Clint Dempsey appreciation

As a Texas boy living on the continent and flying to the cottage from time to time watching clintus fight for every ball against the best players in the world, I can't help but feel the passing of an era. He was to my mind the very last link to the old breed of hard nosed, unflinching, unapologetic American originals that have somehow transformed into milk toast, sound bite, daddy's boys.

Greatest American professional soccer player of all time if not the greatest soccer player. The second goal against Chelsea to effectively end the Scolari experiment remains my greatest live sports memory.

After that match Lumpy refers to Clint as Fulhams 'geezer what scored twice with two chances.' Results baby!

 

I miss waking up early to catch Fulham's PL games.

I don't care what anyone says, he was not a FLOP at Spurs. I still recall they picked up the 4th highest scorer of the previous season for only 7 million pounds on the transfer deadline. I'm still annoyed that Liverpool lowballed Fulham for him.

 

say what now?

 

It wasn't one of his best goals, but Clint Dempsey destroying Robert Green's international career with a single shot remains a favorite moment of mine.

Went from England's first-choice goalkeeper to persona non grata within seconds. That's the power of Deuce.

 

I mean, if Brian McBride calls him the Goat I'm gonna take the guy who played with him at the club AND national level over a random poster on the internet's unknown perspective he heard from an unknown source.

 

I didn't realize he was so close to hanging it up. Thought he'd surely get that one more goal to go top of the all time scorers list alone. Things always got interesting when Clint was on the ball. He will be missed.

 

I always wondered what might have been had he moved to La Liga or Serie A. He had some interest after the 2010 WC and before his move to Spurs. He definitely boosted the standing of US attacking players. And all the more impressive, he was a Texan.

 

Agreed with you @Sufjan Guzan

If BMcB is that glowing about a player as he was with Dunseth last night, I listen to that.

Demps was a unique talent in US history. He was a player that could be counted on to score the big goal in the big game, as well as the little game. He was a true gamer who would bleed for the US colors on the field. I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments on the field for the US and at club level. He gave all he could at every club. I don't know how Sounders fans feel about his accomplishments there, but seemed to do well up until the last few years.

If I was in his shoes and someone gave me the contract he was given from MLS and Sounders, I would have jumped at that in a heartbeat. But I would have rather seen him play a few more years back at Fulham at the end of his career as opposed to MLS. Can't blame him for taking the Benjamins though, I would have done the same.

We don't really know the guy on a personal level as he never really wanted to let fans in to that part of his life, and I can certainly respect that. The guy wants to fish and be with his family more than sell Rolexes and work as a pundit critiquing other players on TV.

Good luck Deuce. Many thanks for all you did for us. The rapping I could have done without, but I'm old and cranky.

 

The first minute goal against Ghana for me was my favorite Deuce moment, with the other Ghana goal in 2006 being the second. His reactions to scoring those goals is sheer passion.

Many many many reps to the first person to post a gif of the Deuce Face.

 

wait what did McBride say about Dempsey?

 

a different view of the man

https://deadspin.com/clint-dempsey-is-an-intractable-asshole-who-never-backe-1828693927

 

That FIRE he had. If only more of our guys had it.

To me, he was the emblem of the US footballer. The kinda guy we needed going forward. Kids see him and wanna emulate. He wasn't soft and didn't represent that "upper-middle class/soccer mom" vibe.

 

Would really like to see him called up for the upcoming friendlies. He deserves one more shot to break the record and get a goal against Mexico, and he deserves better than for his last cap to be the T&T debacle.

 

From my standpoint as a longtime Dempsey follower, I think that was a pretty accurate description of how he played the game. I think the headline is more of a click bait Hot Take, and the actual text offers a much more nuanced description of his game. It says nothing about the man off the field, which no one except people he allows in, seem to know much about. Clint Dempsey is likely not an intractable a$$hole, but from the standpoint of some of his opponents, I would wager they would say exactly that.

 

I find it better to keep things the way it is. Maybe he scores, maybe he doesn't.

 

This was the reason negative rep was invented.
I STILL don't know why they took that away.

 

If there's a man who deserves an elbow to the face, that's John Terry.

 

Yeah that does make me like him a bit more...

 

You got me to read it! Easily the worst article I've ever read about soccer coming from a woman obsessed with penis, agression , anus, and conflict. The article manages to say more about the author than the subject .impressive!

 

I think a while back someone touched on this point and said... "He may be an asshole but he is OUR asshole"

 

One retirement down, two Toront FC retirements to go.

 

I never heard that story about him punching the window at Fulham. Pretty crazy.

 

"He's a passionate boy".