Jay DeMerit: Non-League to World Cup | SC126
About this episode
Jay DeMerit shares his inspiring journey from non-league soccer to playing in the World Cup.
Jay DeMerit is a former American professional soccer player whose career is often described as one of football's greatest underdog stories. Unlike most American professionals, he wasn't drafted by an MLS club or signed by a major academy after college. Instead, he moved to England with $1,800 to live in an attic, eventually working his way from the 9th tier of English football to the Premier League and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2002, DeMerit couldn't find a professional team in the United States. Rather than give up, he flew to England with around $1,800 and lived in a friend's attic while searching for opportunities. He played for amateur club Southall, earning roughly $70 a week, before moving to Northwood. During a preseason friendly, he impressed Watford's manager enough to earn a trial—and then a professional contract. The rest is history. Chapters; 00:00 - Trailer 00:37 - Who is Jay DeMerit? 04:10 - Playing the Wrong Position For 18 Years. 06:54 - The First Hurdle - MLS Superdraft. 10:25 - The Infamous Watford Trial 14:36 - Starting From The Bottom at 22 16:56 - Steven Gerrard's Humbling Experience 19:23…
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