Jason Koumas facts for kids
Koumas warming up for Wigan Athletic in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jason Koumas | ||
| Date of birth | 25 September 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Wrexham, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1997 | Liverpool | ||
| 1997–1998 | Tranmere Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2002 | Tranmere Rovers | 127 | (25) |
| 2002–2007 | West Bromwich Albion | 123 | (23) |
| 2005–2006 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 44 | (12) |
| 2007–2011 | Wigan Athletic | 54 | (2) |
| 2010–2011 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 23 | (2) |
| 2013–2015 | Tranmere Rovers | 51 | (4) |
| Total | 422 | (68) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001–2009 | Wales | 34 | (10) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jason Koumas (born September 25, 1979) is a former professional footballer from Wales. He played as a midfielder for several clubs, including Tranmere Rovers, Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, and Wigan Athletic. He also represented the Wales national team.
Jason was recognized for his great skills. He was chosen for the Football League Championship team of the season twice. This happened in the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons. Some experts even compared his talent to famous players like Steven Gerrard.
Contents
Jason Koumas's Club Career
How Jason Started Playing Football
Jason Koumas was born in Wrexham, Wales. His mother was English, and his father was Greek-Cypriot. He started playing football for local youth teams when he was in primary school. At nine years old, he joined the Liverpool Academy.
Jason played alongside future stars like Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen. The club thought he was very talented. However, he decided not to sign a youth contract with Liverpool. This was because coaches did not want him to play in his favorite position, central midfield. So, he chose to join Tranmere Rovers instead.
Playing for Tranmere Rovers
Jason Koumas made his first professional appearance for Tranmere Rovers in the 1998–99 season. Over the next four years, he played very well. He even earned a spot in the PFA Division Two Team of the Year for 2001–02. People saw him as a talented young player with a lot of potential.
One memorable moment was when he scored a goal for Tranmere against their rivals, Everton. This happened in the 2000–01 FA Cup, where Tranmere won 3–0. In August 2002, West Bromwich Albion manager Gary Megson noticed Jason's talent. West Brom paid £2.25 million to bring him to their team.
Time at West Bromwich Albion
Jason had a successful first season in the Premier League with West Brom. He scored amazing solo goals against Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers. He even won the club's Player of the Season award. However, West Brom was relegated back to the Football League that year.
Jason helped West Brom get promoted back to the Premier League in the 2003–04 season. He won the First Division Player of the Month award in November 2003. He scored three goals that month, including two in a 3–0 win against Nottingham Forest. On April 18, 2004, Jason scored a last-minute goal against Sunderland. This goal helped secure West Brom's return to the Premier League. He finished the season with ten goals and was named in the First Division PFA Team of the Year.
Loan to Cardiff City
At the start of the 2005–06 season, Jason was loaned to Cardiff City. This move was a big success for him. He scored on his first game against Leeds United. Throughout the season, Jason played exceptionally well. He scored 13 goals in 44 games from midfield. This included three goals in one game against Luton.
Cardiff City fans loved him, and he won the club's Player of the Year award. He also earned a spot in the Championship's PFA Team of the Season. Cardiff tried to buy him permanently, but they could not agree on a price with West Brom. Jason even refused to train with West Brom during these talks. However, on August 23, he signed a new three-year deal with West Brom.
Returning to West Brom
Jason's career at West Brom got a fresh start under new manager Tony Mowbray. He became a regular player again during the 2006–07 season. He won the Powerade Championship player of the month award for December 2006. In March 2007, Jason was named the Championship Player of the Year. He was also honored with a place in the Championship PFA Team of the Year. Despite his great individual awards, West Brom did not get promoted that season. They lost to Derby in the play-off final.
Playing for Wigan Athletic
In July 2007, West Brom agreed to sell Jason to Wigan Athletic for £5.3 million. Jason completed his move to Wigan on July 10. His old club, Tranmere, also received some money from this transfer. He played his first game for Wigan on August 11, 2007, against Everton.
The next month, he scored his first goal for Wigan. This was his 300th league game of his career. He scored a penalty in the 80th minute, helping Wigan draw 1–1 with Fulham. Jason faced injuries and fewer chances to play under different managers at Wigan. He was linked with a return to West Brom or a loan to other clubs. However, no loan move happened. Wigan released him at the end of the 2010–11 season.
Second Loan to Cardiff City
On August 5, 2010, Jason agreed to join Cardiff City again on a loan for the season. He could not complete the move until Cardiff's transfer ban was lifted. Two days later, the ban was removed, and Jason officially joined the club.
Jason made his second debut for Cardiff City in a 4–0 win against Doncaster Rovers. He came on as a substitute. His second time at Cardiff was affected by injuries. In a crucial game against Doncaster, Jason came on as a substitute in the 87th minute. Within three minutes, he scored a fantastic free-kick from 25 yards out. He then scored another goal, making the final score 3–1.
Returning to Tranmere Rovers
After leaving Wigan in 2011, Jason was a free agent. He thought about his football career. In July 2013, he asked to train with his former club, Tranmere Rovers. He wanted to get back into playing football. After a successful trial, he signed a one-year contract on August 1. On May 23, 2014, Jason signed another one-year extension with Tranmere.
Jason Koumas announced that he was retiring from professional football on July 10, 2015.
Jason Koumas's International Career
Jason was born in Wrexham to a Greek Cypriot father and an English mother. This meant he could choose to play for Cyprus, England, or Wales. When both Cyprus and Wales called him up, he chose to play for Wales. Jason played 34 times for his country. He made his first international appearance against Ukraine in 2001.
He was part of Mark Hughes's national team that almost qualified for Euro 2004. They lost 1–0 to Russia in the play-offs. His international career sometimes had issues, as he occasionally missed training. In May 2006, he did not attend a team gathering. However, he returned strongly, scoring three goals in two matches. He scored one in a 3–1 win against Cyprus in October 2006. He then scored two goals in a 4–0 win against Liechtenstein in November 2006.
Jason captained his country for the first time on June 1, 2008. Wales lost 2–0 to the Netherlands in that game. He missed a penalty for Wales in a World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan. Jason retired from international football on September 6, 2009. He had scored ten goals in 34 games for Wales. His last game for Wales was a 2–0 loss to Finland on March 28, 2009.
Jason Koumas's Personal Life
Jason Koumas was born in Wrexham. His mother is English, and his father is Greek-Cypriot. This is why he had the choice to play for Wales, England, or Cyprus internationally. Jason's son, Lewis, also trained at the Liverpool Academy. Lewis made his professional debut for Liverpool in February 2024.
Jason Koumas's Career Achievements
Here are some of the awards and achievements Jason Koumas earned during his football career:
Tranmere Rovers
- Football League Cup runner-up: 1999–2000
West Bromwich Albion
- Football League First Division runner-up: 2003–04
Individual Awards
- PFA Team of the Year: He was chosen for the best team in his division four times:
* 2001–02 Second Division * 2003–04 First Division * 2005–06 Championship * 2006–07 Championship
- Football League Championship Player of the Year: 2006–07
