Kenwyne Jones

Kenwyne Jones
Kenwyne Jones.jpg
Personal information
Full name Kenwyne Joel Jones
Date of birth 5 October 1984 (1984-10-05) (age 26)
Place of birth Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Stoke City
Number 9
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2002 Joe Public 11 (9)
2002–2004 W Connection 31 (30)
2004–2007 Southampton 71 (19)
2004–2005 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 7 (7)
2005 → Stoke City (loan) 13 (3)
2007–2010 Sunderland 94 (26)
2010– Stoke City 1 (0)
National team‡
2003– Trinidad and Tobago 45 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:28, 14 August 2010 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 January 2010

Kenwyne Joel Jones (born 5 October 1984) is a Trinidadian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Stoke City. He previously played for Sunderland, Southampton, Stoke City, Sheffield Wednesday, W Connection and Joe Public.

He began his football career with Joe Public in his native Trinidad and Tobago. He moved to W Connection in 2002,[1] and he was a utility player in the Trinidad and Tobago team in 2003 against Finland. In 2004, he joined Southampton, where he was converted to a striker.[2] He was later loaned to Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City during the 2004–05 season.

Contents

Background

Jones was born in Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago,[3] to Lydia and Pamphile.[4] and he attended St. Anthony's College in Trinidad along with his future Sunderland team-mate Carlos Edwards.[1] His uncle, Philbert Jones was also a footballer as a prolific forward for Strike Squad that came within a point of qualifying for the 1990 World Cup[5] and was a similar player to Kenwyne;[4] both in style and celebration.[5] He is married to Avalon and has three children: Isaiah, and twins Arianne and Kaelyn.[4] His athleticism and pace, which Sunderland considered attractive, was not established until he joined Sheffield Wednesday in September and began to show his potential.[6]

He had earlier had trials at Manchester United and Middlesbrough in 2002, and further trials at West Ham United and Rangers in 2004.[1] Jones revealed in an interview with Simon Bird that he had to travel around Europe looking for a football club, or face a career in the Trinidad army; he said "It was hard because I'd just had my son and it was make it — or join the army. I had a family to support and at that time, it was either this is it... or I go into the services. I was ready for that life."[5]

Playing career

Early career

Jones began his professional career with Joe Public in his native Trinidad & Tobago in 2002. He soon moved to W Connection where he played for two years.

Southampton

In July 2002, Jones signed for Southampton from W Connection for a nominal fee after a trial.[7] W Connection's Chairman David John Williams described Jones' move, saying: "When Kenwyne Jones was transferred to Southampton, I told you all that he is going to be the biggest thing in Trinidad and Tobago football since beside Dwight Yorke".[8] In December 2004, while on loan to the Football League One club Sheffield Wednesday, he scored seven goals in seven games, and returned to Southampton in January 2005,[9][10] where he played in games against Liverpool and local rivals Portsmouth.[11][12]

Before the start of the 2006–07 season, Jones scored a hat trick against Anderlecht in Southampton's last pre-season game,[13] Meanwhile in the Football League Championship Jones scored two goals against Birmingham City on 29 November that ended 4–3 to Southampton. On 26 December 2006, he received the first red card of his career for a push on Mark Hudson in the match against Crystal Palace.[14] He scored another two goals against Southend United in a 4–1 win on the last day of the season to ensure a place in the play-offs for Southampton,[15] following this, Jones was injured for the play-off semi-final defeat at Derby County but finished the season with 16 goals.[15]

On 11 May 2007, Southampton manager George Burley stated that "Kenwyne is another Didier Drogba in the making, as far as physical attributes, his strength and power in the air are second to none".[16] This followed news that Derby County wanted to sign Jones for around £5.5 million.[17] Jones submitted a transfer request to Southampton on 24 August 2007 and went on "strike" until a move could be agreed, requesting not to be selected for the forthcoming league match against Stoke City.[18]

Sunderland

Kenwyne Jones in action for Sunderland against Chelsea in 2010

On 29 August 2007, it was confirmed that he had joined Sunderland in a deal valued at £6 million with fellow-Trinidadian Stern John moving to Southampton.[19][20] The Trinidadian striker made his debut for Sunderland on 1 September in a 1–0 defeat to Manchester United and scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 home win over Reading on 15 September.[21]

Jones was linked with a £12 million player move to Liverpool in November 2007, with Peter Crouch moving to Sunderland.[22][23] Jones was again linked with high profile clubs on 21 December 2007, including Chelsea and Liverpool, but Sunderland manager Roy Keane insisted that he would be going nowhere.[24] Jones scored his fifth goal at the Stadium of Light, with a header from the near post off a corner kick, in Sunderland's 3–1 win over Bolton on 29 December.[25]Chelsea captain John Terry praised Jones, saying: "Jones was fantastic and I have played against him twice now. He is a very good player, very hard working and probably the best in the air in the entire Premier League, he really is that good" after Chelsea had won the match 1–0 on 15 March 2008.[26]

On 1 June 2008, Jones suffered a knee ligament injury in a collision with goalkeeper David James in the seventh minute of Trinidad & Tobago's 3–0 defeat against England.[27] He made his first appearance of the 2008–09 season playing for 60 minutes in Sunderland reserve team's 2–0 victory against Wigan Athletic.[28], followed by a return to Sunderland's first team in the Tyne-Wear derby on 25 October 2008 as a second-half substitute, when he helped Sunderland to secure a 2–1 victory over their local rivals.[29] His first goal following his return came on 12 November in a 2–1 League Cup defeat against Blackburn Rovers.[30] He continued his recovery from injury with a goal, again against Blackburn, on 15 November 2008 as Sunderland won 2–1.[31]

Jones put an end to speculation linking him with a move to Tottenham Hotspur by signing a 4 and a half-year contract at the Stadium of Light on 27 January 2009.[32] After a spell of six games without a goal, Jones scored against Manchester United in a 2–1 defeat.[33] On 22 August Jones contributed to Sunderland's 2–1 victory over Blackburn Rovers scoring two goals. Jones again contributed with two goals for Sunderland when they were at home to Wolves on 27 September, in a 5–2 win. One goal being the highlight of the game, curling the ball home from 22yards out.[34] Jones scored his fifth goal of the season with a header against Manchester United, out jumping Ben Foster to give Sunderland a 2–1 lead but in the dying moments of the match at Old Trafford, Patrice Evra's shot was deflected in for an own-goal by Anton Ferdinand to level it up and end the match as a 2–2 draw.

Jones scored his sixth goal of the season with a close-range header against Manchester City which City won 4–3. Jones was linked to a move to Liverpool in the January transfer window but this was unsettling Jones and no deal had happened despite rumours surfacing in the media. On 6 February Jones scored his 7th goal of the season with another header against Wigan Athletic which ended up 1–1 and the Stadium of Light. Jones then scored again against Man City bringing his tally to 8, with a spectacular header at the Stadium of light, which ended up 1–1. He also opened the scoring against Wolves on the final day of the season.

Stoke City

On 11 August 2010, Jones signed for Stoke City on a four year deal for a club record fee of £8 million.[35] Jones has taken a wage cut in order to join Stoke.[36]

"We need goals in our team and we also need strong competition among our strikers if we are to continue improving at this level."Kenwyne will give us that. It's no secret that I am one of his biggest admirers, he did a smashing job for us when he was here on loan."He was very young back then but I believe that he has the best years ahead of him as a top striker."
—Stoke Manager Tony Pulis on Kenwyne Jones.[37]

Jones has taken over the number 9 shirt from the departing James Beattie who has joined Rangers.[38] He made his second debut for City against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 14 August 2010, he made a bright start hitting the crossbar with his first shot. However after falling awkwardly from a challenge from Jody Craddock on 14 minutes Jones was forced to come off.[39]

International career

Jones has been capped at Under-18, Under-20, Under-23 Olympic Team and the Trinidad and Tobago national team.[1]

He made his debut for the Trinidad and Tobago national team on 29 January 2003 in a game against Finland.[1] Having been selected by Trinidad and Tobago for their 2006 World Cup campaign, he made his first appearance in the competition in a 2–0 defeat against England on 15 June 2006 at Frankenstadion, Nuremberg.[40] Jones was named as Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's player of the year for 2007. Jones said, "A lot of big names have won this before and I never really thought about something like this happening to me".[41]

Honours and awards

Career statistics

Club

As of 9 December 2009.[43]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2004–05 Southampton Premier League 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Sheffield Wednesday League One 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7
Stoke City Championship 13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 3
2005–06 Southampton Championship 34 4 2 1 2 0 0 0 38 5
2006–07 35[44] 14 2 1 2 1 0 0 39 16
2007–08 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
2007–08 Sunderland Premier League 33 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 33 7
2008–09 29 10 2 1 1 1 0 0 31 12
2009–10 32 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 34 9
2010–11 Stoke City Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total England 162 50 9 3 5 2 0 0 177 57

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Kenwyne Jones' soccer warrior profile". Socawarriors. http://www.socawarriors.net/kenwyne_jones.htm. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  2. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones' squadgod profile". SquadGod. http://www.squadgod.com/players/KenwyneJones. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  3. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones profile". www.ttffonline.com. http://ttffonline.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=1. Retrieved 8 March 2008. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lasana Liburd (14 February 2008). "Me & Mr Jones". Trinidad Express. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports_mag?id=161277852. Retrieved 17 March 2008. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Simon Bird (19 April 2008). "Kenwyne: Football saved me a call-up". Daily Mirror, Mania pullout. pp. 2–3. 
  6. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones' www.safc.com profile". Sunderland A.F.C.. http://www.safc.com/team/?page_id=2623&player_id=174. Retrieved 8 March 2008. 
  7. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones' 4thegame profile". 4thegame. http://www.4thegame.com/club/sunderland-fc/player-profile/4844/kenwynejones.html. Retrieved 12 March 2008. 
  8. ↑ Ian Prescott (30 August 2007). "Article about Kenwyne Jones' move to Sunderland". Trinidad Express. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161196426. Retrieved 14 March 2008. 
  9. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones". Soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=38455. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  10. ↑ "Sturrock seeks new Owls recruits". BBC Sport. 17 January 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/4181677.stm. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  11. ↑ "Southampton vs Liverpool match report". www.liverpoolfc.tv. 22 January 2005. http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/match/season/2004-2005/jan/428/teamsheet.htm. Retrieved 12 March 2008. 
  12. ↑ "Southampton vs Portsmouth match report". www.portsmouth-mad.co.uk. 29 January 2005. http://www.portsmouth-mad.co.uk/news/loadrprt.asp?cid=MTCH&id=202369. Retrieved 12 March 2008. 
  13. ↑ Graham Hiley (30 July 2005). "Southampton vs Anderlecht match report". www.saintsfc.co.uk. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=5375. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  14. ↑ "Jones sent off for Southampton". www.saintsfc.co.uk. 26 December 2006. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=7903. Retrieved 1 March 2008. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Jones scores two for Southampton against Southend". BBC Sport. 6 May 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6602891.stm. Retrieved 12 March 2008. 
  16. ↑ "Jones is new Drogba". Daily Express. 11 May 2007. http://express.lineone.net/sport/view/6725. Retrieved 4 September 2007. 
  17. ↑ "Rams line up £5.5m Kenwyne". Daily Mirror. 24 August 2007. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2007/08/13/rams-line-up-5-5m-kenwyne-89520-19618780/. Retrieved 13 March 2008. 
  18. ↑ "Jones asks to go". www.saintsfc.co.uk. 24 August 2007. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=8908. Retrieved 29 August 2007. 
  19. ↑ Nick Alexander (29 August 2007). "Keane pays £6 m for Jones". www.safc.com. http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13052. Retrieved 29 August 2007. 
  20. ↑ James Morley (29 August 2007). "Breaking transfer news". www.saintsfc.co.uk. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=8922. Retrieved 29 August 2007. 
  21. ↑ Jonathan Stevenson (15 September 2007). "Sunderland 2–1 Reading". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6984883.stm. Retrieved 16 September 2007. 
  22. ↑ Mark Apostolou (8 October 2007). "The people, Rafa in for Jones". The People. http://www.caughtoffside.com/2007/10/28/transfer-rumours-and-gossip-tottenham-arsenal-liverpool-sunderland-west-ham-everton-birmingham/3382.html. Retrieved 8 October 2007. 
  23. ↑ Vicki Hodges (6 November 2007). "Liverpool eye-up Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/11/06/ufnjones106.xml. Retrieved 1 March 2008. 
  24. ↑ Nick Alexander (21 December 2007). "Kenwyne going nowhere, Keane". www.safc.com. http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=13845. Retrieved 21 December 2007. 
  25. ↑ Nick Alexander (29 December 2007). "Jones scores in 3–1 win over Bolton". www.safc.com. http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=13879&fixture=2848103&t=2. Retrieved 29 December 2007. 
  26. ↑ Colin Young (17 March 2008). "JT hints that Sunderland's key man Kenwyne could do a job for Chelsea.". The Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=536830&in_page_id=1779. Retrieved 23 March 2008. 
  27. ↑ Nick Alexander (2 June 2008). "Jones injury worry". www.safc.com. http://www.safc.com/articles/article.php?page_id=14968. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  28. ↑ "Sunderland Reserves 2 Wigan Reserves 0". www.safc.com. 22 October 2008. http://www.safc.com/articles/article.php?page_id=15967. Retrieved 23 October 2008. 
  29. ↑ Owen Phillips (25 October 2008). "Sunderland 2–1 Newcastle". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7674086.stm. Retrieved 28 October 2008. 
  30. ↑ Andrew McKenzie (12 November 2008). "Sunderland 1–2 Blackburn". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7708817.stm. Retrieved 12 November 2008. 
  31. ↑ "Blackburn 1–2 Sunderland". Soccer 365. 15 November 2008. http://www.soccer365.com/english_premiership/story_151108185400.php. Retrieved 15 November 2008. 
  32. ↑ "Jones signs new Sunderland deal". BBC Sport. 27 January 2009. http://www.soccer365.com/english_premiership/story_151108185400.phphttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/7849513.stm. Retrieved 27 January 2009. 
  33. ↑ Nabil Hassan (11 April 2009). "Sunderland 1–2 Man Utd". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7978858.stm. Retrieved 15 April 2009. 
  34. ↑ "Sky Sports Sunderland vs Wolves 27 September 2009". http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3162393,00.html. 
  35. ↑ "City Seal Record Signing Of Jones". stokecityfc.com. http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2119027,00.html. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  36. ↑ "Jones deal doesn't break the bank, says Pulis". thisisstaffordshire.com. http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/stokecitynews/Stoke-City-Jones-deal-doesn-t-break-bank-says-Pulis/article-2523980-detail/article.html. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  37. ↑ "Stoke sign Kenwyne Jones for club record £8m". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/8905368.stm. 
  38. ↑ "Jones To Wear Number Nine Shirt". stokecityfc.com. 13 August 2010. http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~2121687,00.html. 
  39. ↑ "Wolverhampton 2 - 1 Stoke". BBC Sport. 14 August 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8902043.stm. 
  40. ↑ "England 2–0 Trinidad and Tobago". BBC Sport. 15 June 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853008.stm. Retrieved 1 March 2008. 
  41. ↑ Shaun Fuentes (22 January 2007). "Jones, Isaac names TTFF's 2007 players of the year". TTFF Online. http://ttffonline.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=262&Itemid=1. Retrieved 7 March 2008. 
  42. ↑ Nick Alexander (8 May 2008). "Jones named Player of the Season". www.safc.com. http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=14829. Retrieved 12 May 2008. 
  43. ↑ "Kenwyne Jones statistics". soccerbase. http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=38455&seasonid=138. Retrieved 9 December 2009. 
  44. ↑ Includes one play-off match

External links

Trinidad and Tobago squad – 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
1 Hislop • 2 Charles • 3 A. John • 4 Andrews • 5 Sancho • 6 Lawrence • 7 Birchall • 8 Eve • 9 Whitley • 10 Scotland • 11 Edwards • 12 Rahim • 13 Glen • 14 S. John • 15 Jones • 16 Pierre • 18 Theobald • 19 Spann • 20 Samuel • 21 Jack • 22 Williams • 23 Wolffe • 24 Gray • Coach: Beenhakker
 Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup
1 Hislop • 2 Cox • 3 A. John • 4 Andrews • 5 Sancho • 6 Lawrence • 7 Birchall • 8 Gray • 9 Whitley • 10 Latapy • 11 Edwards • 12 Samuel • 13 Glen • 14 S. John • 15 Jones • 16 Wise • 17 Charles • 18 Theobald • 19 Yorke (c) • 20 Scotland • 21 Jack • 22 Ince • 23 Wolfe • Coach: Beenhakker
 Trinidad and Tobago
Stoke City F.C. – current squad

1 Begović · 3 Higginbotham · 4 Huth · 5 Collins · 6 Whelan · 7 Gudjohnsen · 8 Soares · 9 Jones · 10 Fuller · 11 Sidibe · 12 Wilson · 15 Diao · 16 Pennant · 17 Shawcross (c) · 18 Whitehead · 19 Walters · 20 Tuncay · 24 Delap · 25 Faye · 26 Etherington · 27 Nash · 28 Wilkinson · 29 Sørensen · 30 Shotton · 38 St Louis-Hamilton · Manager: Pulis