By THOMAS FLOYD
Fulham's supporters just put the icing on the cake for Clint Dempsey's historic season.
The club announced Thursday that Dempsey has been voted Fulham's Player of the Season by the club's fans for the second straight year. The honor comes as no surprise for the 29-year-old, who scored 23 goals in all competitions despite logging most of his minutes in the Cottagers' midfield.
Dempsey, who finished fourth in the Football Writers’ Association voting for Footballer of the Year, surpassed Brian McBride to become the highest-scoring American in English Premier League history during his standout campaign, which featured the first two hat tricks of the Texan's career.
Video of all of Dempsey's 23 goals this season and some more stories from around the soccer world are after the jump:
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/43179301 w=440&h=280]
MATHIJSEN OUT FOR DUTCH OPENER
If the Netherlands is going to make a run at the Euro 2012 title, the Oranje might have to do so without Joris Mathijsen.
The starting centerback is set to miss the Netherlands' opener against Denmark on Saturday after suffering a hamstring injury in a 2-1 loss to Bulgaria on May 26, and coach Bert van Marwijk is contemplating replacing him on the roster altogether by Friday's roster deadline. (Players can be replaced up to the day before a team's first match.)
PSV Eindhoven's Wilfred Bouma is the likely replacement for Mathijsen alongside Everton's John Heitinga in central defense.
KRANJCAR COMPLETES DYNAMO KIEV MOVE
Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar has completed a transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Dynamo Kiev and signed a four-year deal with the Ukrainian club.
After joining Tottenham from Portsmouth in 2009, Kranjcar scored six goals in 24 Premier League appearances during his first season with the club, only to see a knee injury and the emergence of Gareth Bale on the left flank limit him to 25 EPL matches over the past two campaigns.
UEFA ISSUES WARNING AGAINST WALK-OFFS
In the wake of Mario Balotelli's promise to walk off the field at Euro 2012 if he is subjected to racial abuse, UEFA president Michel Platini has said any player who does so will receive a yellow card.
Leaving the pitch without permission is a bookable offense according to the FIFA Laws of the Game, leading Platini to say, "Things are clear. Referees have a protocol, so they know what they have to do."
CHELSEA STADIUM BID DENIED
After submitting an application last month to build a new stadium at the decommissioned Battersea Power Station in southwest London, Chelsea revealed Thursday that the club's bid was denied in favor of one filed by two Malaysian companies.
The Blues, who are considering leaving 135-year-old Stamford Bridge, had outlined a plan for a 60,000-seat venue at the property on the banks of the River Thames that would have retained the power station's four chimneys as part of the stadium's decor.
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What do you think of Dempsey being named Fulham's player of the year? How big a blow will Mathijsen's absence be for the Netherlands? Will Kranjcar thrive with Dynamo Kiev? Should racially abused players who walk off the field be booked?
Share your thoughts below.
Comparing Donovan to Dempsey is like comparing Lexus to Acura. They are both great car companies, but on any given day the one you’re driving can either break down on you, or save your arse.. : P
Every player has their good games, and their bad games. I think we can all agree although the game versus Canada was a bad game for both Landon, Dempsey, and basically the rest of the team. I also think we can all agree that we can still learn a lot from that game as well. No matter what Dempsey, or any other American player do. Donovan still has the most goals ever scored by a USMNT player, second most caps of any USMNT (second only to Cobi Jones), and could potentially go to his 4th world cup (I’m not sure anyone else besides Pele, and a very select few achieved that).. LETS GO YOU YANKS!!!
So because of this people give him a pass in the US jersey. His form has never translated save for very few games, Against Canada he was useless. People jump all over donovan for dissapearing in games but deuce does the exact same thing if not more often
Shame Fulham didn’t include the rocket goal that Clint bounced off the bar into the keeper. I think it should have counted as the keeper tipped it before hitting the bar.
That is would be very insulting to Fabian.
The man filed a one time switch already.
Johnson filed a one-time switch, didn’t he? Yank for life, if I understand correctly…
If Johnson is hurt, I say that JK should have him dress, and then enter the game in the 90th minute. Not to play, he can walk one step on the field for all I care, just cap him.
Americans can only sigh!!!
What if we produced a soccer player with Deuce’s character and Donovan’s talent.
I agree, what is up with Johnson? We need to cap him an Boyd.
Having Ruiz out there really benefited him. Murphy also played like he’d lost a few years at points.
seriously, where are all the USMNT articles. we had a thousand during that three game stretch. where are my updates on training? on johnson? etc. and where are my behind the crest videos USSF?!?! at least we had bradley part 2…
From the Geto Boys. The movie Office Space just borrowed it for their soundtrack.
Is Ives gonna do a EURO prediction section? I’m thinking Poland, Russia, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, France, and England advance
Thanks.
Totally off topic, but did anyone catch Sepp Blatter talking up the “Peace Handshake”/bro-shake for the captains after games?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdePMBn-PwY&feature=player_embedded#!
The video shows how talented he really is. He scored with his head, his right foot, his left foot, on through balls, from individual effort, from a penalty, on a free kick. More importantly, his efforts have not gone unnoticed in England. Being selected 4th in the POY voting is truly an honor he deserved.
Agreed. Should have been “Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangster” from Office Space.
I like #17 (~ 2:48) for that same reason — he brings the keeper out to the right with him until he’s far enough off the line, then beats him inside on a crazy angle.
Oh, I know it’s fair to say that, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by suggesting Dempsey didn’t score every goal on his own merit alone…
No, that’s an absolutely fair observation to make. Great service makes great goalscorers. Just imagine how he’d do with, oh, I don’t know, RVP, Lukas Podolski and Mikel Arteta setting him up…
I don’t think Rooney has much of an ego. What are you basing that on? If for some bizarre reason you’re referring to his temper, I don’t think that’s really related…
“So Here We Are” – Bloc Party
I think #21 shows the art of a true poacher. You see him hold up and then decisively move forward into space for the goal.
watching the clip, it almost seems like his goals go from simple and basic strike early in the season and progress to well-timed runs and great headers and are topped off by amazing free kicks. cool progression to watch
Caption Contest (if Dempsey had the ego of Wayne Rooney) – “I’m so great I can walk on air”
There’s a very interesting article on soccernet.com about Dempsey and how even though he’s had such a great season and would be a great value, the four CL clubs in the EPL would probably not be in the market for him. You all should definitely read it if you haven’t already. The article is not a slight on him at all too. I sincerely hope he doesn’t settle for Liverpool. Also, I’m taking nothing away from his goals at all, but I was impressed by some of the service he got from his teammates on some of his finishes…
He doesn’t rise off the ground; he pushes the earth away.
I don’t know, but very un-Dempsey like choice of music. I mean, can we at least get some hiphop??? This was rather soft for Deuce.
Anyone know what the song was in that Dempsey video??
23 for 23
Correct, not only can Dempsey “rise” to the occasion, the man is capable of “flying” to the occasion.
=P
seriously he must be 3-4 feet off the ground in the photo.
and fist punch at the smae time!
(you forgot)
-Can fly
-Voted player of the season
-Manager fired/New one hired
-Starts on the bench and has to prove himself again to the 13th manager during his time at Fulham
All joking aside, I really hope he lands on a bigger club. I think people doubting his ability to rise to the occasion were the same ones doubting his move from MLS to England.
Deuce is *not* Donovan. This man thrives in those situations.