Jay DeMerit
Jay Michael DeMerit ( born December 4, 1979 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is an American football player.
The defender plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer.
Youth and College
Until 1998 he attended Bay Port High School in Green Bay. He was also active in three sports. In addition to football, he played basketball and was part of the school athletics team.
After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and played in the local football team selection. While he was employed at the High School as a striker, he stood in defense. With the team he reached the 2000 NCAA playoffs. Towards the end of his college, he played for a short time Chicago Fire Premier in the USL Premier Development League.
After his college graduation, he was not required by a Major League Soccer team. He then worked for a while as a waiter before he took the advice of a former teammate and went to Europe. Thus, the grandfather came from Denmark, he was able to get a work permit in the EU, the opportunity to play for a European club. He left the U.S. in 2003 and played from 2003 to 2004 at Southall FC in the ninth English league.
In July 2004 he moved to Northwood F. C. in the seventh English league, where he completed three games of the preseason. Northwood also played against Watford FC, who played in the Football League Championship. During the game DeMerit was discovered by the then manager Ray Lewington, and invited to a two-week trial. After this time, he signed a one-year contract with the second division.
Watford FC
In his first season for the club the team played against relegation. In the season 2005/ 06 Watford promotion to the Premier League. On 21 May 2006 DeMerit scored the first goal in the play-off final against Leeds United. With this 3-0 victory, the club rose to. He had become a regular player of the team.
His contract was not renewed in June 2010.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
On 18 November 2010 was known that DeMerit to the new MLS franchise, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, will change. It is therefore been the first player to have committed the Whitecaps.
National
On 28 March 2007 he made his debut for the U.S. national soccer team against Guatemala. In the same year he also participated with the national team at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
During the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 DeMerit was used as a defensive midfielder, after Carlos Bocanegra was injured. He played in both the semi-final win against Spain, and in the finale where the U.S. Brazil documents.
With the Football World Cup 2010, he played in all four games with.
Trivia
- As DeMerit 2003, the U.S. left for England, he had just 1,800 U.S. dollars with this. In his first job as a footballer in Southall, he earned 40 pounds a week.