Former Sacred Heart Goalkeeper Matt Jones Playing Professionally In Portugal's Top League
2/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Matt Jones played for the Sacred Heart men's soccer team from 2005-2008. He was a Second Team All-NEC selection as a freshman in 2005, leading the Pioneers to their first NEC Tournament appearance. Jones was also a two-time First Team All-NEC selection. He currently plays for Belenenses in Portugal's top league, which is currently in seventh place in the league. In this interview, Jones talks about his experience at Sacred Heart and his current professional career overseas.
How did you end up at Sacred Heart University?
It was something that came about by chance, really. I didn't get offered a new contract at West Bromwich Albion (English Premier League) and so I was a free agent. I had a few opportunities at clubs in England but at the time I was looking and hoping a good offer would come along. Then one day Coach Barroso called and said he was interested in me coming to Sacred Heart to study and play at the same time. It was something I was interested in straight away, as the opportunity to study and play soccer at the same time doesn't really exist in England. It is one or the other. So without too much knowledge of the school or even of Connecticut, I agreed and a few weeks later I was landing in JFK to begin what would be four great years at SHU.
Tell us about your experience as a student athlete.
I can honestly say that going to America, and to SHU in particular, was the best decision of my life. I had four great years both on and off the field. My freshman year we made the NEC Tournament, which was the first time in school history that we did so. We had a great team and we were unfortunate not to progress to NCAAs. After that, we established ourselves as a playoff-chasing team year in, year out and set the platform for the current group of players. Apart from my success on the field, I was able to achieve success in the classroom as well. I graduated with a GPA of 3.7, which made my parents happy! Also, my education is a great thing to have to fall back on should something happen that prevents me from playing soccer.
What would you say was your highlight of your time at SHU?
It is difficult to narrow it down to just one, as I have so many great memories from my time at SHU. I would probably say making the playoffs my freshman year tops the list. We achieved this success in other years too, but our freshman year was special. We were ranked last in the conference coming into the season, but took everyone by surprise and made the playoffs. We had a great team spirit within the group and showed the conference that SHU was now a force to be reckoned with.
How was your transition from SHU to your professional career and how did that all come about?
It all came about because of Coach Barosso. I have always said if it wasn't for Coach Barosso then I wouldn't be where I am today. Before coming to America, I was a little bit apprehensive that I would be taking a risk of not being able to make it back into the professional game, but Coach Barosso always assured me that this wasn't the case. He told me the first day I got to SHU that I would go pro after my four years of college soccer.
After my senior year I was hoping to be drafted, but it wasn't to be. Coach Barosso told me about an opportunity that he could arrange for me in Portugal. He has contacts throughout the Portuguese game with his background in professional soccer in Portugal. I snapped his hands off at the chance and he set it up for me to come on trial at a club in Portugal. I came over and a few days later I had signed a two-year contract with a club in the Portuguese Second Division. It all happened so fast and for that I am forever grateful to Coach Barosso.
Tell us a little more about your time in professional soccer.
I first signed a two-year contract with CD Santa Clara in the Portuguese Second Division. It was a great club for me to start off my career. The club was based in the Azores Islands, but played in the Portuguese Second Division so every two weeks we were flying off to the continent to play. It was an exciting time for me and in my first year we missed out on promotion on the last day of the season, which was heartbreaking! Looking back, it was a great experience for me and something I can look back on positively.
After that I moved on to Uniao da Madeira which was another Island team but this time from Madeira, which is further south. Again, it was a great club for me to gain experience and allowed me to play regular soccer which is so important in a player's development.
Next came the biggest step in my career. I signed for CF Os Belenenses, which is a huge club from Lisbon. They are historically the fourth biggest club in Portugal. However, a few years back, they hit financial problems and got relegated from the Premier Division. New investors came into the club and outlined an ambitious project to employ a young coach on the rise and construct an entirely new squad of young, mainly Portuguese players to get promoted back into the Premier League within two years. I was delighted with this opportunity, as I am an ambitious player and was so excited by the project.
We took the league by storm and ran away with the title by a massive 23 points from second place and gained promotion to the Premier League. We broke records for point totals and made a real statement of intent for the club. It was massive breakout year for me personally as well, and I earned myself a new three-year contract with the club. The club was back in the division it deserves to be in and I now have the chance to pick my wits against some of the best clubs and players in Europe.
How has it been for you playing in the Portuguese Premier League?
Our first year was all about solidifying ourselves in the Premier League. We showed everyone that we deserved to be a premier league club and put together a solid first year. In our second year we have taken ourselves to the next level and currently sit in sixth position in the league. We have put in good performances against the powerhouses of Portuguese soccer; Benfica, Porto and Sporting and now hold qualifying for European competition as our next objective.
How was that experience playing against Benfica, in the world famous Estadio da Luz or against Porto at the Estadio Dragao?
It is these games that you dream about playing in as a kid. It is true that the game itself is the same as any other but the atmosphere is so special. 58,000 people screaming and cheering throughout the game is a feeling that I can't begin to describe.
They are the games that you will remember long after you have hung up your cleats for good!
What are your future plans? Any plans to come back to America and to MLS?
I have never been one to make too many plans. As I said before, I have recently signed a three year extension to my contract and don't have many other plans apart from that. I want to play at the highest level possible, whether that is here or elsewhere only time will tell. I would love to go back and play in England however as that has always been my dream. Also I would love to play in the MLS one day, as I love the direction in which the league is progressing and would love to be part of it. I have always said that after my playing days are done I would love to come back to America and coach University. I loved my time in America and would love to be able to give back all of my experience that I have gained throughout my career.
Finally we hear that congratulations are in order! We hear you got married this summer in New York to the former captain of the women's soccer team Megan Wosleger.
