U.S. national team midfielder Jermaine Jones, who received 14 yellow cards in 20 Bundesliga games for Schalke 04 last season, has pledged to clean up his act and is willing to put his money on it.

The 30-year-old Germany-raised Jones, who also received an eight-week suspension in January for stomping on the foot of Marco Reus in a German Cup game, aims to get no more than five yellow cards in the 2012-13 season.

"I am going to bet with our general manager Horst Heldt that I don't receive more than five yellow cards in the coming season," said Jones. "One suspension is OK, but not more. ... I can become cleverer and more often go into a race duel than resort to a slide-tackle right away. ... In this league there are few who can run away from me."

(Playing for the USA, Jones received four yellow cards in the seven games in 2012.)