Jason Koumas
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jason Koumas | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 March 2007 | |||
Jason Koumas (born September 25, 1979 in Wrexham) is a professional player for Football League Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion. Formerly of Tranmere Rovers and Cardiff City, he is a current Welsh international with 20 caps.
Koumas operates as a midfield playmaker, creating goals for others as well as scoring many himself. His style of play, gliding seemingly effortlessly through opposition defences, is said to be reminiscent of Gazza in all his pomp. He is considered one of the finest talents outside the F.A. Premier League and was selected in the 2005-06 Football League Championship team of the season.
He has earned a reputation as a dead-ball specialist and a scorer of spectacular goals.
Career
Club career
Koumas made his professional debut for Tranmere Rovers in the 1998-99 season. A series of impressive performances over the next four years won him many plaudits and established Koumas as a talented youngster with immense potential. In August, 2002, this potential was spotted by then W.B.A. manager, Gary Megson, who paid Rovers a fee of £2.25m to secure the services of the precocious play maker.
A successful first season at Premiership level, including sensational solo goals against Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers, saw Koumas win the club's Player of the Season award. However, this wasn't enough to prevent Albion from suffering relegation to the Football League.
After inspiring the Baggies promotion back to the Premiership in 2004, Koumas fell out with new boss Bryan Robson, and at the start of the 2005-06 season was loaned out to Cardiff City. This move proved an immediate success, with Koumas coming off the bench to score on his debut against Leeds United. Throughout the remainder of the season, Koumas consistently turned in talismanic, man-of-the-match winning performances, scoring 13 times in 44 appearances and earning himself hero status amongst the Bluebirds faithful as well as the club's Player of the Year award and a place in the Championship's PFA team of the season, an honour he had previously been awarded for his role in West Brom's successful 2003-04 promotion campaign.
Cardiff City then attempted to negotiate a transfer fee for Koumas before the start of the 2006-2007 season, however they failed to come to an agreement with West Brom. Koumas was effectively on strike throughout the negotiations and refused to return to the Hawthorns, even resorting to training on his own away from the club.
On August 23 Koumas made a massive U-turn in his West Bromwich Albion career by signing a new three year deal at the club. His club career was then rejuvenated under new manager Tony Mowbray, becoming a first team regular again, and put in several man of the match performances during 2006-2007.
On March 3 Koumas claimed that he would love a move to the premiership and he claimed that Portsmouth FC would be his ideal club. His small price tag (£4 million) has alerted Harry Redknapp and he has claimed that he is one of his transfer targets.[citation needed]
Koumas was named the Championship player of the year at the Football League Awards in March 2007.[1]
International career
The son of a Cypriot chip shop owner, Koumas was eligible to play for both Cyprus and Wales. When he received call ups for both countries he opted for the latter. Koumas has played 21 times for his country since making his international debut against Ukraine in 2001. He was part of Mark Hughes's Welsh team which narrowly missed out on qualification for Euro 2004, losing 1-0 to Russia in the play-offs.
His international career has thus far been blighted by his persistent failure to turn up to training. Most recently, pulling out of a squad get-together in San Sebastian in May 2006. However, manager John Toshack accepted his reasons and Koumas himself vowed to improve his poor attendance record.
He has since exploded back onto the international scene with three goals in his last two matches, one against Cyprus in October 2006 which set Wales on their way to a 3-1 victory, and a spectacular brace in November 2006 against Liechtenstein which saw Wales run out comfortable 4-0 winners. John Toshack has since announced that Koumas will be one of his key components as Wales attempt to qualify for Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010.
Notes
- ^ "Koumas handed Championship award". BBC Sport. 2007-03-04. Retrieved 2007-03-05.
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External links
- Jason Koumas at Soccerbase