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Jermaine Jones would take pay cut, increased years to seal Revs return

Photo by Mike DiNovo/USA Today Sports
Photo by Mike DiNovo/USA Today Sports

For the time being, Jermaine Jones is a man without a club, but the U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder remains open to reaching a deal with his most recent team.

Speaking to ESPN, Jones revealed that he would take a pay cut to return to the New England Revolution in 2016. In response, the 34-year-old would also be looking for a multi-year deal after seeing his contract expire following the most recent season.

“Right now, we really don’t do anything,” Jones told ESPN. “We sit back, and enjoy family time. I say that I’m open to go back to New England or any other team in MLS, but for the right value. People have to respect me for that and come up with the correct offer. Then we sit down and we talk. But I’m not going to force someone to do something.”

Jones previously voiced his displeasure with the club, who the midfielder says offered him less than 20 percent of his 2015 compensation of $3.05 million. The 34-year-old says he hasn’t been in contact with the club since before Christmas.

To start the season, Jones will be required to serve a six-game suspension following an incident with referee Mark Geiger during the MLS Playoffs. As a result, Jones could miss two World Cup qualifying clashes with Guatemala depending on where he signs and how soon he gets back into action.

Last season, Jones, who dealt with a pair of hernia operations in 2015, featured in 18 games for the Revs after leading to the club to the MLS Cup final in 2014.

“Now I feel good, and I’m healthy,” he said. “And I told them, ‘Guys, respect me and treat me with the respect that you would want to be treated, and we can build something. Give me that trust and come back with the right offer. That offer that you give me right now, it’s not that I jump up and say, yeah, I take it.’

“And the point is that this is maybe my last deal. I say to the team that I would take a cut and we can sit down and talk. But I want to have guaranteed years. I don’t want to sit here every year and say, ‘Where are you going? Where do you want get trade?’ I want to be focused to the World Cup and after the World Cup I want to say, ‘It’s done.'”

What do you think of Jones’ most recent statements? Think the Revs should bring him back? What do you expect from him in 2016?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. This is funny, because the Revs are far more likely to give him extra dollars than extra years, so this isn’t exactly any sort of concession. If he gets two years at $500k, he should take it and be grateful, because he doesn’t deserve more than that and he’s not getting more from any other first division team. Maybe he can get $700k from the Cosmos if he wants the money that badly.

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  2. In unrelated news, Nick DeLeon, born in Phoenix, plays for DC United, is being courted to play for T&T. His father is Trini and a former player for them.

    I wonder how many Trinidad people would consider him a “foreigner”; are Trini forums going crazy about how outraged the people are that he’s being considered, since he wasn’t born there?…..

    That it all

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  3. I think it would be foolish for the Revs not to make a deal with Jermaine Jones. It’ll be costly, contract and red card fines and missed games for all of the above. However, he’s been good for the team when he’s on.

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    • Due to the MLS parity model, they’ve fell into several of their best players. However, that team became a successful product only when Jermaine Jones stepped on the pitch and solidified the heart of the side.

      Kraft may be a fine owner in the NFL but he’s one of these MLS owners that simply invested and ignored with the off chance in 20-30 years it would be a worthwhile return on his fairly risk free and low investment into MLS and to the Revolution.

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  4. Shame that he is controlled by NE. I can see him fitting better into a number of other teams who would probably value him higher. The fact that you have to trade for his rights (give up assets) and then negotiate with a player who is out of contract (and is over valuing himself) is probably enough to keep most MLS teams away.

    Meanwhile NE are sitting in a great place. They get what they want in any scenario outside of him signing outside of MLS – come on LigaMX!!!

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  5. Jones can still play CM at a high level in MLS … but for the US Nats … JK should make his role as a pure #6 … destroy and distribute. Let Bradley and others do the box-to-box running and attacking.

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    • That would be nice except that has never been Jones’ game and there’s nothing to suggest he’s capable of it. Just telling a guy to do something doesn’t mean he’ll be able to execute.

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  6. How much is a 34 year old player worth that is going to miss a minimum of 17% of next years games due to suspension. And then taking into account his typical yellow/red cards accumulated and last years injury issues.
    $600k a year for 2 years, that’s not half bad especially being able to live in Rhode Island for the cost of living compared to Boston.

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  7. Give the man the $. He certainly earned them last season! New England need to be grooming him for coaching ranks. He gets STUFF done!

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    • He may have earned them the first year of his deal where he came in mid-season but last year was a bit of a train wreck at the club level for JJ. Two hernia surgeries, being played out of position at CB for a handful of games due to lack of cover/JK’s experiment carrying over to club, and finishing the season with a total of ZERO GOALS and ZERO ASSISTS.

      The rest of the team definitely stepped up their game when JJ was on the field but he was just as much of a liability as he was an asset last season for the Revs. As a loyal fan I’d love to see him back (along with a few new additions) but he’s not worth anywhere close to what he was making in his last deal…

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  8. So, if a club like the LA Galaxy wanted to sign Jermaine Jones, they’d have to trade for his rights even though New England isn’t making an attempt to re-sign him, correct?

    Reminds of me of the ridiculous Kevin Hartman situation. A player wanting to stay within the league and continue playing but is held captive (due to the horrible CBA) by a club that doesn’t want to sign him but does want compensation for his rights.

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    • I’ve got to disagree with your assessment of the situation. It’s been reported that New England have offered him a contract, its just not the contract Jones thinks he deserves.

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      • Understood, as negotiations go.

        However, if Jones were to garner the type of wage he deems he’s worth and another club within MLS is willing to pay it (I’d wager there IS a club or two that would), I hate the concept that Jones would be shunned from signing elsewhere within a league he wants to stay or is held captive by New England who doesn’t deem him worth it.

        I understand the Free Agency has large steps still to go, but if you’re unwilling or unable to agree upon a salary figure then that player should no longer be your property…like the Kevin Hartmen fiasco.

  9. 20% of his previous contract is still $600,000 per season. I want to see him do well and get a solid contract, but if JJ thinks that he is going to get multi-year contract in the $3 million range at age 34 then he’s delusional.

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    • It’s only 2 years away now…not as much of a stretch as it seems. 34 is definitely getting up there for a central midfielder, but his struggles last year seemed more like injury/health problem than “age finally caught up.” He was the US team’s best player and leader in Brazil. His presence on the field changed New England’s entire team. I’m not going to count him out yet.

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