DeMerit handed new Watford deal Defender Jay DeMerit has signed a new contract with Watford, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2007. The American has impressed since joining on a one-year deal from non-league Northwood FC in the summer. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/watford/4006523.stm
Good catch!!! Now that's the kind of story/blurb I like to see... They had to give him a contract because he's done so well and they don't question his quality... Love it.
Here's the story from the Watford website: http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~588513,00.html?
THanks for the link... amazing to me how he jumped from the lower leagues of the USA game to the 2nd tier in England and seems to have settled in very well. I like the talk of his hunger and fight. I'm predicting he'll be a solid player in this league and who knows, maybe make it to the Premierleague if he keeps it up. He seems to pick up the game and new formations well.
Interesting comments from his coach: "From a positional point of view he was used to a man-marking system where he'd follow the center-forward if he dropped off into midfield, leaving big gaps at the back," explained Ray. "I didn't fell that he would get that out of his system, but he really wantes to make it and when you talk to him you can see how much he wants to play in our first team and that has helped him progress. He's eager to learn, asking questions all the time and he's one of that you know will make it - it's a question of 'when' rather than 'if' with Jay. I think he's going to be a top player."
from some reason i can't copy and paste from that web site, but what struck me interesting is the coaches comment that the American game is "entirely different style" really ,??? since when is this guy an expert on US Soccer. and says DeMerit adopted to the more technical approach of the game on that side of the pond , really ? no kidding , i never knew that, i was sure the english game is kick and run, high balls, and physical style but the guy makes it sounds his team is playing the latin style soccer. I think he ment tactical aproach definetly not technical.
He's too short to be a Center Back! (just wanted to head off the height-is-everything-when-you're-a-CB crowd). Good for DeMerit. Great story.
Seems (reading tea leaves) that DeMerit is seen/being groomed as successor to Cox (33 years old, and a real vet) for the longer term. It will be up to Jay and his performances (and lack of good Cox's performances) to push the old guy out (sooner vs. later)... But looks like Jay is strongly in their plans now...
It's obviously not in every league, but in England it certainly is. Bocanegra is considered too short for central defender by some and he's 6'0.
I'd guess he meant 'tactical' too , bearing in mind the next paragraph goes to detail the tactical differences in defensive play. Ps anyone who is sure English football is all 'kick and run and high balls' isn't in a strong position to criticise someone's apparent expert knowledge of football on the other side of the pond either.
Agoos, MLS defender of the year a few times and world cup star, couldn't make the cut on a relegation-bound 2nd Div. side--in his prime.
I'd stake a middle position here. Jeff was a bit too small and considerably too slow to make it in England where his skills weren't necessarily a rare find. It seems like the YAs who have had a difficult time making it in Europe were similarly the smaller slower types who exhibited skill on the MLS level but were unable to rely on it when matched against even the more skillful Euro based players. On the other hand, a number of MLS defenders with decent physical talent - height, weight, speed - could have probably given a good shot on the ColaShip level. Much like DeMerit, they would have had to learn the English game from the ground up but guys young and old, from Borchers to Frasier to Petke and Pierce, might have benefited from English coaching, though they may have been required to pay their dues in lower leagues first.