Back to the Colorado Rapids Newsfeed

Jermaine Jones up for the challenge with Colorado Rapids

COMMERCE CITY — It probably won't take too long for Jermaine Jones to capture the hearts of Rapids fans.

Colorado introduced the U.S. national team midfielder Wednesday and Rapids techincal director Paul Bravo quickly compared Jones to a former U.S. international who played the same position for the Rapids with the same intensity and leadership — his coach, Pablo Mastroeni.

"He is the type of person who can, just like Pablo did, make the players around him better," Bravo said. "It is the closest thing to Pablo that we've had since he left."

Jones, 34, who was acquired in a trade Friday with the New England Revolution, said he's looking forward to helping turn around a team that finished last in the Western Conference a year ago.