Thought this was rather good. http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6632214/clint-dempsey-wants-some-respect-soccer
Agreed. It's what I think we've known for some time. We'd obviously love to keep him, but the question remains, although he's a star at Fulham, would he make it as an automatic choice in a Champions League team?
He is a star at Fulham, and a worthy winner of player of the season. And yet, can anyone say with hand on heart that he's going to be an automatic starter next season? If we sign this new striker from Ajax, then he's not likely to get either of the starting spots up front. Even if we don't sign any new wingers, that will leave Dempsey competing with Duff, Davies and Dembele for two starting spots. I don't think any one of the four will be able to confidently expect to hold down a starting spot for the whole season. If Hughes had stayed, I suspect Greening would have been in the mix for next season as well. If we add someone with genuine pace (is this the year for Kacaniklic to break through?) it makes the situation for all the wingers even more precarious. There is an argument for cashing in if we get a seriously big offer. Good to have competition for places though.
Hand on heart, there are no guaranties at any position, for Dempsey or anyone else. I think he could play and start for a Champion's League team, just not one in any of the three big leagues (England, Italy and Spain). If he went to any of the big five teams in England, he'd be a bench warmer. That's no slight on his ability and talent, but to play at that level and unseat Maluda or Valencia? I just can't see it. The best video interviews I've seen of Dempsey are at this site: http://www.ussoccer.com/Multimedia/Media-Center.aspx#/id=7d9532f8-09eb-4f09-b1e3-8cf1b09fedc1 (there's actually two there for Dempsey fans) If you're interested in what makes Dempsey tick, or what it was like for him to come over to England and compete for a place in Fulham's starting 11, it's very insightful. I think he's sitting his garden for the interview and he talks about his life growing up, his family, his interests outside football and his competitiveness. That ESPN story was interesting. Sounds like he feels underappreciated at Fulham, at least by the management.
I agree that nobody should be guarenteed a starting place, but we all know that if everyone is fit and barring for extremes of form, Zamora and Hangeland will start. It's not that they are entitled to be automatic starters, simply that by a considerable distance they are the best players currently at the club in their respective positions. Until this season Schwarzer and Hughes have been in that position too, although that may now be changing. My point was that although Dempsey has been great for us, and although he is flexible enough to be considered in several positions, he isn't head-and-shoulders above his competition for any of them. If either Zamora or Hangeland hit a bad run of form, I'm sure Jol (or any other manager worth his salt) wouldn't hesitate to drop them if necessary, and I'm sure that Bobby and Brede would expect to hold their places on merit or not at all.
Captain ... your right that he's not heads and shoulders above any of his competitors for the wing positions. There were several games last year when Duff was outstanding, clearly playing at a level above that of Dempsey. But what I think gets overlooked about Dempsey is his consistancy and durability. Think of all the time Zamora, A Johnson, Dembele, Duff, Davies, Etuhu and others have spent in the clinic or "getting back to fitness" while Dempsey just keeps chugging along, year after year, at a very high level making things happen for the team. He's like Hughes and Hangeland in the sense that he's always there playing well, though he's competing in what (IMO) is a tougher, more physically-competitive midfield position.
I think you must judge a player over the whole season and not just say,didnt he have a great game against so,and so,then fade away for the next couple of games,having seen Demps in the majority of last seasons, games, for me he was player of the year.
