Lewis Misses Out On Promotion

It will be Jay DeMerit, not Eddie Lewis, playing in the English Premiership next season. DeMerit’s Watford beat Leeds 3-0 with Watford’s goals including a header from DeMerit, and an own goal caused by a deflection off Lewis (though “credited” to Leeds’ keeper Neil Sullivan.)

DeMerit was also Man Of The Match for his performance. There’s an interesting piece on him here, in which Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd says:

“A player like Jay is essential to your team. He will put his head where other people are not even prepared to put their feet. He is as brave as a lion, a fantastic human being and every day in training puts himself on the line to grow and get better. The World Cup would have been right for him. If I was Bruce Arena, I would have taken him with me.”

I haven’t seen enough of DeMerit to tell if Boothroyd is just doing a PR job, or if the defender really is that good. We’ll find out next year, when he’ll have plenty of defending to do for a Watford side that will struggle in the Premiership.