The other football: Americans On The Rise In England

[ColdCuts]

Fulham FC is slated to become the EPL's "most American" club.

Nine of the clubs in the English top-flight currently have an American or two on their roster, and two clubs have American owners*. But, the team looking to put the most Americans on the pitch is Fulham.

According to ESPNsoccernet.com, Fulham has agreed to pay MLS $4 million for American standout, Clint "Deuce" Dempsey, who currently plays his club ball for the New England Revolution. If Dempsey can procure a British work permit, the transfer fee will be the largest paid to MLS in its ten-year history. Dempsey would be in good company at the south London club, joining fellow Americans Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra, who both arrived at Craven Cottage in January of 2004.

Note: Bocanegra was the hero last Saturday when he knotted the score at two-a-piece versus powerhouse Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Six minutes from time, the Chelsea goalkeeper managed to stop McBride's effort with his right foot, but the ball fell to Boca who found net.


*Americans currently playing in the EPL

Blackburn Rovers: Brad Friedel
Bolton Wanderers: Johann Smith
Charlton Athletic: Cory Gibbs
Everton: Tim Howard
Fulham: Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra
Manchester City: Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley
Reading: Bobby Convey, Marcus Hahnemann
Watford: Jay DeMerit
West Ham United: Jonathan Spector

Malcolm Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, became owner of Manchester United in 2005, and Cleveland Browns owner, Randy Lerner, is the new owner of Aston Villa, taking control of the club last August.

[ATLHARP]

Originally Posted by ColdCuts

Fulham FC is slated to become the EPL's "most American" club.

Nine of the clubs in the English top-flight currently have an American or two on their roster, and two clubs have American owners*. But, the team looking to put the most Americans on the pitch is Fulham.

According to ESPNsoccernet.com, Fulham has agreed to pay MLS $4 million for American standout, Clint "Deuce" Dempsey, who currently plays his club ball for the New England Revolution. If Dempsey can procure a British work permit, the transfer fee will be the largest paid to MLS in its ten-year history. Dempsey would be in good company at the south London club, joining fellow Americans Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra, who both arrived at Craven Cottage in January of 2004.

Note: Bocanegra was the hero last Saturday when he knotted the score at two-a-piece versus powerhouse Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Six minutes from time, the Chelsea goalkeeper managed to stop McBride's effort with his right foot, but the ball fell to Boca who found net.


*Americans currently playing in the EPL

Blackburn Rovers: Brad Friedel
Bolton Wanderers: Johann Smith
Charlton Athletic: Cory Gibbs
Everton: Tim Howard
Fulham: Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra
Manchester City: Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley
Reading: Bobby Convey, Marcus Hahnemann
Watford: Jay DeMerit
West Ham United: Jonathan Spector

Malcolm Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, became owner of Manchester United in 2005, and Cleveland Browns owner, Randy Lerner, is the new owner of Aston Villa, taking control of the club last August.

Soccer? Who do I have pay to keep this out of the US?

ATL

[mastershogun]

you forgot Oguchi Onyewu. though not final there is some talk about a move

http://goal.com/en-us/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=202117

edit: he is also connected with to a different club
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

[ColdCuts]

Originally Posted by mastershogun

you forgot Oguchi Onyewu. though not final there is some talk about a move

Good eye mastershogun, but I didn't forget Gooch! I was going to mention his possible move to Fulham, but just before starting the thread, I read that he had returned to Standard Liege in Belgium where he's been playing his club ball since 2004. However, I also read that the only problem was that they couldn't come to financial terms, so Fulham (or AC Milan) might still make a better offer and Gooch would go.

[ColdCuts]

UPDATE: Deuce was granted a work permit by the British Home Office yesterday. He hasn't played since the MLS Cup Final on November 12th, so it'll take him some time to regain full match fitness.

I read that he is likely to to make his Fulham debut against Tottenham Hotspur on January 20th.