Full highlights, including the now infamous backheel just before Fulham earned the penalty: http://www.footytube.com/2007/01/20/fulham-1-1-tottenham/
THAT was what all the fuss was about!? There was almost no pressure on him and he was in his own half. It had nothing to do with drawing the penalty at all. After all that hype, what a letdown. Brown's subsequent long ball to McBride was well-done, though.
The people making a big deal about it probably didn't actually watch the game, just read the word 'backheel' and assumed it was something other than a back pass that happened to be hit with his heel rather than the side of the foot.
The backheel reaction here was ridiculous. Please guys, let's not act like its the first time a Yank has played in Europe!
I agree with Plan B, it was probably an overreaction by people who didn't see it. Now that i've seen it i'm glad he tried it, but it was certainly nothing special.
Here is why some of these people are getting excited. Give me the Yank Abroad other than Dempsey in his debut in the EPL, London Darby, late second half, 10 men, 0-0 score, tries a little backheel in his own half?
no shit I expect a goal from dempsey soon... man it was beautiful to see him play and to celebrate along with Montella..
You guys sound like Don Garber, "David Beckham's signing is the single biggest event ever to happen to American professional sports". You guys need a date!
To be fair, it was a good tackle. But I agree that the back-heel was unnecessary, let alone spectacular.
I wasn't going to saying anything about the backheel but the first person to mention it was someone saying the backheel would be overrated by people on here. Once I saw that, the invitation was there to act as though it was the greatest piece of skill ever seen by humans. Of course you try to be as ridiculous as possible when being sarcastic over the internet but some people don't get it.
Oh stop It was a simple little backheel, period. Now....I still think Dempsey will do well in the Premiership but come on.
Exactly. I'm rooting for Dempsey just as much as the next guy, but the hysteria over 10 minutes and a backheel pass is a bit weird. The tackle said more than anything else, since it seemed to be a sign he's willing to do the kind of job CC wants to see.
TBH Tackle>>>Backheel We all knew he could do the backheel which was in open space but didnt expect him to tackle keane so hard.
When I was typing the PbP, I definately was much more excited about the effective dispossesion of Keane and ability to turn upfield than I was about the backheel. So, don't blame the messanger
Nah - it's easier to blame you. Next time be careful about intentionally misleading everyone on BigSoccer.
Good tackle and a good job collecting the ball and moving forward. The backheel allows just a little more time for Brown to get the ball forward. It is the little things that can make a difference. So after reading all the complaining about the overhype of the backheel I read the entire thread and determined the posts complaining about the "over-hype" of the backheel outnumber the posts over-hyping the backheel by about 5 to 1, and that is if you count calling the backheel "cheecky" as over-hyping. BTW, there was one poster who both called the backheel "cheecky" and complained about it being over-hyped. In the long run I determined the over-hype about the over-hype far outpaced the actual over-hype.
McBride in the squad for Team of the Week: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/spl/hi/football/squad_selector/team_of_the_week/html/ss_team.stm
count me as a fan of the possibility of even debating the hype level over dempsey's first appearance in the premiership and any ensuing backheels which may or may not have been noticed by anyone outside of the guy receiving the pass. good times. glad he got on the field anyways..
Well, considering the roar that was clearly audible on TV that went up from the Cottage when he played it back, I'm pretty sure a few other people noticed it.
Article on Dempsey from the Fulham site: Dempsey's Debut http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2007/January/ColemanonDempsey.aspx