At 33 years old, Clint Dempsey has seen and been a part of several pivotal moments in U.S. Men’s National Team history. After several months away from the team, the Seattle Sounders forward is now looking to use his leadership and international experience to help the team create a few more.
Dempsey has rejoined the USMNT for the first since October as a member of the 23-man squad tasked with taking on Guatemala in a pair of World Cup qualifying contests. With 120 prior caps and 48 goals already to his name, Friday’s visit to Guatemala is far from Dempsey’s first rodeo. Rather, it presents another opportunity for the USMNT forward to make a statement in a competition all too familiar to the veteran.
In other ways, it also presents a way for Dempsey to make a personal statement: that he is far from finished. With eyes set upon this summer’s Copa America Centenario, Dempsey sees Friday’s clash as the start of a proving process for both himself and a USMNT looking to rebound from a difficult 2015 campaign.
“It’s very important to try and get these six points to qualify for the next round, for the Hex,” Dempsey said. “You always want to qualify for major competition. It’s a major step forward towards qualifying for the World Cup. You want to be performing well going into the the Copa America, because it’s a major tournament as well and an opportunity to do something great on home soil.”
The ripple effects of Dempsey’s inclusion have already been felt for a team still searching for its ideal forward pairing.
Jozy Altidore’s status remains up in the air as the Toronto FC forward continues to deal with an injury. According to head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, Altidore is taking things day-by-day after playing limited minutes last time out with TFC.
With Altidore questionable, the USMNT’s other forwards, Bobby Wood, Gyasi Zardes and Chris Wondowloski, enter with a combined four World Cup qualifying caps between them.
Dempsey, for one, has been down this very road before. The Seattle Sounders forward remembers a 2012 clash with Guatemala vividly, one that ended in a disappointing 1-1 draw. After scoring the opening goal, Dempsey was helpless as former club teammate Marco Pappa bent in a free kick to seal a point in the game’s final minutes.
That game served as one of many lessons Dempsey hopes to impart on some of his younger teammates.
“It’s always difficult playing against teams in CONCACAF away from home,” Dempsey said. “You can really feel that home-field advantage and the trick is trying to get as many points as you can from those away games. It’s always difficult, it’s always a hostile crowd. They support their team very passionately, but you look forward to the challenge of those types of games and trying to figure out a way to manage it in the right game.
“It’s being careful with cards and also making sure you take the energy from the fans and use it to your benefit instead of letting it affect how you play and not being confident. You have to go and try and impose your game on the other team. It will be a tough challenge but, at the same time, that’s what qualifying is all about.”
Even with all of the expertise and leadership he brings to the table, Dempsey’s inclusion is about far more than his ability to coach up younger stars.
The 33-year-old forward scored nine international goals in as many games in 2015, making him the USMNT’s leading scorer for the year by a three-goal margin. Performance-wise, Dempsey is still the USMNT’s top creator and a player that will prove invaluable on the field as qualifying heats up.
What comes after remains a question mark. The forward isn’t getting any younger, and the next group of young talent is always pushing for its chance at a USMNT spot. For now at least, Dempsey isn’t looking four or five years down the line. Rather, the forward is merely looking towards this summer and how he can contribute along the way.
“You only can control what you can,” Dempsey said, “and that’s being in camp and trying to make sure you’re available for selection and to do well in these games if you get the opportunity. If you’re playing well, you always give yourself as chance at selection for the Copa America.”
So, he is back and we continue to play the same all boring game as before, rather than shaking things up and work with the talent of the future. I just wish our players would play with the heart and determination the entire Leicester City team play.
Let’s say Clint continues to play with the nats through the next WC, if he scores 10 goals is he the best US field player of all-time?
You must be looking for a spirited debate Razor. I’ll bite…
To answer your question;
Greatest player? No.
Greatest goalscorer? Yes.
Remember, Donovan has 58 assists to compliment his 57 goals as a USMNT player. Not 100% sure, but Dempsey has somewhere around 11-12 assists. Based on stats alone, Donovan clearly is the USMNT’s all-time best attacker.
Question is, how do you quantify the excellence of field players who were not attackers? Players like John O’Brien or Steve Cherundolo.
Of course then do you look at only Nat performance or how they played for their clubs?
I don’t think you could consider Johnny O’Brien because his time was so cut short by injury. He was really only a consistent club starter for one season and only had 32 caps.
Cherundolo could be considered best defender because he could defend and was so good at getting forward and putting in crosses, but I don’t think many would consider a defender for the best player ever.
I think it’s Landon as well even if Clint passes him, unless Clint scores several goals in Russia and leads the team to the quarters or better.
Finally, I don’t think assists really that regarded in soccer all that much (I know they lead to a goal, but in terms of statistical importance not like basketball). There’s no golden trophy for assists in league play or at major tournaments. I recall MLS tried to push them when the league began, but they aren’t really talked about anymore.
Great to see Dempsey carrying the torch that was passed to him by his former USMNT teammates.
The break away from the USMNT for the first round of qualifiers seems to have refreshed his outlook and re-kindled his tenacity to compete and hopefully perform.
I think we need to use Dempsey in qualifying, but leave him out of the Copa America. It’s not really an important competition and it will be a great proving ground for our younger players.
and send him to Rio instead as an overage player?
***no jinx*** if we make it
Except that is in the middle of the MLS season and Seattle wouldn’t be very happy about it. Better if we send someone from Europe who isn’t playing for his club.
right…but he will play in one of the tournys. he’s not going to get overlooked for both. so i’m curious which one you would prefer.
Zero entitlement from Dempsey. Not surprisingly, at 33, he still has a change to make an impact for the USMNT.
Good lesson for our young players that hunger and humility go a long way over ego and entitlement – regardless what the name on the back of the kit says.
(haha)…now as for “lessons”: literally ripping yellow cards up probably is a good one to avoid, too. Of course, my post is regarding the mentality of making national team rosters.
are people really still throwing rocks at LD?? Come off of it please, the man is retired and all great players have some sort of chip on their shoulders but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a interview or quotable where he came off as egotistical or entitled. Demps has been in the program a long time, has produced and continues to do so, good on him
No one mentioned Landycakes. Funny how you read entitlement and immediately thought of him.
Come off of it please
In your own words: “Get over it and move on bro”
“Zero entitlement from Dempsey”
We must be reading different articles, because that is surely not the narrative or premise of the article.
However, I do believe that regardless of his short sabbatical from the USMNT during earlier qualifying and sluggish play to start the MLS season, Dempsey will surely be an asset to the USMNT during World Cup Qualifying and Copa America. His ability to continue to perform should be unquestioned considering that he led the USMNT in goals and points just last season. Can’t overlook those kind of results.
We must be reading different articles
Perhaps I didn’t read it the same way you did. Can you provide an excerpt or quote that refutes my post, please?
Not refuting anything you wrote. I read leadership, experience, and opportunity. You read “entitlement” and “ego”.
Although I will disagree that I think that every member on the USMNT has an ego. I would think that you have to have an ego if you believe that you can compete at the very highest level of your chosen vocation.
Oh, by the way Wheaties, can you let Old School know that the reply was intended for him…lol. Not sure if we have a case of multiple personalities or identity theft.
Nope, it was me. I posted from my phone while I was on the El train. I guess I used “Wheaties” for another website and it auto-filled. Odd.
Touche on the “ego” attribute but it should be a driving force – not a detrimental force.
I can’t imagine ego or self esteem being a detrimental force for a world class soccer player like Dempsey. He is well aware and willing to do what it takes to put himself in position for selection.
I’m sure that you agree that after leading the USMNT in goals/points only 1 year ago, it’s ludicrous to believe that his quality and ability to play multiple attacking positions would be anything but an asset for the USMNT this year.
Ego becomes a detriment when you think you are so much better than others around you that you don’t have to do the work that they do. You certainly could find examples of that with several US players over the last few years on both sides of JK line.
Razor,
I think that you are referring to a sense of superiority rather than ego.
I’ve never read of any player having a sense of superiority the way you described it. It’s always easy to make those type of accusations, but never easy to prove. At the USMNT level I would assume that every player there believes that they belong. Do they all have a sense of superiority?