De Jong ready to join national team to SEAG

By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine football team has not closed its doors on Jason de Jong, the Fil-Dutch midfielder who was dropped from the Azkals crew for disciplinary reasons.

Coach Michael Weiss said the 21-year-old De Jong could return to the Phl fold, albeit not as a member of the Azkals seniors squad yet but via the under-23 team being formed for the Southeast Asian Games.

The defensive specialist has earlier fallen out of Weiss’ graces after he failed to show up in the Azkals’ second leg against Mongolia in the AFC Challenge Cup playoffs and the succeeding group stages last March. He belatedly told Azkals officials that his commitment to Indonesian club Persiba Balikpapan kept him from playing for Phl in the said competitions.

But after getting sacked by the Indon club for “breach of contract” early this month, De Jong has expressed his interest to suit up for Phl again.

“De Jong is out of the team now, he goes back to Holland and he comes back to train with (Phl) Under-23 (pool),” Weiss said during a break in the Azkals’ practices at the Rizal Memorial pitch.

“He’s taking a step back (in the U-23) and if he can prove himself and correct himself a little bit in his attitude, he can come back,” he added.

De Jong’s possible comeback, though, won’t happen in the Azkals’ next outing, the Fifa World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Sri Lanka on June 29 and July 3. But he may carry the country’s colors in the SEAG in Indonesia, where he’s still eligible under the meet’s age limit of 23, and help win Phl’s first ever medal in men’s football.

“In the Under-23, yes but in the men’s team (Azkals)? Not now. Maybe later,” said Weiss, who will also handle coaching chores for Phl in the Indonesia SEA Games.