Siem Says Squad Must "Prove Themselves"

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

With the Tyne-Wear derby fast approaching, Siem de Jong has spoken of the need for the Newcastle United squad to "prove themselves" to new manager Rafa Benitez.

The Black Cats are the visitors to St. James' Park on Sunday (1.30pm kick-off) with both sides battling for the points they need to ensure their Barclays Premier League survival.

The game also marks Benitez's first home game in charge of United, and de Jong - who made his comeback from an eye injury as a substitute at Leicester City on Monday night - reckons the former Real Madrid boss' arrival will create healthy competition in the Magpies' squad as the players seek to establish themselves under Benitez.

"Always when a new manager comes, things change, and a lot of times when a new manager comes in you see people, even in training, with a different sort of spirit," the 27-year-old told nufc.co.uk.

"Everybody knows who he is and where he's worked. He's worked at the top teams in the world so for us it's good to have a manager like that. Hopefully he can help us get the much needed points.

"Everyone's got to show themselves again, everyone's got a new opportunity to prove themselves so I think competition will go up in the team and it will only be good for the performances, hopefully.

He added: "The manager has his way how he wants to play, and I think it's a good way. He really tries to put his mark on the team, even in three days (prior to the Leicester game), and hopefully in the next few days he can do a little more and he can train more on the tactical parts that he wants to improve.

"We need to show it on the pitch next week."

If selected, this weekend's clash would be de Jong's first taste of a Tyne-Wear derby.

And, having returned to fitness after a two-month lay-off due to that freak eye injury he suffered in training, the former Ajax skipper wants to make the most of the fresh start handed to him by Benitez - and says the team's sole focus this week has been on the derby with Sam Allardyce's Sunderland.

"Hopefully I'll get my minutes in the coming games and hopefully I can help the team as much as I can, and we need everybody to be ready," he said. "A new manager brings new opportunities for everybody, so everybody will be willing to show what they can do so we'll see next game what happens.

"It's the next game, so it's the most important one. Of course it's Sunderland and there's going to be a lot of talk about it, but for us it's the next important game. We've got nine games to go, so we're focused on the next one and we need the points. It doesn't matter who you're up against."