exactly! I know it's good to part of the lads on tour but if there is no chance (injuries included), Baze rather take an up and coming youngster on tour.

Stellies travel to Orbit College in the PSL.
Orbit College from North West province promoted to the PSL this season.

https://us.soccerway.com/game/orbit-college-xUvPtdff/stellenbosch-fc-fJsWcA5b/?mid=tAK3urGk

More news on Adj potential move to "The Buccaneers" Orlando Pirates in January 

https://www.kickoff.com/sa-news/orlando-pirates/katlego-mashego-hails-orlando-pirates-target-andre-de-jong

ADJ off the pine att 66 mins with Stellies trailing 1-0 at Orbit College

They turn it around to win 2-1

Interesting post in SA. Nathan Garrow of ACFC is looking to make a move to South Africa. He still has family in Cape Town and is looking for a new gig. 

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/local/sa-born-club-world-cup-goalkeeper-targets-psl-move-and-bafana-dream

Likely explains why Garrow hasn't linked up with AFC II. You'd think he was on their radar after the CWC. Worst cities to live than Cape Town for sure.

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/local/sa-born-club-world-cup-goalkeeper-targets-psl-move-and-bafana-dream

Wonder how Dublin Boon is going at Stellies?

If his targeting Cape Town to play, Stellenbosch FC, is the only team in the PSL at the moment. But typical agent speak they could mean PSL second division where there are others like Cape Town City.

I haven't heard much about Dublin Boon (I keep saying, Benson in my head lol). The reserve team have 3 goalkeepers in their squad, and Nathan Langeveld seems to be preferred. 

Stellenbosch DDC reserve team are in the top 3 in the league so they maintaining their high standard (I think they came second last season). The competition is high as the winners of the league traditionally get sent to Europe to play reserve teams in top European leagues. 

Last year's winners, Kaizer Chiefs will be playing Man Utd, Leeds and QPR reserves in the next few days. For township kids (mostly) who have never travelled before (not counting those that frequently go on trial) it's a HUGE incentive to win the Reserve League.

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/psl/kaizer-chiefs/chiefs-ddc-ready-to-represent-club-and-country-against-manchester-united-under-21s

CAF Confederations Cup tie. Stellies travel to Tanzania to play Singida Black Stars.

Hopefully ADJ and his mates can avoid the recent civil unrest there.

Fantastic article on the differences between MLS and the PSL. Timm is South African/American coaching in the States and the reason for the discussion is because Orlando Pirates talent, Mbokazi (20 yo) is signing for Chicago Fire. 

Bafana Legend and MLS Coach of the year, Bradley Carnell,would probably have been the best person to discuss the differences but he would probably get in trouble. Anyway....

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/psl/orlando-pirates/expectations-on-mbokazi-for-chicago-fire-revealed

Stellenbosch 1 - 1 Singida Black Stars

Played in Tanzania, Stellies concede a last penalty in the dying minutes of this game. To be fair, the Tanzanian team looked better in this game with Stellies looking to counter. Away football tactics.

Adj came in during the 2nd half and it appears that the Stellies coach is looking his other players opportunities now that Adj is likely to leave on January. 

They say the league table does not lie, and if Stellenbosch doesn't bring in reinforcements in January, there might not be a PSL team in Cape Town next season. 

Stellenbosch 1 - 1 Singida Black Stars

Played in Tanzania, Stellies concede a last penalty in the dying minutes of this game. To be fair, the Tanzanian team looked better in this game with Stellies looking to counter. Away football tactics.

Adj came in during the 2nd half and it appears that the Stellies coach is looking his other players opportunities now that Adj is likely to leave on January. 

They say the league table does not lie, and if Stellenbosch doesn't bring in reinforcements in January, there might not be a PSL team in Cape Town next season. 

Another interesting article and opinion on the standard of the PSL vs Belgium 2nd division league. The background to this story is, South African Mailula has moved to Kortrijk on loan from Toronto FC in October/November 2025 and hasn't started a game yet and the reporter is asking why. The reason is obvious, that Mailula did not have a preseason with Kortrijk  because his paper work (during transfer) got messed up. A Belgian coach gives his opinion on the standard of the PSL. Interesting read.

https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/psl/sa-players-abroad/insight-on-cassius-mailula-struggles-in-belgium

Thursday.
PSL and Stellies host Polokwane City.

https://us.soccerway.com/game/polokwane-city-ADz8rR88/stellenbosch-fc-fJsWcA5b/?mid=bqU44kkI