Clint Dempsey is ready to have a homecoming of sorts this weekend as he returns to Gillette Stadium for Saturday's USA-Spain friendly. The U.S. national team star returns to the town where his professional career began after completing what is easily the best season of his professional career.
Just how good was his season at Fulham? He finished with a career-high 12 Premier League goals, helping him break the club record for career goals in the Premier League. His season was good enough to earn him Fulham Player of the Year, which he was named today.
I had a chance to sit down with Dempsey in London recently and discuss everything from life events to career moments. Here is my Fox Soccer feature on Dempsey, with the 28-year-old midfielder discussing everything from some close calls in his life, to his on-field persona, to his feelings about U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley.
Give the story a read and feel free to share your own thoughts on it, and Dempsey, in the comments section below.
Yep. They need to send more Texans to the EPL.
Because he’s one of our best forwards. If there were better options, he wouldn’t be starting.
never heard the benny one, it’s hard to believe. in regards to the john terry one, it is true he decided to start yappin at american tourists on 9/11 when he was piss drunk. real class act. but i dunno i doubt if dempsey broke terry’s cheekbone in retaliation for that. it would be epic though.
It’s false. It’s an old story that I’ve heard about Mickey Mantle among others.
No debate at all, Eurosnob…Donovan is king
As mentioned in the OP, the (perhaps apocryphal)_ story is in the comments section of Ives’ column. Just let your mouse do the walking…
Dunno, but ask yourself, “Why would Dempsey, who lives in London, even *have* a $100 bill in a bar in South Africa?”
well done ives
Both of them please. Sound interesting….
Beautiful.
Two players of the year in the EPL, which easily makes 2010-11 season the best EPL season ever for US abroad players.
Can you explain the details of that rumor?
Thanks
It is really interesting to see the players who have success early and how that pans out. I definitely appreciate the players who craft their careers patiently and develop themselves into stay players.
I think we will be much more effective with Dempsey and Donovan or Agudelo up top, rather than Jozy Altidore and whoever. Donovan could even be put up top.
Also, we now have some world class midfielders: Stuart Holden (injured unfortunately) Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley. We don’t need Dempsey or Donovan there anymore.
Dempsey, is in excellent form, as one of the most effective strikers in the EPL! He should be, without a doubt our star striker.
Why the love affair with Jozy Altidore? He has done nothing in months, even years! Why would we consider him our star striker when Dempsey is so in form? Jozy doesn’t even get 90 minutes consistently with his new club. There is a reason he barely gets any play time in Turkey and Dempsey consistently starts in the EPL.
Agreed. I’ll take Dempsey over Donovan, but it’s a close call.
Uhhh, Jozy Altidore.
How many times does this guy have to get loaned out to second rate clubs and still get no playing time?
BB keeps starting this loser.
No doubt it was revenge. Clint patiently waited 6 years to finally face Terry after his insensitive remarks. It was the fuel that drove him to be the best he could be in hopes of finally making it to the EPL. If only Terry had played in the US/England friendly in 2005, Clint could have dealt his revenge sooner.
Great player. For me, after Timmy he’s the closest thing to world class that we’ve got.
Not to diss Donovan, but Clint’s game seems more complete.
I’d actually like to see him take the armband a few times.
It worked wonders for Beckham.
Forget the Feilhaber story, what about the John Terry one? Revenge or coincidence?
Ehh who knows. I’m not sure why someone would make up that kind of a rumor, but that doesn’t seem like Benny to me. I’d like to here if that guy was there at the same bar or not.
Fulham player of the year Clint Dempsey…officially.
What’s funny is that’s one of the primary criticisms from the Bradley haters…
Personally I think loyalty is a very good thing, although there are cases where it may not work out (Rico Clark at the World Cup). My big concern is not Mikey (he deserves it) or Bornstein (still the best option available to us), but Onyewu. If he looks done, hopefully Bradley’s loyalty to him doesn’t cost us the Gold Cup.
just a rumor but you never know.
Is the story about Feilhaber approaching Dempsey after WC2010 discussed in the comments section of the Fox Soccer article true?
Honestly, I see a close-call/tough debate between Dempsey and Donovan. Dempsey has the edge in club career, Donovan in USMNT. Although duece has some big moments with the USA, and Donovan did have a nice loan spell preview his abilities.
I thought his comments about Bob Bradley were interesting. I wonder how many other players in the National team pool have similar sentiments. Gooch? Baby Bradley? Rico Clark? Certainly Bornstein.
Clint has scored 12 goals and assisted on 3. That is nearly 25% of the 49 league goals that Fulham has scored this season. He’s a SUPERHERO
Clint needs a movie made on his life. I think Jake Gyllenhaal could pull it off or maybe Ryan Gosling or heck maybe that dude from The Social Network whose gonna be the new Spider-Man.
Reading your piece enlightened me to the fact that Dempsey was on that 2003 U20 team. When I looked up the tournament to see how much time he got (just 1 sub appearance, btw) it was funny to see the US players that were garnering acclaim — EJ, Convey, Mapp. Also of not, amazingly the starters on that team are all still pros now.
You heard it here first. Dempsey will start being affectionately known as “Krunk”.
In 20-30 years he will be looked on as one of the greatest if not the greatest American footballer ever. I sure hope he gets to play CL football at some point in his career.
Dempsey is simply a GOD.