22 February 2011

De Jong picks Persiba Balikpapan from many offers

Azkal Jason De Jong finally signed with Persatuan Sepak Bola Indonesia Balikpapan Football Club in the Indonesian Super League, after numerous offers in Indonesia.

"During the Suzuki Cup, a lot of people actually approached me wanting to be my manager and agent. To be honest though, I listened to everyone. I kept everything open. Actually I said yes to five different people, but then again I just picked the right one, the one that I like," he said.

"It's a big club in Indonesia. I think this is right for me. I hope I can develop there," said De Jong, who trained with the team on Tuesday.

News circulated that De Jong signed with Sriwijaya FC, another Indonesian football club. However, he clarified on his Facebook page that he did not sign with Sriwijaya due to disagreements on the terms of the contract.

The main concern though is will his stint with the Azkals be affected.

"I had a meeting with coach Weiss and Dan Palami and they said, 'Jason, we're gonna look for something that will work with the Azkals because we need you a lot here. Maybe not always for the first 11, but just to have you here for the team spirit,'" De Jong said.

Still available for national duties

Even if he has already signed with Persiba Balikpapan, De Jong assures that he will still be available to play for the Philippine national team.

Aside from their plan to beat Mongolia in Ulan Bator, De Jong is also excited for the Southeast Asian Games in November.

"Coach Weiss wants to build a youth team, and a lot of new guys are coming. If you think about it, they will be the Azkals in five years. They'll be the ones carrying the Philippine flag then. It's double the honor for me since I'm playing both in the Azkals and in the U-23 squad," he ended. - Mav C. Gonzales, JVP, GMA News

GMA News

5 comments:

  1. "he clarified on his Facebook page that he did not sign with Sriwijaya due to disagreements on the terms of the contract."

    Then why did the Sriwijaya Post report that he didn't get a contract with Sriwijaya because he didn't impress them during his trials?

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  2. No, the coach of sriwijaya wanted a playmaker or AMF, while De jong is a DM.

    cheers

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  3. I dont get why there is so much negative gossip about the guy. He is integral to the midfield and gives us the toughness and stability we never had. He is not the finished article yet but with his age, he will only get better. I almost get a feeling there are people who dont like him and are creative negative publicity. A this point I dont know why people bother. The guy will be in Indonesia and who cares if the other team didnt want him. Who cares if he didnt make it in the Netherlands. Like I said, I am not worried about this guy's career. What people should be surprised about is that at this point he is the only Filipino player who has been signed to play for a professional club in South East Asia. Thats no fluke and shows how good he really plays.

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  4. His stint with balikpapan was so shortlived......

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