The SportsGuy gets it wrong
By: timmyg |
5 Comments
ESPN.com Sports Columnist Bill Simmons made a rather egregious slight toward Fulham and our favorite Yank today in his mailbag.
Normally, not a big deal. I wouldn’t expect most American sports writers who pen epics about basketball to know about what goes on in SW6. But this isn’t the first time he’s completely neglected Clint Dempsey and Fulham. Read on:
Q: The MLS is taking the stance that Donovan is not for sale. While I think it’s great to have Donovan in the MLS, this is not beneficial for American soccer. Donovan is in his prime, unlike Thierry Henry (on the downside of his career). Donovan should be playing in the EPL against the world’s best competition, not in the MLS (minor league soccer).
– Art Morath, Akron, OhioSG: Couldn’t agree more. I don’t see the MLS ever being bigger than Triple-A baseball in America, which is fine; Triple-A baseball sells out stadiums, works as a feeder system for the majors and remains lucrative. The hook for soccer is the national team, and by proxy, the success of the best American players. And, as Art points out, our players can only get better by playing against the best competition. So if we want to expose fledgling fans to the best possible soccer AND tap into the American/underdog/our-guys dynamic, the following scenario needs to happen: Donovan (the most famous American soccer player ever and still in his prime) needs to play overseas for a Premier League team (let’s say Everton, since they already have Tim Howard as well); Everton needs to sign two other blue-chip Americans (let’s say Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley) and turn themselves into America’s Overseas Premier League Team;[my bold] then, ESPN needs to sign a deal to show every game live for this team, and also, create a “Hard Knocks”-type show about a season in the life of this team.
Oh brother.
First, really, no mention of Clint Dempsey? You know, probably the best American to ever grace the Premier League? The one who scored the most important goal for an English (if not European) club when he chipped in the winning goal against Juventus?
Secondly, the scenario you suggest already happened — two years ago. You penned a column four years ago where you picked Tottenham as your club and suddenly began following the league. Yet you forgot (or obviously didn’t bother to learn) that during the 2007-08 season Fulham had 5 Americans on the team — including the current USMNT captain, the most capped goalkeeper in U.S. soccer history, and the best target man the US may see in a generation. Oh, and Eddie Johnson, but uhm yea…
I wouldn’t expect the SportsGuy to know all the ins-and-outs of the Premiership, but to ignore Clint Dempsey and just focus on the media darlings Howard and Donovan is a wee bit trite.
It seems the only time the media wants to talk about Clint, is when it’s about his upbringing. It’s a story that should be told, but it has already been told.
Twisting and Turning
By: timmyg | 3 Comments
Anyone remember in the final season of The Wire, when Marlo Stanfield asks Proposition Joe for assistance with money laundering and obtaining clean bills? You know, when Prop Joe gets Marlo hooked up with laundering money through a church (a sub-plot I still wish David Simon went further into) and then helps him sets up an offshore bank account to put said money into?
Remember how that all ended up for Prop Joe? Well, turned out Marlo was working to overthrow Prop Joe and the New Deal Co-Op, and solidify his position with The Greek as the main narcotics supplier for all of Charm City.
Well I feel ominously like Fulham is Prop Joe here, and Marlo is Martin Jol. Ajax? Well, naturally, they’re The Greek.
Stories have been flying left and right, up and town, clockwise and counter-clockwise about how exactly this is all playing out. First it’s “reports” that Jol wants to come. Then there’s a Dutch paper that states Jol wants to stay in Amsterdam. Then Soccernet has a anonymous sources saying everything is agreed between Jol and Fulham, but Ajax won’t let him go. Now it’s about talks that could go on for weeks — not between Fulham and Jol but Jol and Ajax.
But what if it’s all of the above? What if Jol is just using Fulham, using them into helping him as leverage to solidify his position with Ajax to keep his star players and simultaneously get those transfer funds he needs? And then discarding them once he gets those assurances from Ajax, like Marlo did with The Greek?
Oh dear.
I just want this saga to end without any bloodshed, or nephews betraying uncles.
Category: Team NewsIs it Jol?
By: timmyg | 4 Comments
The buzz around the Fulham sites and blogs is that Martin Jol is jumping from Ajax and joining Fulham. Three years ago, this would have seemed impossible.
Rich has a great write up about Jol’s transfer dealing at Spurs, but I want to paint a picture of his managerial career and put it into a larger context.
Basically, Jol has succeeded everywhere he’s gone. When he managed Roda JC he led the club to their first Dutch Cup in over thirty years. He then led the tiny pseudo yo-yo club RKC Waalwijk to three straight Top 10 finishes.
Then there was Tottenham, which I’ll get to later. Read the rest of this entry »
Category: Team NewsDear Alistair
By: timmyg | 1 Comment
Two weeks ago Roy Hodgson left us for Liverpool. And according to some sources, the move was lined up weeks in advance.
So by my count, it’s been nearly a month since the search to replace Fulham’s Lord and Savour should have begun (be it informally or formally).
Yet it seems that there is a constant roulette with potential managers. Now, granted, the English media is so full of crap that I don’t believe any of it. But there doesn’t seem to be any solid leads anywhere. First we heard about Sven. Then Lee Clark. Then Alan Curbishley. Then Mark Hughes. Still Sven. Then Bob Bradley. Then Ottmar Hitzfeld. Now Martin Jol. Am I forgetting anyone? Didn’t Phil Jackson say he was interested?!?
And then there’s the timing. First we heard a decision would be made within a week. Then another week. Then 48 hours. Now, it’s next week says the BBC? Of for the love of…
Hell, at this stage you should probably just copy LeBron and do an hour special on who the next manager is going to be. Even after all this we’d still watch a similar farce. We’re fans after all.
Here in Baltimore, the Orioles fired their manager in early June. But they don’t have to rush to make the right decision. They’re in last place and there’s “always next year”…
Fulham and the dog-eat-dog world of the Premier League don’t have that luxury. We need the correct decision, but we needed it last week. The season starts in under a month to the date. Fulham go on a tour of Sweden next week. The transfer window ends in about 6 weeks.
So just throw us a bone and make some statement. Even if it’s canned full of nothingness — just give us something to hang on to.
Category: Team NewsA friendly victory and kits
By: timmyg | Add Comments
The 2010-11 campaign (un)officially kicked off yesterday with Fulham thrashing local neighbors but table strangers Brentford FC 5-0 in a friendly.
Many of our World Cup warriors did not feature as they presumably are on a well earned vacation. Nonetheless they weren’t really missed considering the League One opponent and the match being, well, a glorified scrimmage.
Chris Baird opened the scoring with a rocket from outside. Don’t know if this is his first “goal”, but at least this attempt went in let alone on target, unlike so many similar efforts of last year. Good job to the lad.
David Elm, Damien Duff, Eddie Johnson, and Simon Davies rounded off the scoring in a scrimmage that saw 10 substitutions.
I’d make a graphic to show the lineups and substitutions, but there were just too many. So use your imagination:
Stockdale (Etheridge 77);
Stoor (Marquez 86), Hangeland (Hughes 45), Kelly, Konchesky (Smith 45);
Duff (Davies 45), Greening (Harris 77), Baird (Marsh-Brown 63), Riise (Saunders 63);
E. Johnson (Trotta 79), Elm (Gera 45).
Highlights after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Fulham-Offside Podcast July 2010
By: timmyg | 1 Comment
Don Hymel and Dan Crawford of hammyend.com join a very special pod als we look back on the departure of manager Roy Hodgson to Liverpool. We discuss why Roy left, his future at Anfield, and his legacy at Craven Cottage. Oh, and how we fans are to cope
Category: PodcastThe King is dead. Long live the King.
By: timmyg | 4 Comments
Well, here we are. Roy is gone.
I must admit I saw this coming for two reasons:
First, about midway through June no formal summer travel plans were announced. Now, here we are, one day from July, and still no summer tour has been announced. Hmm…
Secondly, and more importantly, Roy’s CV shows he rarely stays at a club for more than two seasons. He is more of a business consultant than a football manager a la Ferguson or Clough. His time at Fulham shows such business acumen, and explains why he is going to Liverpool.
When Roy took over Fulham, our stock was in the toilet. Sanchez drove the club to the brink of bankruptcy. Mohammed Al Fayed was even considering taking TARP funds. Essentially, the Bluth Company was a better buy than Fulham.
Yet here we are now, thanks to Roy: clear in the red. A Fortune 500 Company. High on the S&P 500. The recipient of numerous awards for customer satisfaction from J. D. Power and Associates.
So, what else is there do for Roy?
Which is why he is off to Liverpool, a club that is possibly in a worse situation that we were in in winter 2007. Liverpool is beyond being in dire financial straights as Hicks and Gillette have incurred so much debt that even a government bailout couldn’t help them. The lauded Anfield is a financial albatross. Their fans are constantly in revolt. Essentially, Bethlehem Steel is (or was) a better buy than Liverpool.
Yet Roy will work his magic as usual and turn their fortunes around. There just simply isn’t any other way with him. If he goes on poor terms, it will be because of popularity and not results.
But for us, I just hope Fulham doesn’t plummet like Icarus without Roy’s guidance.
It’s really been a fun flight.
Roy to Liverpool
By: timmyg | Add Comments
Rich sums up what we’re all thinking quite well. I’ll post something when I can muster up something half-intelligent whenever it’s made official (sorry, but still a little emotionally drained from Hamburg last month — anyone else still feel that way??)
Until then, I’ll steal Rich’s ethos and post some lyrics. This from Okkervil River:
Take your midnight trip.
I know you’ve dreamed of it.
Walk your sunset strip, because I think you’ve needed it to get big,
Little kid.
And, for good measure, some Local Natives:
You could let it down
Jump into the river baby
Easy as it sounds
It’s never quite as easily done
The current has us now, it’s ok
Take into account that it’s all about to change
Who knows, who cares
Category: Woy HodgsonWorld Cup Report 6/22
By: timmyg | Add Comments
Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in the USA’s 2-2 draw with Slovenia.
Mark Schwarzer started, played 90 minutes, and made 4 saves in Australia’s 1-1 draw with Ghana.
Kagisho Dikgacoi started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in South Africa’s 3-0 loss to Uruguay.
Dickson Etuhu started and played 90 minutes in Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Greece.
John Painstil started and played 90 minutes in Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Australia.
Phillippe Senderos did not dress in Switzerland’s 1-0 loss to Chile. He is recovering from an ankle injury.
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