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Must-See Interview: Brad Friedel

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  1. I guess you “must see” it to find out. I’m having a hard time getting it to play so I “must” wait. Or just forget it and drink another beer.

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  2. “Ryan,

    majority of SBI’s readers would agree that Landon has taken the easy road. I don’t necessarily blame him for staying in the comforts of SoCal and collecting quite a nice paycheck for playing in MLS”

    I would not say that Landon took the easy road. The thing most people forget about Donovan is that right after the 2002 World cup where he was named the best young player of the Cup ( pretty high class company there) he signed a nice 6 year deal with Leverkusen. He saw he wasn’t going to play much for them and probably how much politics was involved with that and chose to keep sharp for his first love the USMNT and get loaned out to the Quakes.

    Which is exactly what happened with Freddy Adu except Freddy spent most of his 5 year Benfica deal sitting on his butt bouncing all over Europe on loan and not playing. And there are plenty of people who think if Freddy had followed Landon’s lead he would be pushing D & D for most talented player.

    I’ll bet Donovan felt he would become the best player he could be by playing not sitting.

    If Clint had had the same opportunity who knows if he would not have done the same thing?

    It’s pretty clear to me that given a fair shot Landon could play for any team that Clint could play for so I find this this favoring of one over other pretty inane.

    Clint is a different player from Donovan but he isn’t better, just different.

    If the USMNT wants to do anything significant in the near future it will go only as far as these two, their best by a long shot, take it. Every US player other player is merely complementary to them.

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  3. Of course there’s nothing wrong with praising Clint Dempsey; he deserves every bit of it! But why did Friedel have to dump on Donovan in order to praise Dempsey? Just doesn’t make sense to me. And yes, he DID dump on Donovan, despite what he’s saying now.

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  4. He’s entitled to his views. I think he’s trying to retread a bit, but I have no problem with his comments in the first place. I suspect if Ives took a poll (hint, hint), a substantial, if not overwhelming, majority of SBI’s readers would agree that Landon has taken the easy road. I don’t necessarily blame him for staying in the comforts of SoCal and collecting quite a nice paycheck for playing in MLS, but he certainly would be challenging himself more as a player if he moved to a better league. And to head future commenters off at the pass, I don’t view myself as a “Eurosnob,” whatever that means anyway. I’m a NYRB supporter, a supporter of the league, and a firm believer that MLS is critical to the development of the game in the US, but it’s a plain fact that the top leagues in Europe are superior to MLS. While in their prime, our best players should be plying their trade in a top European league, if the opportunity is available. Clint deserves kudos for what he’s accomplished in the Prem. I’m not sure why we feel compelled to pit our two strongest players against each other. Our hope, and Juergen’s focus, should be that we get the best out of both of them to push the program further. But to the extent we’re making the comparison, I think it’s completely fair to praise Clint’s success in the Prem — fighting day in and out to earn the respect of his managers, the English fans and to help his team succeed — over Landon’s choice (to date) to reap the rewards of his notoriety on US soil.

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  5. It certainly came about sounding like Friedel believed what he said. Sponsorships go to those who can create buzz and be visible enough to promote a product. Problem is, Dempsey plies his trade abroad and very few non-US based athletes are picked up for marketing in the US. Also lends to show Friedel believes Donovan’s notoriety is placed in his commercials, but you don’t get commercials unless you’re good.

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  6. “…as in not merit/achievement driven.” Is that what he said, or is that how you’re interpreting it?

    I really don’t see what the fuss is about. Dempsey has a higher profile in the UK because he plays there. Donovan has a bigger profile in the US because he plays here and has embraced the role of face of US Soccer, doing commercials, talk shows, etc. Friedel didn’t say anything about their respective talents as soccer players, he was simply talking about their off-the-field notoriety.

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  7. In the original radio interview Friedel suggested that LD’s notoriety was more marketing and branding rather than his play. Now Friedel’s trying to dig himself out of the hole. I also don’t buy his glowing comments for MLS; I think he’s full of it.

    I’ve lost a little respect for him.

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  8. “If I had said television is more popular than Dempsey, I might have got away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a friend
    and I used the words “Landon” as a remote thing, not as what I think – as Landon, as those other footballer like other people see us.
    I just said Depsey is having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Landon.
    But I said it in that way which is the wrong way.”

    “Originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That Donovan meant more to kids than Dempsey did, or football at that time.
    I wasn’t knocking him or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it’s true more for England than here.
    I’m not saying Landon is better or greater, or comparing Landon with Dempsey as a person or God as a footballer or whatever it is.
    I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it’s all this.”

    “I wasn’t saying whatever they’re saying I was saying. I’m sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-donovan thing.
    I apologize if that will make you happy. I still don’t know quite what I’ve done.
    I’ve tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologize, if that will make you happy, then OK, I’m sorry.”

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  9. Dempsey and Donovan. Before them there were discussions of who was better Gerrard or Lampard, Torres or Villa, Messi or Ronaldo, but

    Deuce and Landycakes definitely is the must see Battle of the next WC qualifying campaign

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  10. Friedel said that Landon is bigger than Clint in the US because ‘it’s more sponsorship driven there…’ as in not merit/achievement driven. Now that’s what he said, not his critics. I now believe that he didn’t mean to disparage Donavan, but he said what he said, and he could have heaped all sorts of praise on Dempsey without even mentioning Donovan…

    And by the way, I still think Friedel was the Nat’s best Keeper.

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  11. Quick, name the ages of all your friends. Now, name the ages of all U.S. Presidents when they were elected. How old is Noel Gallagher? Quick, what’s your parents’ anniversary?

    Your point is a strange point. Being a couple years off on a player’s age doesn’t indicate a lack of interest in the entire program.

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  12. yes. i think we can all relax a little now- and just in time for the holidays!

    looking forward to boxing day- Fulham vs Chelski and Saints vs Falcons!

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  13. All the huffing and puffing over Friedel’s comments vis a vis Landon Donovan were just an American soccer creation. He was trying to compliment Dempsey and explain why Deuce is more popular in the UK while LD is more popular in the US. Really not an offensive argument.

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