According to reports out of England, Fulham has put the word out that it wants to unload Johnson and four other players during the winter transfer window in order to reduce its salary bill.
The development shouldn't come as a surprise for Johnson, who has struggled for minutes even amid injury woes at the London club. Johnson has made just one league appearance this year and has yet to score a goal in his two years with Fulham.
Where will Johnson turn to next? He enjoyed some success during a loan stint with Cardiff City last year, but it remains unclear whether he will find opportunities with any League Championship teams this time around. Might a return to MLS be in the cards? It seems unlikely unless Fulham releases him outright.
Where would you like to see Johnson go next? Would you like to see him land in the League Championship, or do you think it is time for him to come back to MLS with an eye toward a run at a 2010 World Cup roster spot?
Share your thoughts below.
philly
Why not go to Denmark, Holland, Netherlands, or Belgium? These places seem to be the best for our boys.
Does it have to be England or America?
When I first saw the headline, I thought it said “Fulham Set to UNLEASH Johnson,”
putting him into the starting line-up. I’m a dreamer.
By what means, exactly? I haven’t seen the guy play because I don’t regularly attend or watch 2nd-division English matches enough to have seen him play in the few games where he saw action. Nor do I regularly attend EPL reserve matches, and if I did I doubt I would be particularly impressed watching a 25-year-old dazzle the audience while playing amongst school boys.
Now, that’s funny. Put him out there with the dude from Heroes. Goals galore.
Retirement…
Let him sit on the bench with Freddy in Portugal.
DC UNITED!!
Who cares. I’ve given up on him entirely. He’s 25 now. It’s getting a little late for him to develop basic fundamentals. And unlike players like Bease, Johnson has never been successful at the highest levels, so I don’t see any reason to think he might ever be at this point.
That, or a low tier French team.
maybe Eddie, Freddie, Damarcus, Sal Zizzo, Bryan Arguez, the two Italian kids not getting playing time, and some of the others who have gone to Europe and gained experience but little playing time should come home to MLS.
The needs top young American talent, they need playing time. Why Not?
If you can get playing time in Europe, or experience the professional athmosphere and training as a youngster, then great. But at a certain point you need playing time. And the fact is that the MLS has gotten to the level where games are competetive, and will actually prepare a player for the next level.
We’ve seen guys like Robbie Rogers, Landon Donovan, and Conor Casey really enjoy a renaissance in their games after coming back to MLS, and Casey and Rogers have forced their way onto the National Team picture b/c of it.
These guys are all still young, they can come back, improve, then hopefully go back to Europe in the future more prepared. Otherwise they are just collecting paychecks (which I’m not necesarrily criticising, make that money while you can) rather than improving.
I would love to see him in Houston. I think Dom could straighten him out. That being said, I doubt he will return to the MLS just yet. Someone, somewhere is in need of a striker who can and will pay more than MLS does.
I think that Eddie Johnson needs to come back to the MLS for two reasons. I think he needs the MLS, as the MLS needs him. With him coming to the MLS he will be one of the top players, and will get the much needed playing time. For the MLS its another key American name in the league. I know that I wouldnt mind it if he came to the Red Bulls in a much needed striker partner for Angel.
Yeah because his ego is so huge after not playing for 2 years.
Vietnam
it fits his style of play
Fulham’s website.
I wish they were ready to “unleash Johnson”.
yes, if only the mls salary cap was a bit higher players like this who don’t really fit in the European leagues would find a good home in the MLS, and fans here would much approve of more entertaining games.
also, where do you guys all find notes on Fulham’s reserve team results?
Johnson needs to come back to MLS for two or three seasons. Its just that simple. He’s just another of the US players who’ve basically sat for season upon season just so they can say they “played” in Europe. The same thing will happen to Gooch and others. These guys need to join up in leagues and on teams where they get 90 minutes. Come home EDDIE.
Yeah, I can’t wait… that hat-trick is right around the corner!
Somehow the non-impact Jozy Altidore continues to get major minutes, while Eddie Johnson’s skill and ability is nothing more than a product of your imagination at this point…
I think all this players that are struggling for playing time should come back to the MLS. Especially if Mr. Garber open that stupid salary Cap to 5-4 million for team it will give our youth and veteran players to play in this league. Johnson & Beasley should come back to play here in the MLS.
This is kind of ancient history, but I really thought his stint with the nats ruined him. Arena wanted him to play the point in a possession game, strictly back-to-goal. And EJ was pretty good as far as that went — maintaining the ball through back passes. But the coaches seemed to have scared the bejeezus out of him, as far as ever again turning towards goal or running into space. He’s had kind of an identity crisis ever since.
out of fulhamerica, into aamericahus?
That’s genius.
Clearly, all the Tiger Woods stories have had an influence on Ives.
If EJ goes to a Championship side, I think he has to requalify for a work permit. Since he hasn’t been playing for the Nats, that might not happen. I think he should go to the V-league so we don’t have to hear about him anymore.
I’d like him to go to a mid table championship team. He did ok with Cardiff (top of the table team) last year; Fulham obviously kept his around instead of loaning him out and I think that is a testment to his improvement. The problem in the Championship is that that top of the table teams are the same as the lower teams in the EPL so it would be very hard to get playing time….mid or lower table ought to give him playing time and the ability to continue to improve against quality teams. He is a young guy. I hope he lands in a good place.
This kid just flat out cannot compete at this level. He lookslazy on the field with no skill. He does not deserve anymore National Team callups. Absolutely not!!
I’m no EJ fan, but I bet he would do alright in Germany. The EPL is arguably the best league on the planet. There’s no great shame in not being able to score there. He was starting to look better at Cardiff. Honestly, I bet he would at least get some playing time at a team like Hannover or Bochum. Sometimes it just takes a change of scenery. Right now it looks like his confidence is zero. He’s young. He has improved, and I’m sure he can even improve a bit more.
Not to mention EJ didn’t start playing the game tell he weas 9-10. That is very old in terms of development.
I don’t think EJ would take the paycut for MLS. Maybe Sweden? Roy has a lot of connections in that country. I just want EJ to go somewhere where he will play. I’m not giving up on EJ he just needs to play.
Also the Arsenal reserve squad was way beyond depleated. Most of our reserves are in Greece right now for the CL game.
yeah, especially with LD possibly going on loan somewhere.
RSL just lost Movsisian, would love to see a player like Johnson in Salt Lake. Just do not see it happening, Checketts is not spending.
The main problem with EJ is mental. Everyone thinks he is the go to guy for scoring goals, but EJ doesn’t have the confidence to be greedy and score by himself. Due to this lack of confidence, he always makes that last assist instead of finishing it himself. I saw some improvement during his time with Cardiff City, as he took more of a initiative to go to goal first rather than pass. So he plays more like a #9 than a #11. But if he’s going to succeed at this level, he needs to score the goals himself rather than provide the assist or backpasses. Look at Defoe, he’s got blazing speed and is an excellent finisher. Why can’t EJ do this; is finishing too difficult to master in practice ?
The man in the mac said you’ve got to go back. You know they didn’t even give us a chance.
Christ, you know it ain’t easy.
LA Galaxy. I think he could take Mike Magee’s or Edson Buddle’s spot for sure.
Don’t recall Johnson’s loan spell with Cardiff being that successful. It is my understanding that EJ was viewed more as a comic character than anything. Almost like cheering for the walk-on that gets in at the end of the college basketball game to score a basket. He did do well in Fulham’s preseason this year and for the reserves so far. He has made the bench once or twice. I think that is why Roy has him out there — because he may have some value now to a Championship side.