The Holland and Manchester City midfielder admitted he should have received a red card, not a yellow for his chest-high challenge on Spain's Xabi Alonso.
The Dutch lost an ill-tempered game after John Heitinga was sent off and De Jong was vilified at home and abroad.
De Jong told De Volkskrant: "At no time did I see Xabi Alonso because I was focused only on the ball.
"Actually, when I think back about it, it was not good at all. Of course the referee (Howard Webb) should have shown a red card for the foul. That is obvious."
The incident left De Jong fearing for his safety.
"I had the feeling that there were people who wanted to harm me," he said.
"I've been public enemy number one on many occasions. Honestly, people treated me like a war criminal. It was an unpleasant sensation." Tweet
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Been an absolute rock for City - as good as anyone out there at what he does. Of course the Xabi Alonso foul was a mistake, made by someone who was too pumped up. Hopefully he will learn and get better for the experience.
The recriminations have been ridiculous and I think the over-the-top media witch-hunt after the Ben Arfa challenge was an even worse reaction.
Yes, it was a wreckless challenge on Alonso that deserved a RED.
But we must remember that he was in a World Cup final, getting hopelessly outplayed by one of the best footballing teams I've seen and the blood was pumping.
I'm sure NDJ regrets that challenge.
And for the life of me, I couldn't see the supposed scissor challenge (looked like trailing knee going into the standing leg).
But it didn't stop the media and Talk S**t* bringing the subject up and up again for the best part of a month.
Even Derek Bird & Raul Moat didn't get that amount of media coverage between the 2 of them.
But we City fans will be forever grateful for what he has brought to Man City and he could well be heralded for many years after his time at City.
And I'm sure that the City fans will show their appreciation and name him as runner-up to Vinny in the Player Of The Season awards for the Blues.
Above the player (Tevez) who was in the running for the National Player Of The Season awards!
Quality geezer is NDJ loves the club aswell.
Don't want to get carried away here, but...... Nigel is God.
There is no room in our beloved game for nasty players, Nigel should have got a red for a terrible challenge and in some ways has paid a worse price for not getting sent off, in his defence I think he HAS learned from the experience, I have been to all the home games this season and when played he has been brilliant, always puts in a shift solid and fair, we need him in the run in & the final thats for sure. Come on you mighty blues !!
A truly Marquee signing one of the very, very best and a nice person.
A year later and this tackle is still brought up again and again and again!
Scholes did a career threatening tackle 1 week a go, and nothing is mentioned.
Nigel get over it, (thats if it wasn't another none story by our media?) you're very much loved in Manchester.
I'm glad you wear the Blue.
CTID
Nigel de Jong is class personified. Completely honest, no BS, hard as nails. HE is the player that we miss the most, not Tevez.
It's not like any other player has done a bad tackle and still been looked at as a god by the media. I hate to say it, but think of Keane and Scholes!! So let's all just look at how brilliant Nigel has been playing and focus on the positives.
What's the point of raking over old coals? We're almost 12 months on from when the incident happened, I just don't see the relevance of this article. We all know that he got panned in the media for his tackle - too much so in my opinion, particularly in the Dutch press. There is no new revelation about the incident in the piece above, it's just Nige sounding off to a Dutch newspaper.
Agree he should have been shown a straight red. Very poor ref not giving it. But I for one hope he stays at City for a long time. Great player who does his job well.
ok so if nigel is a nasty player or one who goes out to harm players how many red cards as he had this season NONE he is without doubt a tough tackler but he is fair he will win the ball nigel you are a fantastic player and im sure for all the stick you recieved for the challenge on alonso we a city never thought you meant it you were donig what you do playing to win not hurt i know ben arfa was hurt and at the time the press started having a go but he dident even get booked as it was just a terrible accident so nigel put what others say out of your mind we all at city are right behind you
everybody should type into google "vicious or unfortunate" though the article sets out to condemn NDJ it proves the point he's being singled out by the press compare him to say rooney or scholes he's done nothing untoward . may be it's just our turn to be the bad boys in the eyes of the unbiased press including TMEN
No comparison with....
Potatohead's elbow - on the Wigan player with foul mouth to boot!!!
Carragar - the gash on that red scum
Cantona - on a spectator
Scholes - well on Zaba (and almost every other play in the past years.
Keane - thw well documented Haaland
I rest my/NDJ's case!!!
De Jong - war criminal
Scholes - A true gent who just mis times tackles...
Says it all really.
De Jong is a fantastic hard tackling midfielder who quite rightly should have been sent off during the world cup (which he openly admits). He was vilified for the fair but hard tackle on Ben Arfa yet there have been many more far worse cynical tackles this season which have ended up in terrible injuries. To me this was just another excuse for the media to take a pop at our great club at the slightest opportunity. Scholes is a thug of a player (albeit gifted) whos 10 career red cards have all been deserved.
Roll on 14th May!