In the context, it's a fantastic story. The kid took so much abuse, here in particular, it just feels great to have something like this happen. For me, the best part is that it will hopefully put to rest once and for all the myth of him being lazy.
Frankly, I'm not exactly sure why success is a prerequisite for support among many USMNT fans. Quite a few overly entitled "fans" actually prefer eating their own to rallying behind the boys wearing the shirt whether they are in top form or not (a ka how it's supposed to work). As far as I'm concerned, if one cannot support the player when he is struggling, then don't bother supporting him when he turns it around.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zheI_XMg0yE"]YouTube - Cardiff city v doncaster goals[/ame] GO EDDIE!!! Hopfully there's more to come!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD8j6O0HENc"]YouTube - Eddie Johnson 1st Cardiff City goal[/ame] this video has some Dave Jones commentary at the end.
Wholeheartedly agree. I've never stopped supporting the man, and never will unless he goes all Maurice Clarrett on us...
Good goal. Thanks for the highlights. I really think EJ could start on Tuesday. I'm not sure how fit Bothroyd is but considering he had to go off yesterday, he must have not been close. Its great that he got his first goal. Jones has said EJ is a quality player and scores in training and now he finally gets one in a game, and in front of the home crowd. He needs support. I was disgusted by some of the comments on Ives the other day, people just can't be happy for this kid. If you looked up resilient in the dictionary you'd see a picture of EJ.
Fantastic to hear the manager saying that he is working his socks off. To hear that itself gives me renewed hope for EJ going forward. He just may not have known in what manner he needed to work his socks off before and is just catching on. Very well taken goal and congrats to EJ.
I don't think that success needs to be a prerequisite for supporting a player, but I do think that there were some other characteristics to Eddie's performances over the last few years that made him hard to root for. It now looks/sounds like some of that has changed. Either way, good for Eddie.
I also loved the reaction from his teammates. I read earlier that in training his teammates really try and help him and tell him to just go out there (in game) and relax, the goals will come. It was a great goal and I'm really happy that he got it. His smile says it all.
Yes, exactly. Just happy to see the guy has experienced some joy... I think it might have been awhile.
I was critical of EJ, in the past, as he seemed to not work hard... To not be hungry. Let's face it, our players have to work extra hard and be hungry to succeed.
Right... because all of the jibes EJ has heard and seen ad nauseum for years on end were really just fairly constructed criticisms based solely on his play. C'mon. The guy scored 7 WCQ goals by the age of 21, and all certain people could say was "well, it was against crappy teams". Has he ever enjoyed round support from USMNT fans? They do it to EJ. They do it to Landon. They do it to Timmy. They do it to Gooch. They do it to Frankie. They do it to Benny. They do it to Lee. They do it to Heath. They do it to youth players. For crying out loud, they do it to guys who get hurt often (JOB, Cory, etc.) as if it's worse on them than it is on the player. They just do it, do it, do it - maybe taking something valid and blowing it waaaaay out of proportion for eons, at best. As I noted, sometimes they even do it to tear down actual success as illegitimate by their posh standards. By the time they're finished, comments on actual play have long since been limited to hyperbole. I remember when Beasley scored the Champions League winner on that "touchdown pass" from Cocu against Rosenborg. All some folks could manage to utter was a snotty remark arguing that his first touch on the play was awful... that is, the touch that took down a 50-meter long ball in stride and pushed it safely away from defenders/keeper so he could slot the only goal of the game.
Yeah, I guess I made the mistake of just speaking for myself instead of the entire U.S. soccer community. Live and learn.
What exactly was wrong with it, and what would you rather he did? He knocked it by one guy into open space and gave himself plenty of time to send a nice bendy. And at the end of the day to answer your question as to who's complaining..............You. Like one guy said, anything to complain.
Did you see a different goal than me? I saw his first touch push the ball past a defender into space where he could run on it, generate power through his hips, turn and fire a shot past a decently-positioned keeper.
Sorry - I've read enough of your posts on this topic to believe you. Great post - as is your next one. It's why I don't believe haters who say they want him to succeed - besides he's already had some success. You aren't a fan if you are exaggerating his shortcomings to sound like an expert when he struggles and disappear or downplay it or even start cheering only when he does well. Here's a kid who chose soccer when other sports might have made more sense for him because he loved playing - he probably wasn't surrounded by soccer 24-7 and wasn't exposed to brilliant pick up soccer as a 4 year old so his skills are sometimes lacking. But isn't this something we want more of - more kids to go against the grain and choose soccer? It's not his fault we aren't the Netherlands and that we don't train our kids better. I guess I should remind myself that McBride had a host of detractors and he only shut them up when he had some success in England.
Hey that was a great strike and I thought his first touch was excellent as it set up his angle Great job Eddie!!! I wish we could get a n audio feed too. Get on it BS!!!
I agree. We know EJ started late. His mother (who looks like such a sweet lady in interviews) put him and his brother in a soccer camp one summer to keep them out of trouble while she worked. I believe EJ was 10 and it took off from there. His hometown of Bunnell,Florida named a soccer field after him. This is a good little video if anyone hasn't seen it. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUIwosygCYg"]YouTube - Eddie Johnson: Joga Bonito Style[/ame] EJ says it perfectly in an interview "Thank god for soccer because that was my meal ticket, It was my way out". Who knows where he would be without the game.
After a closer viewing, I would retract my previous statement. He used his first touch to push the ball into open space. I would still say his intended touch was on the heavy side as he had to take an extra stride before his strike. Something a more proficient striker would have managed without. His shot was textbook.
Which is why I directed my comments at the community (or more specifically, those in the community who I'm describing). Not sure at all how or why you took offense, to be honest.
Only problem with your assesment is that if he'd not taken the extra stride the shot would have been blocked by one of the 2 players between him and the goal, or the goalie. The extra step is what put one of the defenders in front of him and blocked the goalies view; which allowed the shot. As it was, the goalie was inches away from getting a touch. It was well struck, and well played by Eddie.