DeVos leading by example here
By MORRIS DALLA COSTA -- London Free Press
He's 30 years old and has played professional soccer for 14 years.
It's no coincidence that whatever team he has played for always seems to get better.
Appin's Jason deVos has just finished another successful soccer season, his third with Wigan Athletic in England's First Division.
When deVos moved to Wigan from the Scottish Premier League's Dundee United, Wigan was struggling in the Second Division. Since his arrival, they finished first easily for the Second Division title, winning promotion to the First Division. This season they came within a minute of qualifying for the six-team First Division playoff tournament to earn promotion to the English Premier League.
"Playing in the premiership would have been great. It was a very difficult to miss it in the last minute," deVos said from his home in Wigan. "We were leading West Ham by a goal and they tied it in the last minute."
Despite the near miss, Wigan supporters can only be thrilled with the upturn in the team's fortunes. While the improvement can't all be laid at the feet of Canada's national team captain, the big central defender's arrival made Wigan a more formidable opponent.
With deVos's contract up, he's negotiating a new one with Wigan but, as with all contract negotiations, nothing is ever a certainty. He enjoys playing at Wigan and his wife and two-year-old daughter have established a home there. deVos would love to continue to play there, but if he has to move on, there are a number of clubs who would be interested in his services.
And why not?
DeVos is a seven-year veteran of Canada's national team, earning his first cap in 1997. He is of those low-maintenance individuals who always puts the team first. He plays every game hard and with great honesty.
DeVos can be a dominant defender, whose strength in the air makes him dangerous when he pushes forward. He can play through pain, a great deal of pain.
Most people recognize deVos's skills on the pitch. What makes him an attractive teammate is his off-pitch demeanour and leadership skills. You will not find a more down to earth, approachable, or well-spoken professional athlete.
At 30, he still has a lot of years left in the business, especially now he's over a series of foot injuries that cost him a great deal of playing time.
Doctors found two breaks in the foot, but missed a third, which was difficult to detect. He had to play through pain. Bone graft surgery eventually corrected the problem.
"I feel great finally," deVos said.
"I had corrective surgery and hopefully that's all behind me. I'm looking forward to not only playing with my club side, but World Cup qualifying begins in June for Canada and I want very much to be involved with that."
Now he's looking forward to June, when Canada plays its first 2006 World Cup qualifying match against Belize in Kingston. It's the first step in a long qualifying process.
"With Frank Yallop taking over as coach, a lot of players who wouldn't play with Holger (former coach Holger Osieck) are coming back," deVos said. "For the first time, we have a team that is creative offensively and can score goals. It's going to be exciting. It would be a huge boast for Canadian soccer if we could qualify."
If they do, chances are you'll see the tall, hulking figure of deVos playing a huge role in getting them there.
