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Clint Dempsey undergoing evaluations for irregular heartbeat

Photo by Jennifer Buchanan/USA Today Sports
Photo by Jennifer Buchanan/USA Today Sports

Clint Dempsey is set to miss this weekend’s match due to a major medical issue.

The Seattle Sounders announced on Friday that Dempsey is undergoing medical evaluations for an irregular heartbeat. The U.S. Men’s National Team forward will miss this weekend’s match against the Portland Timbers as the situation is addressed.

According to the Sounders, there is no timetable set for the forward’s return.

Dempsey has scored eight goals this season for the Sounders, five of which have come throughout the team’s current five-game unbeaten run. The forward scored twice against the Timbers last week, leading the way in a 3-1 win.

What do you think of the news?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Irregular heartbeat can mean a lot of different things. While none of them are good for an athlete who must maintain a high work rate, some are worse than others.

    Hank Gathers famously died in an college basketball game (at least in part because he stopped taking a Beta-Blocker). Anthony Van Loo, a Belgian First Division player was diagnosed in 2008 and had an implantable cardiac defibrillator. When he went down during a game in 2009, was shocked (and subbed out of the game.) He continued to play professionally until at least the 2014 season.

    I hope Clint’s situation is more benign that either of those.

    Reply
    • Jozy needs to step in here and fill what will be a leadership and skill void. Who knows if Clint will even be back? The time is now for Jozy. Put up or shut up.

      Reply
      • Yep this will be a big moment for Jozy. He absolutely is going to lead the line in the fall WCQs and his performance will determine the rest of his USMNT career. He is still our most talented and experienced striker after Clint, and as DLOA says his goals per game in a US shirt is pretty impressive as is his total goals. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. When his head isn’t in the right place he is an absolute liability on the field, and the team suffers for it. Those are the games where it feels like anyone else on the roster would be an improvement. I really think this is Jozy’s last big chance to make a difference on our squad. I am rooting for him because I think the USMNT goes up a level when he is in form.

    • Bobby Wood or Gyasi Zardes.

      While Altidore always seems to perform well in a USMNT kit in spite of his horrendous club form of the last several years, he simply can’t be trusted to be available or healthy enough to play.

      Give it to one of the two mentioned above that are hungry.

      Reply
      • Jozy has been on a very good run of form since returning from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Copa America. He’s scored something like 5 goals in the past 7 matches.
        I’m not worried about our attacking options heading into the 2 qualifiers in Sept. considering we’ve got Jozy, Wood, Zardes & Morris in decent form and Johannsson, Green, Pulisic, Gooch as additional options.

        Hopefully Clint can resolve and return from this issue. Otherwise he’ll need to consider retirement due to health concerns.

      • Old, usually you’re spot on but jozy had two great seasons at AZ, two bad seasons at Sunderland, one great season at TFC and has been solid if not recently spectacular this season at TFC.

        Out of his last 5.5 years as a pro (age 20-26), he has had 3.5 solid seasons. Some people like to exaggerate the bad and forget the good. But he facts show he’s had more good years than bad in that recent long span.

        Don’t let their malthinking affect your strong mind 🙂

      • Fair points by all. I have no doubt his contribution level at the national team level, but I remain skeptical he can stay healthy to contribute for a long stretch.

        After all, “availability” is arguable the best “ability”.

      • Old. Tru Tru but sadly some confuse ‘ not being available due to injury’ with ‘not talented’. I don’t know how many times I’ve see a commenter say, roughly, ‘he can’t stay healthy! He should never play for us again. He’s terrible. I’m over it!’ As if his injuries made him not a good footballer lol. Just was making sure u weren’t turning into one of those people 🙂

  2. Clint has nothing left to prove really. He should be very deliberate about getting this sorted out and not rush back. If he needs to call it a career call it a career.

    Reply
    • I am not saying he shouldn’t take his time getting it sorted out, obviously.

      But nothing left to prove? He has won close to nothing. Couple of games of a US Open Cup title in 2014.
      He needs to win the MLS Cup before retiring.

      Would be a shame if he doesn’t get a few more chances to try. Get better quickly CD.

      Reply
      • Nobody cares about an MLS cup. The Europa League run at Fulham means more to him I’m sure as well as scoring the the world cups, ect. He’s had a great career. I doubt he has regrets.

      • I’m sure Clint wouldn’t exactly mind scoring, oh I don’t know, 6 more goals in a USMNT jersey? Obviously wishing him the best of health first, however. Scary sh t

      • Ask any avid fan of MLS who won the last three and you’d be hard pressed to get a single correct answer. No one cares about MLS Cup.

        Clint’s career will be complete regardless if he wins the two week tournament that Garber and the rest of the clueless corporate soccer minds are trying (and failing) to convince the fans means more than the Supporters Shield.

      • It always cracks me up how fans, while being defensive of a player they like, say ridiculously dumb things. “Nobody cares about MLS Cup”, really? Nobody cares? Yea ok sure. Not only do the majority of MLS fans care about their team winning the MLS Cup, but the players obviously care, including Clint Dempsey.

      • (Take 2 – since links are pending approval)

        It’s actually not a laughing matter, but throwing the term “dumb” around mostly applies to those who remain ignorant to reality and that fun thing called: facts.

        MLS sees 38% decline in 2015 MLS Cup TV viewing numbers
        worldsoccertalk.com/2015/12/09/mls-sees-38-decline-in-2015-mls-cup-tv-viewing-numbers/

        ESPN takes long-term view amid fall in MLS Cup final TV viewership
        http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/thegoalkeeper/ESPN-takes-long-term-view-amid-fall-in-MLS-Cup-final-TV-viewership.html

        No one cares about MLS Cup, but ignorance truly is bliss.

      • Old School, only in your head do the little tidbits you just referenced prove the ridiculous point you made. First of all MLS has bad viewership/ratings no matter what the game, that’s no secret, but there are still viewers out there. If I told you that the new season premiere of Walking Dead was down 30 percent from last season, does that mean that nobody cares about the Walking Dead? Of course not. How you think those links proved your point is beyond me. As I said, MLS fans care about their team winning the MLS Cup, and so do the players. Are you really trying to argue against that?

      • Old School, only in your head do the little tidbits you just referenced prove the ridiculous point you made.

        I just provided you facts published by journalists.

        First of all MLS has bad viewership/ratings no matter what the game, that’s no secret

        Let’s not change the subject. This is “MLS Cup” – the supposed crown jewel of the league.

        If I told you that the new season premiere of Walking Dead was down 30 percent from last season, does that mean that nobody cares about the Walking Dead?

        Let’s not change the subject.

        How you think those links proved your point is beyond me.

        Facts have a way of doing that.

        As I said, MLS fans care about their team winning the MLS Cup

        They really don’t. At least not like you want them to and I’ve proven that with actual data, and not emotional opinion. Completely admit I’m being hyperbolic (you can use ridiculous if you’d like) by saying “No one cares” (when we really mean very few), but that’s direct in response to an equally hyperbolic (you can use ridiculous if you’d like) statement that “He has won close to nothing.” & “He needs to win the MLS Cup before retiring.

        Let’s be clear, Clint’s career has been a huge success filled with winning extensive notches on his belt. If anyone thinks he needs to win MLS Cup – the implication is that it has some form of significance beyond what it really does.

        You should take note each of my posts have specifically referenced “fans” over players because I can only speak from the perspective of one category. Of course, we may hear players tote the company line to the media by claiming to cherish MLS Cup. However, I distinctly recall an anonymous poll ESPN conducted with MLS players that 40% of the players did not favor MLS Cup deciding the “champion” of the league.

        For MLS Cup supposedly mattering, 40% of the league is a pretty significant number that says otherwise. The fan viewership decline also confirms this reality.

        Are you really trying to argue against that?

        I did, and in a convincing fashion (even admitting to some hyperbole for effect) with actual facts, data and opinion, but please, let’s talk more about TV shows on AMC to make your point. That’s working out real well.

      • Old School: “Completely admit I’m being hyperbolic (you can use ridiculous if you’d like) by saying “No one cares”.”

        That’s really all you needed to say. The rest was pointless. Oh and bringing up MLS’ low viewership and the Walking Dead examples wasnt changing the subject at all, they were completely relevant to arguing against your “drop in viewership” post you made to prove yours, but whatever I’m already familiar with your debate tactics, my point hurt yours so you just dismissed it. If by some chance you actually couldn’t make the connections in your head then ouch. Oh and by the way, my initial post was quoting Bryan, but of course you would be the one to respond.

      • That’s really all you needed to say. The rest was pointless.

        …and yet, evidently it wasn’t, because you needed it spelled out to you in vast and vivid details of why I even responded to the “pointless” statement in question. Were you able to apply some basic comprehension, you would have observed that from the start, but instead, opted to seek some education on the topic. Don’t get me wrong, I do respect that.

        Oh, and by the way: to clarify, there was no debate. That implies you brought something tangible as a counter to the table, of which, you failed to do so. Something I’m also used to in your debating efforts.

        I brought links and facts. You brought TV shows. “Ouch”.

      • Old School: You sure love to talk alot and say a bunch of irrelevant things to distract and dig yourself out of a hole, it’s amusing. This summary is all that matters:

        Old School: Nobody cares about MLS Cup.
        Me: Ridiculous to say that. Of course there are fans out there that care, and the players do too.
        Old School: “Completely admit I’m being hyperbolic (you can use ridiculous if you’d like) by saying “No one cares”.”
        -the end-

        If you weren’t such a tool you would notice that you just wrote a whole lot to prove something I don’t care about and wasn’t arguing. You wrote and posted a link about how MLS Cup viewership dropped from one year to the other. Yea ok? So what? Why did I need to be shown that? Did I make any arguments about MLS Cup viewership being up or down or anything like that? No. So basically you (again) just made up an argument for me and then argued against that. Originally, you said nobody cares about MLS Cup and I said that’s ridiculous MLS fans do care. I am obviously right and you are wrong. End of story. Did people watch MLS Cup? Yes. Did people go to the game? Yes. Did the city of Portland throw a parade after winning? Yes. We’re the players happy? Yes. Once again I was right and you were wrong. Amazing to me how in your crazy head you walk away from this thinking you are the smart one that educated me or something. Wow what a tool.

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