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Jermaine Jones: Revs offer a ‘joke’; MLS suspension ‘crazy’

Photo by Brad Mills/USA Today
Photo by Brad Mills/USA Today

Jermaine Jones is not happy.

He’s not happy about the six-game suspension levied by MLS, nor is he happy with the New England Revolution’s latest contract offer.

Speaking to reporters in Carson, California, Jones said the latest offer he received from the MLS side was a “joke” and that the suspension imposed on him in December is preventing him from accepting “good offers” to play abroad.

“I did everything I could do when I came here to the States,” Jones said on Thursday. “I helped New England, with the Kraft family, to put soccer in front,” he said. “And now, I’m getting an offer that is a joke. There’s still time. I have to make my focus on these two games that come with the national team.”

Jones recently said he would be willing to take a pay cut to return to the Revolution, but is also interested in landing a multi-year deal. The 34-year-old says he has interested parties elsewhere, but the six-game suspension would follow him wherever he decides to play — a stipulation that, he says, is causing him problems.

“The problem is that, all other leagues, they’re already in the season. So it’s half of the season played,” said Jones.”If you have a player who has six games suspended, it’s tough to bring him in. Then you have maybe 10 games. It’s not easy for all the other teams.

“And then I feel like it’s unfair that you close a window for a player who did a lot for this country and for this sport to close that window when he said, ‘OK, I’m ready to go and accept the suspension, six games, in the States but let me go somewhere else and play somewhere else.’ It’s tough. … It’s crazy.”

Jones was suspended and fined an undisclosed figure by MLS for his conduct towards center official Mark Geiger in the second leg of the knockout round during the MLS Playoffs.

Here is Jones’ incident with Geiger:

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What do you think of Jones’ comments? Where do you think he should play? Should his suspension be reduced or altered in any way?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. JJ doesn’t seem to understand that you are paid, not for what you have done, but what you are perceived as likely to do during the course of the contract. If he thinks he should be paid more because he played for the USA in the WC, well… he needs to grow up a bit.

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    • Not entirely accurate. You’re also paid according to the money you can help bring in to the team, and name recognition and national team status helps sell tickets and jerseys.

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  2. As a Revs fan, love me some JJ, but he’s sure sounding like a whiner. There’s precedent in mls for 6 game suspension, and it’s particularly unacceptable for a player paid a premium to play a “leadership” role. 6 games is 18% of mls season. But I think bigger factor is how Jones puts country above team (beyond just missing for USMNT games, which I can’t fault him for, but it’s still a % of mls season). What I most resent last year is that he clearly knew surgery was impending, but chose to attend unimportant January camp instead, and push his surgery and recovery onto Rev’s time (and dime), missing beginning of season. (One could say the same of Nguyen, who waited to address an injury to not miss January camp, but he was in no position to say no to a long overdue call-up)

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  3. I’ve yet to see one person justify why it was a bad call. Arms in a natural position, ball went from foot to hand too quickly to move it. Clearly nothing that can be considered deliberate, as it must be by law. If you want to complain about the 1st penalty call, fine, I can understand that…but Geiger clearly got the no-call correct.

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    • LOL…shocked a guy in DC thinks it was a good call. You can see Franklin moves his arm towards the ball. It was a terrible call but that doesn’t excuse JJ’s reaction and he deserves the suspension he got.

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      • And as a DC guy, I accept that the PK that benefited us was a weak call. As a referee, I know that moving your arm toward the ball in a natural motion doesn’t make it deliberate. There was no reaction time from when the ball was played until it hit his hand.

  4. kind of surprising to see so many people say that was an “awful call” or the like. i mean, was it questionable? yeah, but only because geiger got the first call against new england wrong. both were ball-to-hand, with both guys’ arms in natural positions.

    he got the first call wrong (and fortunately the revs weren’t punished), and got the second call right. the only reason jones et al were making such a fuss was because it was the end of the game and they were desperate for an equalizer.

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  5. You guys have to get a grip. Does anyone remember Geore Brett, Earl Weaver, and Billy Martin, to name a few, bumping the ump in baseball games? Get over it. It happens. At most, give him a one game suspension. And don’t give me any sh*t like “think about the children.”!

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    • How DARE you use reason and compare MLS player behavior to player behavior in other professional leagues other global soccer/football leagues. I think Geiger should be punished, but Jones is in the wrong now. However, his complaining is nothing I have not seen before. I have seen much worse. People need to get over it.

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  6. I would have never expected Jermaine Jones to lash out at whomever when the consequences of his own actions came to fruition, who would have thought?

    America really owes Jermaine Jones more than an inflated contract, guys

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  7. Awful no-call by Geiger, but from that point on Jones was completely in the wrong, and continues to dig a deeper hole for himself. He’s a fine midfielder, but no longer worth the mega-bucks that he once attracted. Finally, isn’t MLS well past the days when teams required a European star/savior to “put soccer in front”? Like i said, Jones is still very good, but he has lost a step, gets injured a lot, and appears to have an inflated view of his on- and off-field value.

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  8. JJ had one good year with the Revs and due to international call-ups and injuries was non-existent last year. Add to the fact that his behavior hurt NE in the playoffs. He should know that salaries in the MLS are not based on merit and if they were then the Dax McCarty’s of the world would be DPs and he would not. Of course, expect a pass from Klinsmann.

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  9. MLS should just rescind/reduce the suspension on the condition that Jones signs outside of the league.

    Basically, he’s burned his bridges with NE and I’m not sure that anyone else in MLS would want him. If he’s really got “good offers” to play abroad, let him take one of them and MLS can be done with him.

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    • MLS is done with him right now*. He doesn’t have a contract and can go somewhere else.

      Suspensions do carry over to other leagues, it’s always been like that and he shouldn’t complain about the consequences of his actions now.

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  10. 1. Agudelo deserves January camp just for that goal. 2. That is the most annoying announcer I have ever heard. 3. Do they take into account at all how awful the call was, and that it was a season-ender for New England? I mean, come on, anyone would want to choke out the ref after that crap.

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  11. “And then I feel like it’s unfair that you close a window for a player who did a lot for this country”
    This is why you don’t hire players for the USNT.

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    • Yeah Rob, that comment kind of rubbed me the wrong way too. If the likes of Donovan isn’t saying similar things after what happened to him by US Soccer then JJ really has no leg to stand on to back up that sentiment. JJ is really in a no win situation and he’s obviously frustrated because the suspension has handicapped any moves he can make to get games in to start 2016 aside from the friendlies. If he doesn’t get deal done with the Revs you’d have to think that his standing with the NT is close to over especially with a big year coming up for the US program because there is no way Jurgen, with all of the heat he has on him, can risk calling in a 36 y/o, out of form midfielder for WCQ’s or Copa America

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    • Exactly. Guys who are actually from here don’t feel like they’re doing us and the country a favor by playing for the USMNT.

      And cry me a river about how the six game suspension is making things hard for you. Next time, don’t manhandle the ref. The call was a bad one but that’s no excuse.

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  12. Red Bulls should sign Jones and send Dax to Orlando. That’s a win for everyone involved and improves NY and Orlando at key positions.

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  13. DC United are you seeing this?
    Call him in ASAP Ben Olsen to bring experience to our midfield corp. We are doing well with Arnaud in that central role imagine if we have Jones. CALL HIM IN ASAP!!!!!!

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    • It was a very questionable no call, but only someone who is really negative about the league to begin with can say that a suspension for running after the ref and touching him makes the league look bad. It would have been a joke if he was suspended for anything less than 4. Also, Espindola did the same thing in his last game of 2014 and also got 6 games. So, the league looks good because they were consistent.

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  14. That was an absolutely atrocious call and MLS does need better officials, but you can not touch the ref. That’s where the discussion starts and stops.

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    • Agreed on all points. I don’t know how some of these people can even defend Jones side of this. Everyone knows touching the rough is off limits, in any league in the world, at any age or level. Jones should’ve known better an deserves his suspension. He really needs to man up and accept it instead of whining. I’ve loved watching Jones play but he loses a lot of respect for this.

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  15. We are not used to this sort of posturing in the US soccer community, but this is how it’s done. I bet when we get to game 7 we see JJ in Revs jersey with a contract he can live with.

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  16. Tell ’em JJ! MLS has absolutely mangled the past few years of his career.

    Yes his, reported, expectations are a bit unrealistic and he did commit the action/sign with the league but they need to be reasonable with the man’s livelihood. I am hoping for a move down south but would admire him if he forced MLS to reconsider how they handle player rights.

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    • While I like Jones, his suspension was justified (if maybe a bit excessive). No league can allow a player to physically handle an official regardless if they made a poor call or not. No player should ever touch an official (Ref or linesmen) for any reason other than to shake their hands before and/or after the game.
      As for the comments regarding the offer made made by New England being a “Joke”…. While I don’t know the specifics of the offer its hard to judge. However he and other players need to realize that if you are in your Mid 30’s, have missed significant time recently due to injuries, and are facing a suspension for a significant period of time you are unlikely to receive a favorable contract offer. I can understand his desire for a multi year deal, but I can also understand a club being cautious and only offering a single year or a year with an option. Especially considering MLS is a salary cap league where it’s hard to sink a big chunk of your money on someone who’s going to miss a significant percentage of time this year (15% for suspension, ~10% Copa)

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      • Both sides were wrong in the foul/suspension. This is well debated.

        What peaves me is that MLS decided where he could play via coin flip and now the winner of this coin flip gets to say take our terrible offer or retire? The suspension is just leverage.

        I can guarantee that more MLS teams would make him better offers if they were allowed to. If he is out of contract let him go!

        Also no MLS suspension should carry over to international games or other leagues. I hope they call bs on this an start him on Sunday.

      • beto,

        “take our terrible offer or retire”

        no one’s making jones retire. he’s come out and said he has offers from clubs in europe. he just doesn’t want to serve his suspension.

        and the rule that suspensions apply across leagues and international fixtures is from fifa, not mls.

      • Nate,

        I think that was in reference to the MLS. I am sure he would take that “offer” if he meant he could just drive home from Carson, CA vs fly across country. If a player is not under contract, he should be able to go play for anyone else in the league. There isn’t a need for that clause anymore. If you are not going to sign the player then trade or sell his rights the year before. Baseball got rid of that with the Curt Flood case, football a little later. Unfortunately, the existence of the NASL as a viable alternative makes winning a case against MLS hard.

      • Same as the penalty that was called earlier in the game. Geiger is quickly becoming the worst ref in MLS and that says a lot.

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