Andre de Jong (Stellenbosch FC | South Africa)

Bugger.
Stellenbosch (GD +15) lose 2-1, and Orlando Pirates draw (GD +18) with SuperSport, so that both teams end up on 50 points. Pirates edge 2nd spot, and the automatic CAF Champions League spot on GD.

Stellies finish 3rd and get a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup. Which based off Saffa's post above could be a financial poisoned chalice for the club.

ADJ on at HT with Stellenbosch down 2-0.

He seems to have been in good form of late, and might be rewarded with a OFC Nations Cup callup, with Wood unavailable.

https://us.soccerway.com/national/south-africa/psl/20232024/regular-season/r75930/

Stellies just ran out of steam in the end.  What a huge achievement for Stellies players and management team to finish 3rd in the Psl. Qualifying for the Caf Confederations Cup and the Top 8 Cup.

Congrats to Adj for a wonderful season by staying fit and really putting a shift in. It would be awesome if Stellies ownership financially back them for the Confederations Cup but its understandable if they don't. Their reserve team won their development league so there is a wonderful crop of talent to blood into the 1st team. 

Stellies are at risk of losing some quality young players to the PSL Big 3, MLS and European teams. The PSL fight with wyscout however could be a massive stumbling block to MLS or European transfers. Pure idiots!
Playing in Africa would definitely be good for Adj development and career. It is tough, frustrating and the need to be resilient has the potential push him to the next level

Niche Cache.
Probably a bit unlucky to miss out to Greive re AWs & the Nations Cup.

Bazeley maybe doing his mate Corica a favour, keeping Alex (AFC deal pending?) fit in Vanuatu??!

From all of us at Stellenbosch Football Club to you, the Maroon Army, thank you for your incredible support throughout the season 🫶 pic.twitter.com/Z3TghxrEUl

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) May 31, 2024

Remember how the Stellies had that remarkable 25-game unbeaten streak across all competitions? A club record stretch with Andre De Jong proving a key player throughout? Yeah that was awesome. Then they lost 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semi-final... which was fine because Sundowns are the best team in South Africa. Except they followed it with a 0-0 draw vs AmaZulu, a 2-0 loss to Swallows, a 1-0 loss to Sundowns again, then a 2-1 loss to Richards Bay. After 25 games undefeated they did not win again in their final five outings. Didn’t have the legs. So it goes.

Sadly that caused Stellenbosch to drop to third on the ladder. Level on points with Orlando Pirates but with a worse goal differential by three. Pirates took one point from their last three fixtures, Stellies took zero points from their last three fixtures. Not an ideal way to miss out on Champions League qualification. They beaten in the final round by a Richards Bay side that needed to win to avoid a relegation playoff and were thus that little bit more desperate.

At least there’s still the consolation prize of the CAF Confederation Cup. ADJ made 34 appearances across four different competitions this season with seven goals and three assists to his name. Not sure on his status for next season but he only joined the Stellies 18 months ago so you’d assume he’s still under contract.

Up Next: Was his great form in 2024 enough for an All Whites recall? No

As Storm Roux and James McGarry can testify the All White team really doesn’t seem to be picked on form. Perhaps Rufes too can attest to this.

Which you can understand for a hot streak, but Roux and Central Coast have two seasons of frankly excellence on the CV. There’s nothing left to win in Australia right?

Sometimes it feels like Bazeley selects players who are out of form or favour such as Woud and Smith, and perhaps Nando, to try and get them in the window for a better club deal. Ahh- and you’re saying Alex G. here perhaps, rather that Alex d J. Anyway that’s a different thread and discussion, perhaps relating to the various strengths of opponents and our historical lack of competitive games at a level some of our players are now at.

But great to see another kiwi in the form of his life and doing good things on the pitch!

Andre D J

New season in Suid Afrika underway.
Pre season 8 Cup quarter final, and Stellenbosch beat TS Galaxy 3-1.

ADJ with Stellies 2nd goal. Some match highlights here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62wHOR9yCvc

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/08/04/south-africa/8-cup/vasco-da-gama/ts-galaxy/4466366/

Stellies have been drawn against Nsingizini Hotspurs from Swaziland in CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round.

Like Jeremy Brockie before him ADJ is likely to get some exotic African country stamps in his passport, if Stellies get to the CAF Confederation Cup group stages.

Stellies travel to Swaziland, CAF Confederation Cup tie, 1st leg.

ADJ starting for Stellies.

Edit - and scores with a tap in, to put Stellenbosch 1-0.

Andre de Jong with our first-ever goal in continental football 👏 pic.twitter.com/SS9Rvd36ZW

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) August 17, 2024

Stellenbosch go on to win 3-0.

This away leg played in Durban. Presumably the Swazi team's home stadium not up to scratch.

CAF Confederation Cup, 2nd leg. Stellies up 3-0 after leg one.

ADJ starts.

Stellies won 5-0 (8-0 on agg). ADJ the 3rd goal.

8 Cup semi final first leg. Stellenbosch travel to PSL heavyweights Mamelodi Sundowns. ADJ has a nice scoring record in Cup games, but Sundowns are still easily the best side in the Republic.

Cape Town City and Orlando Pirates are in the other semi.

PSL kicks off mid September.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/08/28/south-africa/8-cup/mamelodi-sundowns/vasco-da-gama/4505181/

ADJ 76 mins (1-0) in a upset 1-0 win for Stellies. 
Looks like De Jong was up front as a 9.

2nd leg this weekend at Stellenbosch - who now have a real shot to get past the best team in South Africa and into a Cup final.

Sundowns have a new coach this year. I'm not convinced that he will end the season at with them but if he does, it will be a good opportunity for the other teams in the league to catch up. 

This is Adj 3rd (last year) season at Stellenbosch so let's hope for a good one. A few of their star young players have left but they have recruited well and the reserve players have impressed (Next Gen Champions)

8 Cup semi 2nd leg. Stellies (1-0 up) host Sundowns.

De Jong starting.

Off at 72 mins after getting the assist for Stellenbosch’s goal in a 1-0 win (2-0 agg). Into the final after two statement wins over Sundowns 

MOTM. This home semi actually played at the big Durban stadium rather than the smaller ground in Stellenbosch.
 
Stellies will play Orlando Pirates in the 8 Cup Final.

Next is a home & away CAF Confederation Cup qualifier against Vita FC from the Congo DR.

A Man of the Match performance from Andre de Jong on his 50th appearance for the club ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/RyvTP1QvwB

— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) September 1, 2024

Andre de Jong with the assist as the Stellies beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 on aggregate (1-0 in each leg) to advance to the MTN8 final #FlyingKiwis https://t.co/NGk4tSWHVd

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) September 1, 2024

Via Niche Cache. Starting the new SA season strong. Must be not far off an AWS recall. Maybe if a few guys are unavailable in Oct or Nov.

Could do himself a favour and try the ALM with either AFC or the Nix next year, if he wants to have a chance of WC 2026. The PSL is too much off our radar.

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🎙️ Stellies forward Andre de Jong!

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Shouldn’t be. We’ve had players there before. 

Think he may be on some decent coin as well compared to what he could realistically get here 

martinb

Shouldn’t be. We’ve had players there before. 

Took Hudson sometime before finally picking Brockie even though the ‘Sniper’ was a prolific goal scorer there with SuperSport. 

Yes but had no problem picking Boxall. Brockie had opportunities but was never prolific for the All Whites. National team coaches will always have their own ideas on players and how they fit into their system. Adj stats as a forward is improving (on the assist but not goals) and that makes him a luxury (not in a good way) for the national team. But if you going to play him just behind a lone striker where he is helping the midfield out (like his doing for Stellenbosch) then it will work. But like Brockie his had opportunities and hasn't kicked on besides I think the coach believes there are better players for that position. 

Saffa

Yes but had no problem picking Boxall. Brockie had opportunities but was never prolific for the All Whites. National team coaches will always have their own ideas on players and how they fit into their system. Adj stats as a forward is improving (on the assist but not goals) and that makes him a luxury (not in a good way) for the national team. But if you going to play him just behind a lone striker where he is helping the midfield out (like his doing for Stellenbosch) then it will work. But like Brockie his had opportunities and hasn't kicked on besides I think the coach believes there are better players for that position. 

From the between Two Beers Pod- Brockie had a theory that Tony Hudson took a leaf out of Pep’s book on management and cleaned out senior figures. 

Apparently him, Mossy and others took squad complaints to Huddo early on and were never picked again. And then later Brocks read Pep’s book and something similar was suggested there. 

AdJong has current form and regular minutes ahead of most of his competition, who differ from him also in that they are smaller wing forwards or wingers and he is bigger and more experienced playing through the centre in a strike pair.

It's early season in South Africa. Getting the winning assist and MOTM against big club Sundowns is certainly noteworthy. 
Bagging some goals against a minnow club from Eswatini ain't. 

Hudson eventually had to pick Brockie through his sure weight of goals at SuperSport, and there just being no one else to back up Wood. 

So some sort of precedent there for ADJ, though think it's more likely a young player such as Gillion, Randall, OVH, Bayliss going on a scoring/assist run in the ALM who breaks into the current AWs squad. As Old basically did last season.

I think you right about Hudson cutting off the " old guard" in order to give an image of a clean slate. Brockie was definitely like Marcus Rashford though. When hot, his super hot, when cold, he can't score in Amsterdam. 

A national team coach will always have political pressure from local football officials to pick players from the local teams (Nix and now AFC). This pressure also comes from paying fans who see their favourite players every week. This happens every where is the world. Not picking local players (rightly or wrongly) always gives fans an impression that the local league ain't strong enough and can effect commercial sponsorship and media attention. But to be very fair on national team coaches, they always looking to create a bigger squad of players by blooding new (young)players into the international environment.

Adj could certainly be effected by this. Stellies should make the Confederations Cup Semi or Final and maybe with that media attention, could help with his selection.

As predicted it looks like nearly half the Stellenbosch squad that did so well last season have moved on. However Stellenbosch has recruited wisely and promoted players from their reserved squad (some really talented players coming up) . 

The question is though, can Stellenbosch match the performances of last year when so many players have left and will this disrupt Adj stats? 

Stellenbosch host Vita Club from the DR Congo in a CAF Confederation Cup tie, 1st leg. 

Return game in Kinshasa 23rd Sept. Hopefully ADJ and his team mates are taking some MPox precautions.

ADJ 77 mins (2-0) in a 2-0 win

Stellies start a new PSL season by hosting Golden Arrows.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/09/18/south-africa/psl/vasco-da-gama/golden-arrows/4505462/

ADJ on at 64 mins (0-0) in a 0-2 loss.

Stellies maybe with one eye on their away CAF Confederation Cup tie in Kinshasa, DR Congo this weekend. Will be an interesting old trip for a boy from Auckland.

The last PSL club that did that in this competition got relegated. Poison chalice.

Can the coach blame the loss on all the "shots" the players had to take to go to the Congo?

Yes you would be checking your little yellow book to make sure, all the vaccines were up to date plus some.

I'm sure they will be staying in a nicer part of Kinshasa, but from the little I've seen or read she is a dodgy joint. And now you have mPox, though that might be more an epidemic in other parts of the huge DRC.

I think it is that part of Congo. Team doctor will be busy. Don't think playing football would classify as "close contact" to get mpox. It's everything else that's the issue:) Wonder if going to the Congo qualifies for " danger pay" lol