De Jong finding it tough to stay patient at Newcastle

Siem de Jong has conceded he is struggling to stay patient as he waits for opportunities at Newcastle United.

De Jong has been restricted to one Premier League start since his move to St James’ Park from Ajax in July last year, having been beset by injury problems in his first season on Tyneside.

A thigh problem and a recurrence of a collapsed lung he first suffered while at Ajax limited De Jong to five appearances in his maiden campaign.

And he has found chances to impress hard to come by under Steve McClaren, who has used the 26-year-old almost exclusively off the bench this season. 

Asked if he was hopeful of starting at Crystal Palace this weekend following Newcastle’s 3-0 home defeat to Leicester last Saturday, De Jong said: “I don’t know. I’ll just wait to get my chance.

“I’ll do my best in training and get as many minutes here and with the Under-21s as possible to stay fit. I’m just waiting to get my chance. I hope it comes quickly, but it’s up to the manager.

“I’m fit, but I haven’t played for a while. I’ve been fit all season. It’s not a question of being fit, it’s a question of getting a chance for a couple of games in a row.

“I speak to him [McClaren] a lot. He thinks I’ll get my chance, so I have to be ready for it.

“The manager sees me a little bit more as an offensive player. I could play a little bit more [further] back as well. It’s a little bit of a different opinion.

“I hope I get my chance whenever he thinks I’m ready for it. It’s tough being patient. It’s difficult. But I need to stay prepared.”

Saturday’s 3-0 home loss to Leicester City left Newcastle languishing in 17th.