Re: World Soccer XXIV: The Road to Rio
Joe Pavelski and Phil Kessel could each captain an AHL team, I don't think that would help them deliver for the Olympics. Even if the quality of DPs is getting beyond players on the last legs of great careers, its still hardly a top end league. I don't see how playing in MLS is supposed to compare favorably to any of his reasonable alternatives. Is he really going to see better competition in the coming months than Jozy Altidore? Is he even going to face the best competition in this confederation? To say nothing of the fact that he could've had a major role at Liverpool in another dimension. Jokes about their futility aside, that's still an improvement over going nowhere at Tottenham.
To say that Clint has already done what he can is to tacitly admit that he could never have been a Champions League player, and I think that sells him short. I'm standing by it: unless this is a ploy to see who would want him in January, I don't see how this is a forward move for him.
Does it hurt to hold up your nose that high? You're approaching Carlton Banks level of snobbery (and stupidity).
You're doing apples and oranges, Phil Kessel in the AHL =/= Clint Dempsey in MLS. It's more of Phil Kessel playing in the KHL during the NHL lockout.
First of all, the facts: He's 30, he's American, he's not going to a major club because he's too old and too expensive, he's has a wife and two kids. Now, take a realistic look at his options:
1. Stay at Tottenham and, at best, be a substitute, knowing full well he could have his starting spot on the NT replaced by somebody who is playing regularly. And if you don't think Klinsmann would do that to a captain, ask Carlos Bocanegra.
2. Go to mid-level European club in the Champions League like Zenit St. Petersburg or Fenerbahce who probably don't even want him because he's 30, American, and expensive. And leagues in Russia and Turkey and Holland are so competitive! So competitive that it's usually the same 3-4 teams at the top. A real challenge to play when 80% of your games have little competition. In countries, Holland being an exception, that he really doesn't want to bring his family to. Sure he gets 6 Champions League games, maybe 8 if he's lucky, but what does that really do? What does "I played in the Champions League!" really do for him other than make Eurosnobs cream? Jonathan Woodgate played in the Champions League, does that make him a better player than Clint Dempsey?
3. He goes to another EPL team. Now the big 4 ain't calling, again 30, American, expensive, so the options are teams like Norwich, Swansea, or Sunderland. Teams that would probably make him take a paycut first off. And he's back at another mid-table EPL that's probably gonna move on without him after a season, maybe two if he's lucky. Jozy Altidore can go to Sunderland at 23 because he's still going up, still developing. Jozy has a good season at Sunderland, a good World Cup and he's got a shot at a Big Four team. Clint Dempsey has a good season at Sunderland and... he's got a shot at another season with Sunderland. What challenge and development does he have being another cog at another mid-table EPL team? Again? 6 and a half seasons of that wasn't enough?
4. He goes to Seattle. He gets to go back to the US with his family and kids. He gets to play in a city that is soccer mad and loves it's team. He gets a nice paycheck that will actually show up in the bank account (a problem with playing in other places). He gets a new challenge in his career: to be the best player on the field every time he steps on the field. He gets to play in a league that, maybe not at the level of the EPL, is actually pretty competitive and (if you ever bothered to pull your head out and watch) pretty talented. And he has the potential to leave a real legacy on the game in this country beyond just "He played in the UEFA Champions League!".
When you get past the ridiculous "Well he could've gone to Liverpool!" thing (which wasn't really up to him anyway) and the "EHRMAHGERD he's not playing in Europe!" mindset you can see that this was actually best choice for him.
Or he goes to Seattle and gives himself a new challenge: Being The Man at his club. Meaning he has to go out every game and be the best player on the field, leading his team to a win every game. That's the expectation right now for him, the Sounders have to win MLS Cup and Clint has to lead them to it. You know what the USMNT needs from him? To go out and be the best player on the field every game.
