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Siem de Jong admits he’s lived his life “in the shadows” since moving to St James’ Park.

But with his injury problems over he is now ready to become a big part of Steve McClaren’s oranje tinted revolution at Newcastle United.

The former Ajax spoke at length to Dutch football magazine ELF Voetbal Magazine this month about Newcastle’s Dutch contingent, whether the club can aim for the Champions League and the extent of Steve McClaren’s transformation of the club. De Jong is eloquent, intelligent and clearly desperate to make an impact and it makes for fascinating reading.

CAN NEWCASTLE EVER REACH THE TOP FOUR AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE?

“We must hope that two or three of the six clubs (competing for it) have a bad season. Who knows what might happen then? Maybe then a Champions League ticket comes into the picture for us. But the ambition of the club is clear: to win things. We want as much as possible to do well in the English cups.

“Newcastle is a big club in England. Given our status and financial resources, we must try for eighth place. And then hope to look upwards, not downward like last year, when we were almost relegated.”

ON ENGLISH FOOD... AND FISH & CHIPS:

“I don’t really like it! I can’t understand why the British find it delicious. And I can’t understand those beans at breakfast.

“I don’t understand but Tim Krul will eat them – but he’s almost British now!”

ON INJURIES:

“I have had a very tough period with injuries. I had a torn tendon in my thigh and a collapsed lung. The procedure because of the collapsed lung was pretty severe.

“I lost six kilos but because while you don’t feel injured, you can’t really rehabilitate in the same way.

“It was very different with the tendon injury. You start with strength training and build up gradually. I was halfway through last season and had just recovered from that injury when, from nothing, I got a collapsed lung. I think I only trained with the group for about two months last season.

“I was often alone. My teammates worked at the games, and I had a quite different schedule. I lived last season in the shade.”

ON LIFE IN NEWCASTLE:

“Life is good here. Newcastle is a big, fun town – a real student city, which makes it lively. The coast is a fifteen minute drive.

“In order to get to know the town better I decided to rehabilitate here and not in Amsterdam or anywhere else. People are calm with me here, I can walk on the streets without trouble. They don’t know too much about me at the moment with my injuries.

“I have seen a few fans seen with my name on their shirt and hopefully it even more if I’m going to play. I live together with my girlfriend close to the center in a student district. Friends come regularly and family along.”

ON PLAYING WITH HIS BROTHER LUUK:

“I’m very happy for him that he now doing so well at PSV. He had tough periods at Mönchengladbach and Newcastle but now everything falls into place for him at PSV. I think Luuk wanted to make the step abroad.

“When that happens you need luck. Partly due to injuries and the arrival of other players who were picked it was not quite right for him in Germany and England but setbacks are part of life. Look at my first season here.

“They knew about him in Newcastle because Luuk played here and in retrospect it is unfortunate that we were not able to play together. I came when Luuk left but it remains a dream to play together again.

“It’s pretty special that now I play in the Premier League, one of the best European leagues, and Luuk has also played there. That’s special. “

NEWCASTLE’S DUTCH CONTINGENT

“Dutch is not yet the language of the dressing room! No, the French rule still here.

“There are about ten French players. We, as Dutch, seek each out but everyone has his own life. My friends are Tim Krul, Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor and Jack Colback.”

THE DUTCH INVASION OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE:

“I’m not really surprised. The Premier League is a fantastic competition and I understand that many Dutch are heading this way. There are a lot this season and they’ve equalled a record, I read. And there are also a few in the Championship.

“English clubs know that in the Eredivisie there is a lot fo quality running around and they can now get almost anyone they want, especially after the new TV deal.

“When you see how many transfers there have been this summer, that’s not normal.”

STEVE MCCLAREN:

“I’ve had several conversations with the manager. He is very satisfied with me. He said that he wants to follow the Dutch School (of playing). That means that we do not just play long ball, only if we have to.

“I am very happy with the arrival of Wijnaldum and see him not so much as a competitor. I can play with him. We can use all of our good players. We now have a strong team and I have faith in us having a good season.

“I feel good and have had a good preparation. The summer I also did well. It was nice that I didn’t have any injuries – I went on holiday to New York and Ibiza and came back with my head cleared.”