Andre de Jong (Stellenbosch FC | South Africa)

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (6th), win 1-0 at Chippa United (13th)

This week's Flying Kiwis.

"Meanwhile we finally have some news of Andre De Jong, who has been out of favour and rumoured with release and currently happens to be injured for AmaZulu. Reports say that he’s “still out, but he is nearing a comeback” so that’s promising. "

SA healthcare system like the rest of the country is split in two, Gov Hospitals ( for the poor and uninsured) and Private (insured). World Class (private) vs satisfactory to inadequate/ yes there are horror stories like every where in the world(government). The Government Specialist Hospitals are world class. SA Medical Community - world class. Not every hospital in SA is a covid hospital so yes people can still have safe operations especially if they insured and professional footballers.

 Guys please some perspective, South Africa has done a much better job with Covid than a lot of first world countries with much less resources eg US, Eng, France etc, etc

Glad to hear Andre will soon return from injury but I fear he will return to sit on the bench. Hope he gets a chance but suspect he will be released at the end of the season. The new owners of Amazulu are very ambitious and Benni McCarthy might want that international spot from Andre for fresh talent. Hope I'm wrong.

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (5th), beat TTM (15th) 2-0.

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (3rd), win 1-0 at Black Leopards (16th).

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu win 1-0 at Stellensbosch.
AmaZulu up to 2nd, and are unbeaten in 15 PSL league games.
But Sundowns are still top by 3 points, plus they also have 3 games in hand.
De Jong you think will be looking for a new club at season's end.

Still on the outer as AmaZulu (3rd) draw with Mamelodi Sundowns (1st).
AmaZulu (7 games left) really needed to win, to have a real chance of catching Sundowns (Brockie's old club).

Mamelodi 6 points ahead with 2 games in hand (9 games left). 

AmaZulu with a 2-1 win over TS Galaxy. Neither De Jong or Bevan feature 

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (2nd) win 5-1 at Cape Town City (7th).

AmaZulu (5 games left) have had an amazing turnaround under Benni McCarthy. Struggling early season near the bottom to pushing Sundowns for the title. Unbeaten since 13th Jan (3.5 months ago). Only a point behind, though Sundowns have 2 games in hand (7 games left).

Wonder where de Jong will go next.

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (1st) win 5-1 at Golden Arrows (3rd).

AmaZulu go top, but Sundowns (2nd) have 3 games in hand and are only 2 points behind.

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (2nd, 3 games left) lose 0-1 to Baroka (9th).

Result almost ensures Sundowns (1st, 4 games left) will win PSL title now. 7 points clear with a game in hand.

AmaZulu will clinch a CAF Champions League spot though (top 2).

Still training hard by the looks of it.
https://www.amazulufc.net/high-performance-column-may-2021/

Hasn't been in a match day squad since December last year. 

Worth a trial at the Nix for next season perhaps, if he can get out of his contract (one year to go)? 

From memory he trialled for Rudan, but he's had 2 years since then as a full time pro (admittedly injury interrupted) - so hopefully an improved player. AmaZulu (2nd) have had an amzing 2nd half of the season, so not totally bad news he's been on the outer. 

It's only that Sundowns have been nigh unbeatable (1 loss all season), that's stopped AmaZulu from having a real crack at the title (7 points behind with 3 games left).

Not in match day squad as AmaZulu (2nd) lose 1-0 at Orlando Pirates (4th).
Mamelodi Sundowns officially wrapped up the PSL title, yesterday with a win over SuperSport.

One win from their last 2 games will secure a CAF Champions League spot for AmaZulu.

coochiee

Still training hard by the looks of it.
https://www.amazulufc.net/high-performance-column-may-2021/

Hasn't been in a match day squad since December last year. 

Worth a trial at the Nix for next season perhaps, if he can get out of his contract (one year to go)? 

From memory he trialled for Rudan, but he's had 2 years since then as a full time pro (admittedly injury interrupted) - so hopefully an improved player. AmaZulu (2nd) have had an amzing 2nd half of the season, so not totally bad news he's been on the outer. 

It's only that Sundowns have been nigh unbeatable (1 loss all season), that's stopped AmaZulu from having a real crack at the title (7 points behind with 3 games left).

https://www.amazulufc.net/vacancy-high-performance-manager/
Anybody in Aotearoa interest?

 I do think he will be released at the end of the season. If there isn't an opportunity at the Nix then there might be close to home....I mean his KZN home lol. There is a possibility of 1 or even 2 teams from KZN being promoted to the DSTV Premiership. There could be possibilities lol
The other teams in KZN - Maritzburg United have filled their international quota. Golden Arrows (Amazulu cross town rivals) players are primarily from their academy. They could be in the Confederations Cup next season if they finish 3rd but they will consider the continental competition as a liability rather than an asset. They have outperformed this season and about 20% of their top players being sold to the big three.  

coochiee

Still training hard by the looks of it.
https://www.amazulufc.net/high-performance-column-may-2021/

Hasn't been in a match day squad since December last year. 

Worth a trial at the Nix for next season perhaps, if he can get out of his contract (one year to go)? 

From memory he trialled for Rudan, but he's had 2 years since then as a full time pro (admittedly injury interrupted) - so hopefully an improved player. AmaZulu (2nd) have had an amzing 2nd half of the season, so not totally bad news he's been on the outer. 

It's only that Sundowns have been nigh unbeatable (1 loss all season), that's stopped AmaZulu from having a real crack at the title (7 points behind with 3 games left).

He had a trial when Rudan came in. Different coaches but hard to think he's improved much since then given the lack of game time. 

You never know. 

Mcgarry barely played in Holland his last season there (though Eredivisie yes way above level of PSL). Lewis also hardly featured for Scun-thorpe and had to restart in the amateur Handy Prem. Both of them were basically earlier ignored by the Nix.

De Jong worth a trial at least - but all moot if AmaZulu wouldn't release him on a free. I'm sure Greenacre would already have an opinion, and on any others who trialled at the Nix pre Uffie's arrival.

Speak of the devil. On the bench as AmaZulu (2nd) host Swallows (5th).
De Jong's first appearnce in a match day squad since Dec last year!
With a win AmaZulu will confirm 2nd place, and a CAF Champions League spot.

coochiee

You never know. 

Mcgarry barely played in Holland his last season there (though Eredivisie yes way above level of PSL). Lewis also hardly featured for Scun-thorpe and had to restart in the amateur Handy Prem. Both of them were basically earlier ignored by the Nix.

De Jong worth a trial at least - but all moot if AmaZulu wouldn't release him on a free. I'm sure Greenacre would already have an opinion, and on any others who trialled at the Nix pre Uffie's arrival.

Eredivisie is not way above the PSL or A-league.  With the excepton of Ajax and maybe PSV it's more or less evens. 
Outside of the big 3/4 the level isn't as far away. The biggest advantage that leagues like the Eredivisie have is their ability to field any EU player in the first team. 

When a European clubs signs a player from the PSL, they signing that player for the first team eg Peter Leeuwenburg who is signing for Groningen to be their 1st team goalkeeper. Boxall didn't sign with the MLS to go down to the USL to "development because MLS is way above". Are there areas where teams can improve on absolutely eg the small teams need better off and on the field organisation. Those "way above" days are long gone.

Dre has shown that he is able to compete. Hopefully he finds another team in the PSL or even the Nix. He need to improve on his goals/assist percentages though.

Unused sub as AmaZulu (2nd) beat Swallows (6th) 1-0.
AmaZulu confirm their CAF Champions League spot. 

At times like this we really need a BS button to push

coochiee

You never know. 

Mcgarry barely played in Holland his last season there (though Eredivisie yes way above level of PSL). Lewis also hardly featured for Scun-thorpe and had to restart in the amateur Handy Prem. Both of them were basically earlier ignored by the Nix.

De Jong worth a trial at least - but all moot if AmaZulu wouldn't release him on a free. I'm sure Greenacre would already have an opinion, and on any others who trialled at the Nix pre Uffie's arrival.

McGarry was regularly playing reserve football while being named on the Eredivisie bench a ton tbf, and Lewis was quickly becoming a key part of the Scu nthorpe picture before his injury and the club’s relegation battle. Not sure how much football de Jong’s actually getting

mrsmiis

coochiee

You never know. 

Mcgarry barely played in Holland his last season there (though Eredivisie yes way above level of PSL). Lewis also hardly featured for Scun-thorpe and had to restart in the amateur Handy Prem. Both of them were basically earlier ignored by the Nix.

De Jong worth a trial at least - but all moot if AmaZulu wouldn't release him on a free. I'm sure Greenacre would already have an opinion, and on any others who trialled at the Nix pre Uffie's arrival.

McGarry was regularly playing reserve football while being named on the Eredivisie bench a ton tbf, and Lewis was quickly becoming a key part of the Scu nthorpe picture before his injury and the club’s relegation battle. Not sure how much football de Jong’s actually getting

Eredivisie does allow 12 man benches to be fair, so don’t know whether he’d be making a 7 man bench for example. Also, Willem II reserves aren’t second tier like Jong Ajax/PSV/AZ, so the level might not have been the high, but for pure match fitness I get your point.

BS buttons are for cowards who would rather stop a discusson than have an opinion. It's only through discussion that we can learn from one another, see if ideas and thoughts hold up to fact and grow. 

McGarry has done himself a world of good playing for the Nix. Nothing like 1st team football to improve your game. There comes a time when not even European Reserve League can help you growth. I'm sure he will see himself in Europe soon. Good lefty his hard to come by.

Andre had a good first season with Amazulu before the injury. A club official said that a European club was looking at him before the injury. I must admit I was sceptical because Andre has no goals (as an attacking midfielder) and his assist ratio is poor. But talk like this usually comes from players agents not the club itelf. On the match fitness side I'm sure his rusty because covid protocols would have prevented him playing in reserve game. With Amazulu qualifying for the Champions League, Benni McCarthy will need reinforcements.

I’m not even going to bother talking sense to someone who thinks the a league is more less equal with the Dutch teams with the exception of Ajax and lord even a maybe with PSV 🤣😂🤣😂

AucklandPhoenix

I’m not even going to bother talking sense to someone who thinks the a league is more less equal with the Dutch teams with the exception of Ajax and lord even a maybe with PSV 🤣😂🤣😂

A wise man proportions his beliefs to the evidence - David Hume

Teams like Heracles, Sparta, Heerenveen, PEC Zwolle, Willem II etc etc are not "way above" the PSL or A-league. But they do have a structural advantage by  being able to play a full 11 players from the EU vs PSL and A-league who have to play majority South African/Australian/NZ in their squads.

But even with that advantage it still isn't "far way" technically. The evidence is in PSL players transfering directly into European leagues 1st team squads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Munetsi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keagan_Dolly

Just two examples of players from the PSL that went straight into Ligue 1 1st teams. Some people will say Ligue 1 is higher than than the Eredivisie. This is not always the case. Now I know, I can hear the BUTS from here. And I can go all day with example of players that have gone direct from the PSL to European 1st teams.

Your bias (everybody has them) will say the PSL is not high because the South African National team is not that good. But international teams are a poor measure of leagues strength. Because the evidence shows England vs Iceland, Argentina inability to win anything and a famous NZ WC 2010 performance.

It's not just me saying PSL is a good level but the European coaches who are buying these players for their 1st team. If you do well in the PSL or A-league and then called up to the national team there is no reason why you cannot play european football or MLS (Michael Boxall - Thanks PSL) especially if you under the age of 26. The way above days are over if you are a full time profesional player playing in a competitive league.

I know BUT, BUT, BUT..... BUT the evidence is clear. 

First start for a long time, in a dead rubber (AmaZulu already locked down 2nd spot), in a 0-0 draw at Maritzburg United (13th). Maritzburg avoid relegation.

De Jong subbed off at 69 mins.

Daniel Morgan got a nice 20 min cameo off the bench, to finish his career at Maritzburg.

Wise man  - who on earth are you quoting with your quotation marks? or is it your way of hammering home an unwise point? If you were quoting someone then don’t put words into my mouth. I did not use those words - read above wise man

Saffa

AucklandPhoenix

I’m not even going to bother talking sense to someone who thinks the a league is more less equal with the Dutch teams with the exception of Ajax and lord even a maybe with PSV 🤣😂🤣😂

A wise man proportions his beliefs to the evidence - David Hume

Teams like Heracles, Sparta, Heerenveen, PEC Zwolle, Willem II etc etc are not "way above" the PSL or A-league. But they do have a structural advantage by  being able to play a full 11 players from the EU vs PSL and A-league who have to play majority South African/Australian/NZ in their squads.

But even with that advantage it still isn't "far way" technically. The evidence is in PSL players transfering directly into European leagues 1st team squads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Munetsi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keagan_Dolly

Just two examples of players from the PSL that went straight into Ligue 1 1st teams. Some people will say Ligue 1 is higher than than the Eredivisie. This is not always the case. Now I know, I can hear the BUTS from here. And I can go all day with example of players that have gone direct from the PSL to European 1st teams.

Your bias (everybody has them) will say the PSL is not high because the South African National team is not that good. But international teams are a poor measure of leagues strength. Because the evidence shows England vs Iceland, Argentina inability to win anything and a famous NZ WC 2010 performance.

It's not just me saying PSL is a good level but the European coaches who are buying these players for their 1st team. If you do well in the PSL or A-league and then called up to the national team there is no reason why you cannot play european football or MLS (Michael Boxall - Thanks PSL) especially if you under the age of 26. The way above days are over if you are a full time profesional player playing in a competitive league.

I know BUT, BUT, BUT..... BUT the evidence is clear. 

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

"Andre De Jong started a game! It’s been a weird old experience for him in South Africa, he started alright in late-2019 but then he broke his foot on All Whites duty and honestly just hasn’t had much of a look in since. It’d been rumoured since the start of 2021 that he was going to be released as this suddenly overachieving squad culled some of its more extraneous talent... but ADJ is still hanging around all the same – in fact he’s outlasted Dan Morgan and Myer Bevan at their PSL clubs (Jeremy Brockie too, going back a lil further). 

And with a rotated cast in the final league game, nothing else to play for, he was given his first AmaZulu appearance since October and just the second of his season. He was also been named on the bench the previous game (unused sub), his first matchday squad feature for six months.

Dan Morgan, by the way, was on the bench for Martizburg seeing as he’s leaving the club and everything. He’d play the final seventeen minutes of the thing coming on for Daylon Claasen who’d already been booked. De Jong was replaced in the 69th minute so they didn’t quite overlap on the pitch... and by the time Morgz got out there both teams were pretty happy with a draw, the game kinda petering out. A point was all that Maritzburg needed to avoid the drop.

But before that there were some quality ADJ moments. He might even be a little pissed he didn’t emerge with a goal to his name. Twenty minute in he tried to get through on the keeper but the keeper got out quickly to shut him down and on 54 mins he showed some clever off-the-ball movement after a bit of skill out wide to work a crack at goal but although he struck it very well there was a killer save to deny him. A pity because he’d looked desperate to prove himself. Plenty of energy and determination and all that. Probably still gonna be released now that the season’s come to a close, at least that’s the impression in the local media... but good to see him give the scouts something to peek at.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe90-VC5EEQ
Andre was so unlucky. Really well played. 

Stumbled across this tweet. Dispelling the notion white men can't dance. Presuming AmaZulu celebrating grabbing a CAF Champions League spot.

But seems he got injured late last year, and actually had knee surgery, contributing to him being out for so long.
https://twitter.com/Coachsunz/status/1400212210954113029

His had a horror season. Great to see him on the pitch in the final game. 

lol the singing and the dancing is an everyday thing. That's South African football culture. Can't hurt that you've just qualified for the CAF Champions League.

I still think we in for a surprise with Andre whether he stays or leaves Amazulu. 

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

"Checking up on the lads who were in South Africa last season and there’s still no news about Dan Morgan signing elsewhere after he was released by Maritzburg, while Myer Bevan’s already back scoring goals for Auckland City after he left TS Galaxy. Andre De Jong is hanging in there though... despite an apparent burst of “fake news”. This from Kickoff.com regarding the rumours...

Earlier this week it was alleged that McCarthy, who lead Usuthu to CAF Champions League qualification lasts season was still in Scotland despite the club starting pre-season two weeks ago. New Zealand international forward Andre de Jong was another named bandied out to have failed to return, while Sphesihle Maduna was claimed to have been offloaded. KickOff.com understands visa complications during the Covid-19 pandemic halted their returns to pre-season while the club has since confirmed McCarthy took the squad for training this weekend.

ADJ hardly played at all for AmaZulu last term due to injuries and being out of favour and he was linked with an imminent release throughout the second half of things. However after not playing since the opening game of the season he was suddenly recalled to the bench for the second to last match and then started the final one with AmaZulu’s league position already sorted. Played pretty well too, unlucky not to grab a goal (read about it here).

De Jong still has a year remaining on his contract and after an incredible second placed finish by the club last time there’s continental footy to worry about now too which could mean more opportunities for the dudes at the other end of the squad. It’s also had their manager Benni McCarthy – once a teammate of Ryan Nelsen’s at Blackburn Rovers – linked with more lucrative PSL gigs which is probably why those rumours of him going AWOL had the legs that they did. Fingers crossed for the ADJ resurgence."

@saffa, how would you rate the south african league compared to the A-League?

Not in the match day squad as AmaZulu lose 1-2 to Cape Town City in the 8 Cup.

PSL starts next weekend.

AmaZulu start their PSL season with a 1-0 loss at last season's champions Mamelodi Sundowns. Amazulu were of course 2nd last season.

De Jong an unused sub.
 

De Jong a 80th min sub, as AmaZulu draw 0-0 with Swallows in the PSL.