May 11, 2007 Canada U20s story on Jaime Peters (from Toronto Star)
Canuck U-20 star is great, just ask him
Jaime Peters eager to face powerhouse Argentina side in friendly tonight at BMO Field
May 11, 2007 04:30 AM
MORGAN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Ask Jaime Peters and he'll tell you just how good a soccer player he is.
Teammates and coaches joke about his super-sized ego. The midfielder on Canada's under-20 national team even describes himself "big headed."
So imagine Peters' dilemma two years ago when, after a tryout with Chelsea, the Premiership club offered him a spot on its reserve team.
Suddenly the kid who never met a challenge he couldn't conquer faced a tough choice: humble himself and become a full-time reserve in the Premiership, or humble himself and find more playing time in a lower league.
Peters opted for Ipswich of England's Championship Division, where he has developed into a standout midfielder and the key to Canada's success during this summer's under-20 World Cup.
Tonight Peters hopes to propel Canada past a powerful Argentine team in an exhibition match at BMO Field (kickoff, 8 p.m.). The defending under-20 World Cup champions, Argentina has won the tournament five times, but Peters faces this game the way he faces all others.
With confidence.
"(Argentina) better take us seriously," Peters says. " We have a good team and we'll come to play our hearts out. If we play to our capability we'll have a chance of beating them."
Peters has performed under pressure before. Last May he set up both goals in Canada's 2-1 win over Brazil, then scored the game winner in a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in October. Two years ago Peters set up both goals as Canada defeated Mexico to qualify for the 2005 tournament.
Head coach Dale Mitchell says Canada's success tonight – and during the tourney in July – depends on Peters' speed, playmaking and one-on-one style.
"I don't like to put pressure on people but we need him to be on top of his game in order to produce the offence we need to win games at this level," Mitchell said.
Growing up in Pickering, Peters was used to success. Playing baseball for the Pickering Red Sox, he earned an invite to Canada's national team as a teenager. Early in high school he dabbled in track, covering 400 metres in 50 seconds.
By age 16 Manchester City wanted to sign him, so Peters headed overseas to play soccer. Unable to secure a work permit in England, he wound up with FC Kaiserslautern in Germany while still striving for a spot in England. Over the next two years he auditioned not only at Chelsea, but also at Man U, Man City, Derby and Bayern Munich before landing at Ipswich.
Peters' two years as an itinerant footballer didn't diminish his desire or his confidence.
"I've never doubted myself," said Peters, who has played 12 games with the men's national team. "I always thought I had the ability to make it. I just needed that breakthrough."
At each stop he refined the fast-paced, fearless style that has won games for his team and won over his teammates.
"On his best day he's unstoppable," says David Edgar, Peters' under-20 teammate and roommate on team trips. "He's the fastest on the team by far. No left back wants to play against him."
Peters and Edgar, who plays for Newcastle, speak weekly. The talk usually, Edgar says, is about how well Peters played in his latest game. After a recent 5-1 Ipswich win, Peters admitted to Edgar he hadn't scored, shocking his friend into silence. It wasn't like Peters not to take credit for such big win, Edgar thought.
"But," Peters said a moment later. "I set up all five."
Relieved that his friend hadn't changed, Edgar carried on with the conversation.
Peters says being cocky is okay because it doesn't make him complacent. He expects a lot of himself and says a healthy ego only intensifies that desire.
"I want to be the best," Peters says. "I'll work hard and show everybody I'm the best. I'll kind of (brag) about it, but I'll work harder to get better."
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