FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Jermaine Jones' decision to come to MLS last season was spurred by his desire to be closer to his family and home in Los Angeles.
In August he finalized a deal to play in New England through the end of the 2015 season, but still remains 3,000 miles from his LA-based relatives and often takes cross-country treks to spend even the most limited time with them when possible.
Last week the Revolution’s Designated Player told ESPN FC that he is now working to secure a long-term deal with the league and New England in hopes of bringing his wife and kids to the Boston area.
“Me and my family, we talked already after the World Cup to make that switch and come back,” Jones said early in the week. “Now it’s a time that I don’t look only for next year, I look for a longer period.”
Jones does have his eyes set on the long-term in the United States for numerous reasons, including the next World Cup and the possibility of finishing his club career on US soil.
“Yeah, I can see that I stop playing here in the States,” said Jones. “My goal is to go to the next World Cup, then retire with the national team and then look how I feel. If my legs are tired and people don’t want to see me when I’m old, then maybe I will say, 'Okay, it’s done.'”
The 33-year-old midfielder seemingly has plenty of life left in those legs and, by his own admission, is playing at 100 percent for the first time in a year following offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia.
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In New England, Jones has settled in nicely since his arrival last season, integrating well with a young, talented club, serving as a veteran leader, and showing off a versatility and intensity across the pitch that was just what the team was looking for.
Jones has also been very well-received in the area, which is yet another reason why he is focused on hammering out a long-term deal in New England. Getting a new contract would in turn allow him to move his family out to the East Coast, which is his biggest desire.
“I like it and I have a lot of fun,” Jones said of the New England area. “People give me so much respect here in the city. I would say the only point I try to talk now with the league to get a longer contract so I can switch my kids too, my family. For one year, it’s not possible to get them out of school and all that stuff.”
