From the that really reliable source called the News of the World site: Middlesbrough and Fulham will battle it out for Watford defender Jay DeMerit. The Cottagers are already set to sign Hameur Bouazza from the Hornets, and could cause Aidy Boothroyd more pre-season problems. American DeMerit is keen to stay in the Premiership and would welcome a move to Craven Cottage. However, Gareth Southgate has now entered the race. Boothroyd plans to put DeMerit amongst the club’s top earners when contract negotiations start next week. But DeMerit is keen to keep progressing and explained: “In three years I’ve gone from nothing to playing in the Premiership and Copa America. I still have a lot more to do. I’m very happy either way but am considering my options. Oh dear...hope this is just crap from the NOTW! I might have to join the negative ranks if we sold DeMerit....Oh dear...hope this is just crap from the NOTW! I might have to join the negative ranks if we sold DeMerit....and anyway I am not sure of he is quite ready for the Premiership really. Gave away a few too many silly fouls by getting caught out and like Shittu not the most comfortable on the ball.
One season of being made to look stupid by premiership strikers has gone to his head and he wants more. Being promoted was the worst thing that could have happened when it did. We now have a squad full of players who think they are better then they are.
Wouldnt be the end of the world if he left. Not as amazing as everyone makes out. I like him, but he is replaceable.
The last thing I expected was for kingjames77 to agree with me I thought the rumour would be used as another stick to beat our board with.* *the incorrect grammar grates on me.
From foolham mb How much would we sell Jay for? my price tag would be 3million, but hammer and jay together £6million and that twot collins john thomas to us. General Discussion > Fulham To Sign Jay DeMerit? White Noise | Posts: 946 The News of the World are suggesting this morning that the answer to our defensive problems is Jay DeMerit. We have been linked with him previously this window but not for a while. I think his colleague Dan Shittu has been more closely associated witha move to us. I quite like DeMerit but don't think he is the experinced defensive option we are looking for. I can't even remember where he stands in the pantheon of current US defenders. Please could someone remind me. Blawhiarmy | Posts: 900 Danny Shittu is appropriately named - please don't let us sign him. Jay De Merit could be good, better than Knight anyway. White Noise | Posts: 946 I could see them selling Jay, I am not sure he is even first choice at Watford. They have Matt Jackson and Clark Carlisle as well as Shittu. Looking at his Wikipedia entry he signed for Watford by our own Ray Lewington. He is another US music playing football star http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_DeMerit Can anyone tell me why he had to wait so long to make his international debut? Yankee Jim | Posts: 359 Demerit was Watford player of the year this past season. The knock on him is that he is short for a CB which is true but he is stocky and plays bigger then he is (5'9", 176 lbs.). He is also a hell of a warrior. His story is rags to riches. Americans love an underdog and because of that is probably rated a bit high. His pace is in question. As far as taking so long to get his first cap, he only came on the scene two seasons ago. Prior to that he was working his way up through the ranks. Two years ago was WCQ and no nat team gaffer is going to experiment with unheard of newbys with the cup on the table. As to the question, would he be a help to FFC. Well, he anchored a hard working Watford team that had next to no attack so they were constantly under pressure. I'd like to see him join up. With Boco, Voltz & Demerit on the back line, no one would out hustle us. Opinions are like a** holes, everyone has one. The problem is that every a** hole has an opinion. White Noise | Posts: 946 Thanks Jim. A good and helpful summary. Does he have the potential to be better than Boca? Would Boca be likely to have recommended Jay to LS? MattLikesFootball | Posts: 343 Everything I've ever seen had him listed at 5'11" 185. US Soccer even lists him as 6'0". He played well for Watford last year. Watfords big problem wasn't in their defense, it was their inability to score goals. I think he would make less mistakes than Knight and will give everything he has every time out. He would be a decent option and probably wouldn't cost much. Also, I'm pretty sure Ben Foster was player of the season for Watford, not Demerit. Yankee Jim | Posts: 359 Tough questions. He is new at the top level of the game and should learn. He doesn't seem to **** in the odd bad tackle like Boco does and he doesn't seem to get caught out like Boco does. However, he is no where near the attack threat that Boco is. All in all, I'd say that he's a squad player, much like Boco and properly used could be a quality asset. Boco is older and from California. Demerit is from that great heartland football madhouse of Wisconsin. As far as I know, he is the only professional player to ever come out of Wisconsin. Its possible that Boco & Demerit only just met at this summers Gold Cup so I really don't know if Boco brought him up or not. Course, being two yanks looking for a proper hamburger in a foreign land........ Youfolks would love the lad. On the effort front he has a bit of McBride in him. Opinions are like a** holes, everyone has one. The problem is that every a** hole has an opinion. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/magazine/10/09/soccer.demerit1016/index.html countermeasure | Posts: 103 If we got Demerit I would be so happy. I think him and Boca would be a good pairing. I think he is the U.S.'s 2nd best defender(after Boca) and he would be alot more solid than Knight(who wouldn't though right?). He would be a great signing and he said he wanted to stay in the prem. FulhamFranekColonial | Posts: 1224 As for DeMerit, he is the epitome of an American value that recognizes and applauds people who pull themselves up by their bootstraps. This guys was essentially playing something near pick-up or Sunday football about 4 or 5 years ago. He stuck with, made some gambles (including moving to Europe with next to nothing), and now his hard work, determination, and a fair amount of talent and practice are paying off in spades. As for the possibility of him and Boca teaming up in back, I would think there would be legitimate reasons for both Fulham and DeMerit to like that idea. 1) Boca was most recently Captain Carlos in the Gold Cup, and DeMerit probably respects Boca as a good defender, CB and Captain. Boca, I would imagine, respects DeMerit both for his story and for being a member of the USMNT back line. So the communication would be there. 2) Boca and DeMerit, working together now, would probably help both their chances significantly for teaming up again on the USMNT squad for future freindlies and cups. It could be a win-win situation. Which means I doubt it will happen. | Posts: 8 Jay DeMerit would be a good signing as he is no nonesonse. After watchin our various freiendlies, we need more players like this! and for the money available could be a quality signing! DarkSpartan104 | Posts: 201 I love an underdog story but I'm not in love with this guy. It'd make a damn good movie or book and it probably will be some day but I really hope the next chapter isn't FFC. He's a good defender but I think the USA has better options at CB and RB and we certainly do. If we can't get Sami or a few other targets I could see Jay as a last resort addition to the squad, not Starting XI though. Clinton 'Deuce' Drew Dempsey - Saviour of Fulham mayor mccheese | Posts: 20 i thought ben foster (keeper) was watford's player of the season last season. either way i wouldn't mind seeing demerit come in if the price is right. countermeasure | Posts: 103 Can anyone tell me why he had to wait so long to make his international debut? I think its because he never really played in MLS or with the U.S. U-20 or any of that stuff. He was kind of a mystery to everyone. White Noise | Posts: 946 Thanks for your answers chaps. He certainly doesn't seem to have done much wrong at Watford but he only played his first pre-season game the other day for some reason. As to whether he is a good squad player or capabale of getting 25 first team games for new look Fulham it is difficult to judge. I guess Boca was looked at as a squad player when he first signed but you never know what is going to happen across the season. How does DeMerit compare to a player like Oguchi Onyewu?
I would have agreed, but i am not so sure. Demerit certainly is nothing special, but can our squad manage to lose another decent player, with the risk that he won't be replaced? With Jackson, Carlisle, Shittu and Jay, centre half is the one position where we are decently strong. We should be working on strengthening the other areas, not weakening here. If Jay goes, however, and a reasonable replacement is brought in, then no drama.
Did you get your leg over last night Moogy - I am aghast at your response - it is almost a happy clapper reply.
Not another one. We should now by now we CANNOT GET REPLACEMENTS FOR ANYONE. Tell him to sit down and shut up. We should have done that with Boozer though and look what happened. Prepare for a free transfer....
I heard about this on Talk Sport this afternoon and it is also on the Tribal Football website. My concern is that we aren't getting any players we are going after so can not assume that we will get a replacement. I know Aidu said he wanted to reduce the nubers in the squad but I thought the idea was to get rid of ther fringe players not the best ones.
Aidy would be mad to sell DeMerit. Anyway what is it with these Prem clubs wanting our players? I don't remember great praise for such players last season....
We should be working on strengthening the other areas, not weakening here. If Jay goes, however, and a reasonable replacement is brought in, then no drama.[/QUOTE] If we are considering ourselves as improving and ambitous, then we must fight very hard to keep our best players as selling them is not the answer. Even though we have good money availabel, no decent player wants to play for us. I hope I am proved wrong one way or another!
I think it would be easier for us to attract a decent enough, no nonsense centre half than to bring in pacy creative players with an eye for goal, however, I agree with the feeling that until we are sure that we can bring a decent replacement in, Jay should be chained to firelfly's bedposts to prevent a departure.
