Fulham's future with American Fans

You know what it meant... you even agreed with where I was coming from. My mistake was trying to seem better than everyone else. I just don't like the people that can't separate liking individual players from claiming false fandom of a club based on a few players in the squad.

I just phrased everything terribly. I'm really sorry I even started the whole thing.

I run into the same thing in basketball. Some people love Kobe, but couldn't give a crap about the Lakers. I am lucky though. I don't care about either.

But do they claim to be Lakers fans because of liking Kobe? That's what bothers me.

My apathy for the topic is growing.

That is it exactly. If Kobe switched teams they would go with him. I'll admit that Fulham signing Americans drew my attention. I'll keep following though even if there isn't one on the roster next year though. I honestly don't think that will be the case though. It seems that Fulham is making Americans on their roster a part of the team's identity. Almost like it is their niche. It could be a gimmick, but at least it is one the USMNT benefits from.

My interest in the club is solely because of the Americans on the squad. Not so much McBride and Bocanegra; I'm a Clint Dempsey fan. I probably won't follow them if they lose their US contingent next season. Also, if they do get relegated, I doubt if I will have any way to see their games. It's easy to be a fan when FSC shows most of their games, but if they are in the championship then I don't think they'll be on TV here in the US. FSC will probably focus on the big four, or start showing whichever Premiere league team has the most US players at that point (Reading?).

Guys, does this not bother anyone?

Why should it matter?

Seems to me that you should root for Fulham for whatever reason you want to and others can root (or not) for whatever reasons they want to.

I posted something earlier in this thread about my support for Fulham that was pretty close to what he posted....so what?


(I root for the US National team first and foremost...after that, any team that Americans are on...Fulham falls into this category, and when the Americans are gone I'll have no more interest in Fulham.)

It's annoying.

You have a very loose definition of the term "support". To you, "support" is something you do when, and only when, it's convenient for you. It's borderline retarded. You do not support Fulham. People that support Fulham (sublicon, American Mike, guys like that) are in absolute agony right now knowing our team is facing the drop. You couldn't give two shits if they get relegated or not, so long as the Yanks play well.

That's not support.

If you say so.

I really do wish Fulham well, even without any Americans on the team, but without those American players I'm not really interested in watching or following the team as closely as I do now.

But I have to ask again though....why do you care what my (or the other guy's) motives are for watching and/or "supporting" Fulham? How exactly are you being harmed? Even if the Americans left the team and we went too because of it....how exactly are you affected? Seems to me you should just sit back and appreciate the support (or "attention" if you prefer) and enjoy it while it lasts.

How would Fulham be affected? Well it'd be an important source of revenue gone from the club. I suppose you could have a point in that most Americans who claim to be Fulham fans because of the Americans probably don't buy any merchandise or take trips to the Cottage, but that just kind of exposes that element as pretty lame fans...you're actually lesser fans than the Asian tourists who invade Old Trafford, wave Ronaldo posters and wouldn't know Bobby Charlton from a kumquat. Good on ya boys, you're crappy fans!

Anyway, I don't support an MLS team either. Sorry but I was a Gooner before MLS came around, and there's no team in my city. San Jose is not 'my team', and you yanked them around anyway.

I don't wish for MLS's demise or rag on it - it's my national league after all, and if you want crap you should watch the League of Wales - but I'm not going to be guilt tripped into supporting the team.

Have a lot of time for the Nats though. Now any American who doesn't support the USA without a really good reason should be first against the wall.

It does bother me to a certain extent in that it is a fairweather fan just like any sport here in the US, but I know it is an always will be that way with some people so I don't let it bother me and focus my "fanship" support where it proves most beneficial to me in order to enjoy my team winning.

I want the Cottagers to stay up because I want Dempsey and Johnson to play in a top league. It's important for their development and the USMNT. If Fulham are relegated, Jimmy Bullard is about the only guy who will undoubtedly go to another Premier League team.

Do you honestly not see why anyone would have disdain for someone who would switch their allegiance to a team? No, none of us are being harmed, but we're here to interact with people who have the same passion for this team that we do . . not people who are only concerned with why Johnson didn't start, and why Bocanegra has been on the bench.

Supporters get up at 7:00 in the morning to watch this team play, supporters are checking the score on their cell phones every 5 minutes if they can't be at the pub or in front of the TV where they really want to be, supporters are gritting their teeth and having nerves pop out of their forehead every time we lose when we really need to be winning.

Ship-jumpers go shopping with their wives instead of watching the match, ship-jumpers sleep in instead of showing up to the bar where all of their fellow supporters are to cheer on the team, ship-jumpers are already planning to support Everton, or Reading, or West Ham next season and couldn't give a sh*t whether Fulham went down or now.

There's no harm involved, it's just annoying to interact with people who claim to be supporters but have a very one-track thought process when it comes to the team.

If you won't be about this team when they go down, or when the Yanks are transferred, then why wait? Jump now!

As has already been said by someone else, I care because I want to see the US players succeed and don't want to see them relegated....sorry if that's annoying to you.

I think if you don't dwell on it so much and just don't look at it as something to be bothered about, you'll find that it becomes less annoying. It seems to me that what this is all about is what you yourself were making fun of SOB Davey for not that long ago....all a bunch of posing about "who's the better fan."

Again, just enjoy the extra attention while it lasts. I wasn't speaking about the effect on the club before, but I'm sure they're enjoying the extra income and exposure they're getting currently and most likely have no illusions about whether it'll last without their American players (ie they're getting what they can while they can).

No...I'll wait until the American players have left...I want to watch how they do and root for them to succeed. If that bothers you, you'll just have to get over it.

sublicon,

Best solution? Just ignore them.

The way I see it, the U.S. is the only team I "truly" support. Things might be different if Pittsburgh ever gets an MLS team, but until that happens the club level is mainly a feeder system that supports the national team. Obviously, Fulham is going to stick out in this regard thanks to its recruitment of American players, so basically it's the European side I root for the most without ever resorting to the royal "we", if you catch my drift. That might not make me a true Fulham supporter, but then again that fact doesn't really bother me too much.

You will be waiting a long time since Philly got the go ahead for expansion.

This is pretty much my sentiments exactly (just substitute Las Vegas instead of Pittsburgh).

If fulham gets relegated it will be next to impossible for anyone in the US to watch a fulham match.

Not much if about it anymore.

Yeah Birmingham would have to lose all of their games an we would have to win all of ours. Something like that.

If you know how to be sneaky on the internet, it won't be a problem. Also, Setanta shows a few Championship matches every week.

Or if neither of those ideas pan out, it just means I'll have to go to the Cottage more next year.

So what happens on this board if Fulham gets relegated? Is it moved to the Champions League forum?

There's a League Championship forum.