If Clint Dempsey is to remain at Fulham next season, his manager will be Martin Jol.
The former Tottenham, Hamburg and Ajax coach was hired by Fulham to replace Mark Hughes on Tuesday, making him the third coach in as many seasons at Craven Cottage.
Jol did not coach this past season, a year after stepping down from Ajax, and he last coached in the Premier League in 2007 with Spurs. The 55-year-old Dutchman is signed on a two-year deal with an option for a third.
Here are a few more stories from around the soccer world:
LERNER INTERVIEWING VILLA CANDIDATES
Aston Villa's American owner, Randy Lerner, is set to interview two leading candidates for the vacant managerial position at the club, according to the Birmingham Mail.
The Guardian speculates that former England manager Steve McClaren is one of the two that will interview for the position.
Former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti was believed to have been Lerner's first choice for the opening, but Ancelotti has elected to take a year off from coaching after being fired at Stamford Bridge, leaving Lerner to look elsewhere for Gerard Houllier's replacement.
IMPACT KEEPING NAME FOR MLS
The Montreal Impact will be making a few changes ahead of its 2012 expansion season in Major League Soccer, but its name will be staying the same.
The Impact confirmed that it will still be known by its current name heading forward, though a new logo and uniform are in the works and will be released this summer.
FRIENDLY RESULTS
The Gold Cup is hardly the only international soccer event currently going on, as plenty of European Championship qualifiers and friendlies are also on Tuesday's slate. Here are the results from the matches that have already been completed:
South Korea 2, Ghana 1 – Koo Ja-Cheol's 90th-minute goal gave the hosts the victory after U.S. nemesis Asamoah Gyan netted an equalizer in the 65th minute.
Japan 0, Czech Republic 0 – The Samurai Blue are still unbeaten under coach Alberto Zaccheroni, but Czech keeper Petr Cech came up big to preserve the scoreless draw in the Kirin Cup match.
Australia 0, Serbia 0 – Australia goalkeeper Adam Federici made a few big saves to keep the Serbians off the scoreboard in a battle of reserve-laden teams in Melbourne.
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Do you think Jol is a good hire for Fulham? Would McClaren be a good fit at Villa? Happy to hear the Impact will still be the Impact? What do you make of the friendly results?
Share your thoughts below.
Actually, Jol did coach this past season though.
He coached Ajax at the start of last season and stepped down/was fired in december. F. de Boer took over and signed a 3,5 year contract after the winter period.
Jol was coach for Ajax in all their CL games last season incl. Madrid and Milan.
Gera was player of the year last season. Look where that got him.
frankly, with the way Fulham played this year, he shouldn’t get an interview. While they finished in the top half of the table and snuck in to Europa via a loophole, Fulham dropped a lot of points early on in the season and to me, as a Fulham, underachieved a bit. The absence of Big Bobby Z obviously hurt them a lot, but they rarely seemed like the team that went to the Europa league finals just a year ago. I was glad Hughes left, and I’m thrilled that Jol is in town. His experience with the dutch league and dealing with a finance minded club should help with acquisitions and payroll
yes, it’s much siller than Sporting Kansas City, or Real Salt Lake, or The New York Red Bulls or the Houston Dynamo. Who cares, 99% of the time they’ll be referenced as just “Montreal” anyway
He can, go nats!
I guess that paper doesn’t rate him highly. I think it can.
Not going to happen…why?
well, WELL past time to let it go.
there are dozens of clubs around the world with “Real”, “Sporting” or “United” in their name. “Unoriginal” might be an argument, even “Irrelevant”, but “ripping off” those particular clubs? Your world soccer view is very narrow.
Chris, while I agree with you that he poorly articulated his point, I think that his point was that Italy won the World Cup in 2006 when Rossi declined the invitation to join the USMNT. Given that Rossi represented Italy at almost every youth level starting from U-16, his decision to continue to represent Italy was quite logical at the time. In the hindsight, however, he is yet to play in the WC and could have already had 2 world cups with the USMNT by now. Imagine him next to Altidore instead of Findley in the last world cup, and I bet the USMNT would have advanced past Ghana and possibly further. But it was not meant to be.
Rossi is definitely not a “true American” by choosing Italy. That’s a ridiculous argument. But it’s spilled milk so I don’t care.
I don’t like the name Impact. Even the Montreal Fleur would be better. I think a French name would add a little flair to MLS.
I agree. But maybe he can reach for the stars. The bleacher report agrees with you
Apparently i had some british reporter speaking through me. Just checked google news for clint and about ten different articles from today are talking about him transferring. I believe the most recent name is PSG. It hit me when i was reading on fulham’s website about the new coach. Jol mentions so of the top players on the team and glaringly omits demps. Then i thought about the interview i watched with deuce yesterday and his talk about champions league. It seems that the team and him have come to an agreement to put him out there and see what happens starting today. I believe, and hope, this is a coordinated effort with the managment, otherwise i am worried why jol didn’t mention him and why is he trying so hard to leave. Go clint! Is it coincidence gold cup starts for him today? Expect inspiring play from deuce tonight!
I did find this junk report though. This is quoted from a brit rag.
In today’s most unlikely story, American superstar soccer player Clint Dempsey will sign for AC Milan. He wants to play Champions League football, see. “Right now I’m thinking about Europe and playing in the Champions League. That’s a goal,” he told the Sun. “Everyone wants to play at the highest level.” Not going to happen, Clint.
Hunh? Not really man.
Just like seeing him play for Fulham every week. He’s such a great player for an underdogg with a chance. One more year, I hope.
The press is reporting that Dempsey has made it clear that he would like to play in the Champion’s League. As Fulham has only just qualified for the UEFA League, it probably means that if a Champions League team came calling, he might accept a transfer. It is understood that AC Milan has Dempsey on it’s radar.
The UK Sun said that AC Milan is interested in Duece. Hope he goes somewhere else where he’ll get more pt…
Sporting is will make sense one day. I think they are trying to incorp. other sports under there umbrella.
Revs- Kinda lame
Fire- love the name might be the best name in MLS
Galaxy – not bad not great
Dynamo-would have been awesome if they used Texans 1836.
FCD- Never knew what a burn was but it is better than just FCD.
Jol is going to sell Deuce ASAP, make the money, and spend it on more traditional wingers. He believes Deuce is a firecracker that just peaked. Take the money and run, so to speak. I hope Deuce gets his dream of championship football! Anyway, you heard it here first. This is my foray into english football journalism.
“Italy are winners and USMNT are losers.”
Italy finished last in their group at the most recent World Cup, just behind NEW ZEALAND. Rossi didn’t even make the squad.
It is Rossi’s life- not yours Paul and Chris. Sure we all wanted him to pick the USA but Rossi was raised to be an American and he is acting like an American.
Rossi is living his dream and is acting selfishly- like most Americans do.
Rossi is also chosing to play for a World Cup winning side- Italy. Americans always go with winners. Italy are winners and USMNT are losers.
So Rossi is a TRUE AMERICAN in his actions and deeds. More power to him.
Alas, what could have been…….
It’s possible now that Fulham have hired Jol. Before, any team that hired Hughes before July 1 had to pay Fulham, and I would guess that that’s no longer the case.
I saw speculation that Villa didn’t like the way Hughes handled his exit from Fulham, but I’m not sure that’s concrete, and a lot of times guessing passes for journalism when it comes to English soccer.
even a blind man could see Dempsey’s impact.
Chivas I can understand since it’s sponsored by the Mexican team-Chivas.
DC United ain’t so bad. You could always argue United as in USA and it’s in the nation’s capital.
Sporting KC does suck. Real Salt Lake sounds good off the tongue but flops with no reason.
Agreed, Jol knows who Fulham’s best players are
I agree that Impact is not relevant. But, in the same way the following team names are completely irrelevant and whack:
Real Salt Lake? – There is nothing royal about Salt Lake City. Just ripping off Real Madrid’s name.
Sporting KC – Why are we still ripping off european club names? We aren’t in Lisbon.
DC united – again a ripoff from Manchester.
Chivas USA – WTF??
Hunh? Was this mentioned above and I missed it? I think being the team’s player of the year takes care of that concern and makes it a non issue.
Is Aston Villa not interviewing Mark Hughes?
They hope to be the first Canadian team to actually make an “Impact” in MLS.
At this point in his career, I dont think it is that big of a deal for him. Pretty sure everyone at the club realizes his impact on the field by now.
Maybe it’s the only word they could think of that means the same in French and English.
Probably sucks for Deuce. Dempsey’s the real deal. The more a manager watches him play, the more he will think of his game, especially when the chips are down and someone needs to show some cajones. It just sucks that he keeps having to prove himself to all the new guys, but this is the nature of football. This would have to make a transfer more likely. I just like seeing Dempsey at the Cottage, hope it works out that he stays there and stays on the pitch. At this point, he deserves some respect.
amen
+1 Each of the Northwestern teams’ names were of local relevance. What does “Impact” have to do with Montreal?
Looks like Alexis Sanchez to Barca. Does that mean Rossi is snubbed? Here’s to hoping so. And yes, I’m still bitter.
Liked it when Portland and Seattle kept their names while moving up, not this time. Montreal Impact sounds like something out of the first generation of MLS.