Eddie Johnson Retires

Thank you Eddie Johnson for your service.

 

/salute

 

Best of luck to you in retirement.

 

Cheers to the GAM!

 

That goal was unreal. Such a perfectly timed run. Eddie had to be one of the most enigmatic players we've ever had. At times he was fabulous, at times he was just mystifyingly bad. At Cardiff, his inability to score coupled with his unceasing effort made him both a whipping boy and a beloved club figure at the same time. When he put it together, he was amazing. When he didn't, it was nearly incomprehensible how different a player he looked.

Grateful for his service. Was definitely fun to watch.

 

This was always one of my favorite EJ goals. Check out that vertical leap:

 

IIRC Eddie didn't even get invited to the 30 man camp for Brazil 2014. With Jozy down in on 20 minutes or so and AJ actually carrying an injury into the cup that snub loomed pretty large. I think he deserved to go.

Thanks, Eddie!

 

9 post? Either this is a reflection on the decline of BigSoccer or how Eddie was perceived by MLS and USMNT fans.

On the good side, I remember him having a great season with Dallas and being good in some key qualification games for the USMNT. On the bad side, I remember lack of hustle and consistency and punching a Quakes player at a US Open Cup match. Overall, I never really liked him, but I respected that his game had matured over time.

I would have taken him to the 2014 WC, but I understand why he wasn't included...

 

Some may not agree, but I think a key ingredient that makes a lot of professional sports interesting to watch is lacking in MLS. I'm talking about the personality factor. I 'm thinking of guys whose personalities were/are a big part of their game like Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson, Ibrahimovic, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Tiger Woods. Lots of ego, arrogance and bad-boy behavior to go along with the talent. Donovan, Beasley and McBride will always be at the top of my favorite US players list, but they were good guys who let their work on the field speak for them, and like a lot of other MLS/American soccer players, seemed to lack any of the nasty that make sports fun to watch. Ok ok, I know Brian McBride soldiered on after nearly being decapitated, but he was still a nice guy.

I think of guys like EJ, Dempsey and Mathis as guys who showed real signs of exhibiting some of that nasty/gritty personality seen in a lot of other popular sports. I'm thinking about Mathis taunting his club coach in Germany when he immediately scored after being glued to the bench or Dempsey doing the famous sour-puss face in a WCQ. Credit to EJ for giving us some of that personality to go along with all the goals.

 

Demolition Man

 

Well this didn't come out of nowhere. I actually thought he already officially called it quits. Regardless, sad to see him have to step aside early. We probably could use an in form EJ at the moment. "Merely" getting it done against CONCACAF opponents is nothing to scoff at given how awful the U.S. has been recently.

 

Maybe his most important goal? Would have been sitting in third place in the round before the Hex. Very important for confidence imo.

And always when you score a dos a cero goal you need to remember it. Dude gets into the stratosphere with that one. Great call on the play too

 

I really thought he was good enough to take to the World Cup in 2010. Thanks for your contributions Eddie.

 

A lot of us paid tribute to Eddie Johnson in this thread last spring: http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/best-wishes-to-gam.2018839/#post-32071948

Here was one from yours truly, which I'll cross-post below:

I will always remember and appreciate Eddie Johnson for his performance way the hell out in Antigua and Barbuda in October 2012.



The US was looking really unconvincing in that semifinal round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying - we had just 4 points through the first 3 matches and were tied for 2nd place in our 4-team group. Entering the match, we were in a virtual 3-way tie with Guatemala and Jamaica at the top of the group (competing for only two spots to advance to the Hex), so at worst, the match was perceived as a must draw, and most of us were thinking about it as a must win. Call me a cynic, but I was legitimately on edge about whether or not we would even qualify for the Hex.

Eddie Johnson had not earned a call-up since before the 2010 World Cup, and despite a good season with Seattle, did not appear to be on Jurgen Klinsmann's radar until he was brought out of the darkness with a call-up for those last two matches. EJ scored a brace that night, including the match-winning goal in the 90th minute. I don't know what would have happened in that game had Eddie not played - Jozy Altidore was out in the woods and hadn't been called in, and Herculez Gomez was really our only other striker who was at all in form and/or getting call-ups. I mean, Alan freaking Gordon earned a call-up for that match, and incidentally, provided the assist on EJ's game-winning goal.

EJ would go on to play a big role for us throughout the Hex, and with Jozy Altidore also rounding into form in 2013, I would argue that that year provided us with one of the best 1-2 punches we've had at striker in our program's history. If I were calling the shots, I would have taken Eddie to the World Cup as Jozy Altidore's back-up.

EJ's story with the national team really was a heartwarming one of redemption for a guy who started so hot, faded so fast, and had been largely written off by the vast majority of US soccer fans. Best of luck in your next step, Eddie Johnson. You were a great servant of the national team, and you'll be missed.

 

Good night sweet prince!

 

Definitely agreed. We need leaders who KNOW they are going go out and win no matter who is on the field against them. We have too many nice guys who are happy to be there and happy to show the world we belong out there blah blah blah.