When one thinks of English football superstars such as Fernando Torres Carlos Tevez or Wayne Rooney come to mind. However behind all the gloss of these media magnets lies a solid foundation of American players scattered across various clubs in England with a heavy majority playing in the Barclay’s Premier League the country’s top league.
Beginning with goalkeepers we have Marcus Hahnemann of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brad Guzan of Hull City not to mention the exceptional Tim Howard who has really made a name for himself as the star goalkeeper of Everton F.C. Week in and week out Howard comes up with exceptional saves to keep opponents at bay making him one of the finest goalkeepers in the Premier League. Brad Friedel of Aston Villa has also made himself a fan favorite for his consistency and hard work.
Other American players in England include Eric Lichaj (Leeds United on loan from Aston Villa) Jonathan Spector (West Ham) Michael Bradley (Aston Villa) Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers) Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers) Robbie Findley (Nottingham Forest) and Eddie Johnson (Preston North End).
One particular American who has been phenomenal in the Premier League is Texas’ very own Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has set several impressive records including being only the second American to score goals in two different FIFA World Cup tournaments as well as being the top American scorer ever in the Premier League. Further examination into Dempsey’s career and life reveals how well the American has settled in England. Dempsey lives happily in Fulham with wife Bethany Keegan Dempsey daughter Elyse and son Jackson. Under his alias “Deuce Dempsey also raps in his free time.
Previous years have seen Fulham own an array of talented Americans, including the aforementioned Dempsey, as well as Carlos Bocanegra (who was one of Fulham’s best players between 2004 and 2008), and Brian McBride (who scored 41 Premier League goals in four seasons for Fulham between 2004 and 2008). These three Americans have been some of Fulham’s best players of the last decade, helping Fulham to consistent mid-table finishes over the years.
Sadly, Dempsey’s plights in England are unknown to the average American, epitomizing the fact that the average American has very little knowledge of soccer. One thing that struck me as extremely strange when I moved to America from Spain in 2006 was how few people in America watch soccer. Growing up in Europe for the majority of my life, where soccer was a culture and a way of life for almost everyone I knew, coming to America where soccer is not even one of the three most popular sports was very surprising. When Landon Donovan’s stoppage winner helped the United States beat Algeria in the World Cup June 23, 2010, no one in my neighborhood was wearing an American jersey that afternoon. This not only summarizes American attitudes towards soccer, but also brings up the question as to whether anything can be done to increase soccer awareness in America. Effective education programs for the masses and patience can only help to increase the standing of the beautiful game in the U.S.