The Texan Gets His Spurs: Dempsey at Tottenham [R]

This thread is amazing...
I'm as confused by this as the next guy. I really thought that either a) he was going to prove a lot of idiot Spurs fans wrong this year, having had a proper preseason and a year in the system, or b) he would transfer to a CL club from, say, France.

Having said that...

People saying that this move is bad for the USMNT have to take a look at the World Cup performances by MLS players over the last three cycles. And not just USMNT players either.

The MLS season is actually great for a good WC prep. Long, restful offseason, and then you play yourself into form and go. Especially at 30+... I mean compare McBride in 2002 (Columbus Crew) to 2006, coming off of an excellent season at Fulham.

Furthermore - and I've felt this way about Donovan for a long time - you can make an argument that Dempsey in MLS is better for American Soccer than at any European club because more young American players are going to get to train with him and try to defend against him. Seriously - if you're a young American footballer, do you want to watch him on TV on Saturday mornings, or do you want to see if you can MATCH UP against him?

Finally - I know Spurs fans have this delusional fantasy about their club being Real Madrid (which, by the way, is why Bale isn't transferring... oh wait), but if we're going by attendance... Sounders are a bigger club than Spurs. And their fans are (maybe 5%) less obnoxious.

 

SpursOfficial
We have reached agreement with Major League Soccer for the transfer of Clint Dempsey. #THFC
8/3/13 11:00 AM

it's official

 

The man loves to fish, and I suppose Washington State has good fishing...?!

 

I was thinking players like Paulinho now on Spurs; don't know his wages but transfer fee was over 2X Clint's.

But yeah they could have picked up quality players instead; and went for the biggest available USMNT star, in a slot where they need help.

Neymar/Bale etc money is in the category: if you have to ask you can't afford them.

 

Dempsey never got to play in the UCL but he still is a World Class player. Not everybody can say that they helped their country beat Spain, Italy and Germany and that they won the bronze ball at the Condederations Cup. So glad to have a player of his quality back in MLS.

 

...and I no longer 'LIKE' any of the Tottenham Facebook pages anymore. Time to 'LIKE' Sunderland and Stoke City ...

(this should be the final post on this thread)

 

I saw a tweet yesterday saying it had some of the best bass fishing in the world. Dunno how accurate that is. But good for Clint!

 

No.

 

Then they will point him to the door while chuckling.
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That being said I believe Goff's version of $4m a year. Still pretty damn high!

 

LOL. Clint is definitely starting in the WC. Wherever you rank Landon and Bradley, Clint is somewhere in that top 3 best player for us.

 

Uhhhh. Exactly.

You know how when you watch soccer they advertise to soccer fans? Thats what they will use Clint for.

 

Dempsey is gonna play for the NT as long as he's a pro. I doubt he ever retires. If McBride was able to start all three games at 06 WC, theres no doubt that a driven player like Clint couldn't do the same. It's not like he relies on speed or supreme athletic ability.

At the very minimum his incredible aerial ability and good finishing will be useful coming off the bench up top.

I mean we're talking about Clint here. One of the best US players of all time. It's not gonna be easy for some young gun to replace him and frankly I don't see any kid playing right now with the ability. Hopefully that will change.

It makes great sense. He's gonna get a nice rest this winter and be in top shape for when the WC rolls around this summer. He's also not gonna have to travel as much for any of the friendlies/qualies he has to go to.

LOL this is laughable BS. How is playing in MLS going to suddenly make Clint unprepared for the WC? Clint is extremely driven and will be 100% prepared for WC.

 

It's time to look forward to the Jozy and Sunderland game day threads.

It be interesting to hear what Dempsey's reasonings are for making this move.

Just curious, what do the Spurs fans think of this move. I hope they at least thanked him for the goals against ManU.

 

That's a wrap ladies and gentlemen. Our boy is coming home, and no longer has to stand alone
Fulham Legend, don't tread.

 

I suspect the truth is somewhere in between - with the deal details giving both figures some element of truth. Meaning, perhaps, base salary around $4m, then x$ for y, and $a for b, adding up to - no doubt - more than what Clint had guaranteed in his Spurs deal. Which had 2 years to run at $5m/yr I believe.

Anyway, some more details will no doubt come out in next few days, but a wage cut for Clint is not likely to be one of them.

Landon can ask for a raise but doesn't have the leverage to ask for Clint $$.

 

You guys bellyaching about Donovan not getting that much salary haven't thought about it for more than 2 seconds. If Donovan wanted to make that much money, he would have. He could have gone to Europe. He could have forced LA's hand. Money's not the most important thing to him--he took a hug financial hit to go on his sabbatical this year. That being said, I bet LD probably makes more in endorsements than Clint--he's more well known in America to the average person than Clint is.

Someone saying that LD was dropped from the USMNT cause he was out of form. He was dropped because he took 4 months off.

Lastly, are you guys serious when you're saying Clint's not going to start for the USMNT because he comes back to MLS? The same league that has both of our starting defenders (no matter who starts, both will be from MLS), 2 other midfielders (LD and Zusi), and our probable first offensive sub off the bench (EJ). Half our starting lineup will play in MLS and he's all of a sudden not going to start because he comes back to MLS?

Would you guys quit hyperventilating long enough to think a couple of logical thoughts before posting?

 

Most wanted Dempsey gone so they really don't care.

 

Must admit I'm surprised. I thought Demps was enough of a utility players and reasonably priced enough AVB would keep him.

That said, I wonder about the whole "he'd be better prepared for the WC by playing in the EPL." While I get the logic that playing against the highest competition theoretically keeps you sharp (and I'd think that fighting for a spot on AVB's roster as well as sessions and training with the squad that Spurs has on hand at the moment has to be fairly decent to keep you honest and honed.) I wonder if there is any evidence that for an experienced international player going to a less "challenging" league has any real affect. It's probably hard to tell since often moves to a lesser league are the result of drop of form. The sample of players at or near the top of their game choosing to step down has to be fairly small.

Perhaps the worst outcome is in MLS Clint will be able to "try" too much "sh*t" and get away with too much of it.

 

I guess I'm one of the ones who are down about the move...I loved watching Clint playing against the best every week!

This move just doesn't feel right at this particular moment especially given Clint's desire to play
Champions League ball and his endorsement of the World Cup in Brazil. I believe Dempsey has a good 2-3 yrs of top quality ball and the year before and after Brazil could have been the icing on the cake for an amazing career.
I like the move to MLS, but would have preferred it be after Brazil if anything or maybe before the next world cup as a push for the younger players to step up.

However, I know that sometimes players need to make decisions outside of the field and I will support my favorite USMNT player wherever he chooses to put cleat to grass (unfortunately not real grass).

 

The way this Spurs thread has been going I'm taking that as a positive.

 

Jeff Carlisle analysis of the move at ESPNFC.

Houston was his first choice, bu tare short of cap space and the general resources of the Sounders.

 

I expect this forum will pull a Jonestown / Heavens Gate by the Boxing Day matches.

 

OK, people need to decide. IF

1. Dempsey was going to get playing time with Spurs (and a rusty Clint is no good to the Nats) AND
2. Playing in a shit league like MLS is going to weaken Clint as a player THEN it follows that
3. There's no way a player good enough to actually play on a regular basis for Spurs is not going to tear it up in MLS.

One other thing...about "World Cup Level." Last go-round our group had Algeria and Slovenia. Unless we get in the Group of Death, playing in MLS is plenty good enough to keep him sharp for group play. And realistically, the US' dream has to be to make the quarterfinals.

 

The comments I've been reading from all over have been quite whiney, not so much here. It amazes me how much yank fans think they know about a situation, starting to remind me of LSU fans. I don't think Clint owes any yank fan anything. What if this move was for his family? Securing a financial future while still playing regularly. Who says he doesn't try to get loaned out for winter? I think people need to calm down. This could very well be the best thing to happen to US soccer...who knows?