Returning De Jong to boost Phl defense

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Dutch defensive midfielder Jason de Jong, the prodigal son of the Azkals, is back in the fold and expressed readiness to help the team.

“First of all, I’m just happy to be back, you know, I’m back here where I belong, by the way, and there’s no pressure for me at all,” de Jong said after a joint practice by the Azkals and the Under-23 pool at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

De Jong missed out the Azkals’ previous campaigns, in the AFC Challenge Cup playoff’s second leg in Mongolia and the tourney’s group stages in Myanmar as some sort of disciplinary measure for failing to join the team at camp.

He belatedly told team officials that his club commitments in Indonesia prevented him from hooking up with the team in those instances.

Coach Michael Weiss has given the currently unattached De Jong a second chance to play for Phl Under-23 team. With the suspension of midfielders Aly Borromeo and Stephan Schrock for the 2014 Fifa World Cup Asian qualifiers second round away leg in Kuwait, he got a good chance to get his old spot in the seniors team back.

“My role is always to be like the extra man in front of the defense, you know like play hard physically and just let no balls come through,” he said. “I’m just here to help and let’s see what’s gonna happen.”

De Jong last played as an Azkal in the home match against Mongolia at the Panaad field, where Phl scored a 2-0 win and eventually won the pairing on aggregate, 3-2.

“I’ve been part of team since 2008. Okay, I’ve not been playng in Myanmar, Mongolia, and I’m here now and there’s no awkward feeling towards the guys or the guys towards me,” said the 21-year-old, who also expressed his availability for the SEA Games in November.

De Jong foresees a tough match against Kuwait in the away leg on July 23.

“Kuwait’s ranked like 50 places above us; they play physical and they are very big guys. It’s gonna be a tough match, that’s what I expect,” he said.

Olmin Leyba, Philippine Star