Fulham FC Relegation = Good for MLS?

Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, and Clint Dempsey all ply their trade at Craven Cottage for Fulham FC. All three happen to be prominent U.S. National team players. And all three may be looking for a playing home next year. Seems farfetched? Read on.

The current English Premier League season has seen epic battles at the top and bottom of the table. For London-based club Fulham, their campaign has been unexpectedly dragged into the relegation zone, and with only three games left in the season; the club faces the grave possibility of being relegated down to the Coca Cola Championships. Here’s how the standings currently look like at the bottom:

GP Pts GD
15 Sheff Utd 36 38 -19
16 Fulham 35 36 -19
17 Wigan 36 35 -22
18 West Ham 36 35 -27
19 Charlton 36 33 -24
20 Watford 36 24 -32

Fulham’s remaining games are: Arsenal (Away), Liverpool (Home), and Middlesbrough (Away). It’s a difficult run-in to say the least and complicated further by their current form, having not won in 10 games and only salvaging four points during that stretch. What does this mean, however, for the three aforementioned players? Well, if Fulham do indeed get relegated (A very real scenario at this stage), the club may be looking to offload the three Americans, which could pay dividends not only for rival EPL clubs, but for the MLS as well.

First I’ll start with Dempsey. Having just arrived a couple of months earlier, his transfer from the New England Revolution to Fulham hasn’t been quite ideal. He has struggled throughout the season to get minutes with the club and in his nine club appearances, he has yet to tally a goal or an assist. Despite his poor record at the club, I believe Dempsey is the least likely of the three to return to Major League Soccer.

Especially having just left the league, I believe Dempsey will still want to prove himself abroad and may look to either transfer into a newly promoted club next year or stay with Fulham in the Championship level (Unlikely however). His potential is probably enough to garner a look with another low-level EPL team and unless an MLS team is willing to shell up a DP for him, Dempsey probably stays on the other side of the pond.

Bocanegra had a similarly poor start to his career at Fulham but has turned into one of the most consistent performers on the team. Even as a defender, he’s second on the team in total goals with five (Which probably doesn’t say much for the rest of Fulham’s squad) and has been a valuable cog in Fulham’s backline. Although he’s made a fair share of mental mistakes, I think Bocanegra’s play has probably done enough to pique the interest of several squads in the EPL. I can see a mid-level club like Middlesbrough or Man City pick him up.

Although I think Bocanegra would be an attractive pickup for any MLS club, his price tag will probably be too high, and being a defender, I’m not sure how much marketing value he can provide to a team (Even if he’s a US Nat fan favorite). And at 27 years of age, he’s hitting his prime right now and is probably best served honing his craft in the EPL. Now believe me, that’s not a knock at all on MLS, its simply the prevailing sentiment American national players have at that age that places an emphasis on European competition.

That leaves only one American, the pride of the U.S. National team, and arguably the best forward to don the USA kit, Brian McBride. Last seen on US national television quite literally spilling his blood for the country, McBride, at 34, has only a few more seasons left in him before he needs to hang up his boots. But of course, one could easily mistake McBride for being in his mid-20s with his sensational play throughout the season. It’s no surprise that he leads the team in goals (12 in all club competitions); he’s simply found a way to maximize his talent using his physical attributes and a wise mentality that comes with age.

With Fulham facing the specter of relegation breathing down the necks, now is the perfect time for McBride to return home to MLS. In fact, I get giddy inside just thinking about the possibility. Although he’s in the last stages of his career, he’s managed to maintain himself at a remarkable level and obviously still has a lot left to offer. If he can score 9 goals in the Premiership, he can easily hit a mark of 10-15 goals for an MLS club. And McBride would provide the perfect opportunity for an MLS club to use a DP for another American all-star. He has more name recognition than Reyna, and unlike Claudio, has plied his trade in MLS before and will certainly give his all for the MLS team that calls his number. The man can be a very marketable entity and can attract fans to the stadium, provided his penchant for scoring critical goals. It just seems like a perfect fit for McBride and MLS.

McBride can still earn a high salary if given DP status and MLS gets another (albeit slightly older than ideal) prolific player capable of not only producing on the field, but having positive off-the-field effects as well. A team like Chicago (McBride was born in Illinois) or Columbus (His former club) would be instantly improved with McBride starting at forward. Imagine a lineup of Blanco and McBride up top with Mapp and Thiago supporting and providing excellent service?

I know Fulham F.C. is a popular club for US supporters but if anything positive can be taken out of their possible relegation, it’s the prospect of having a quality player like McBride roaming a quality pitch near you, perhaps even as soon as this summer. My mouth is watering already; yours should be too.

Trouble in Toronto

Things are bad up north. Outrageously bad. It’s quite obvious now that Toronto FC was over-hyped coming into the season. The season ticket sales, the great atmosphere of their new stadium, and the seemingly solid opening day roster all pointed towards a promising start for the newest MLS franchise. Things sure can spiral out of control quickly, eh?

They have yet to score a goal, and perhaps even more alarming, Eskandarian and Buddle don’t appear to be anywhere near their peak performance levels. There’s a reason why Mo Johnston was run out of town in New York; the man simply can’t coach. He has no sense of managerial prudence, wildly trading players left and right (How awful does that midfield look without Cancela now?). To be fair, Ronnie O’Brien has yet to play a match for them and #1 draft pick Maurice Edu just got his first minutes yesterday. But nevertheless, the trashing that the Wizards put on them has to send shockwaves to many TFC supporters. I still don’t think they’ll do as poorly as Chivas’ first season (4-6-22), but this ‘team’ will certainly be bringing up the rear throughout most of the year. It’s unfortunate really….at least they have a nice stadium.

UEFA Champions League Semifinal: Manchester United 3, AC Milan 2

What a fantastic finish to the game. It was no surprise that Man U came out flat defensively, as their entire backline was made of substitutes and Milan, through sheer will power of Kaka alone, managed to front a pretty impressive attacking campaign. I thought it would be over once Man U went down 2-1, especially giving up those two away goals, but Scholes played a brilliant ball into Rooney for the equalizer. And then, appropriate for the Theater of Dreams, Rooney conjured up the magic once again and put in a scintillating finisher for the game winning goal. You can watch it here:



Now it's off to Milan for the 2nd game of this tie. Both teams are still very much in it as Milan grabbed two critical away goals, but the onus will be on them to score a goal from the onset. That may cause their defense to become exposed and if there's any team that can capitalize with pace on the counter-attack, it's Manchester United. Should be an impressive game nevertheless.

MLS Week 3 Power Rankings

1. Red Bull New York (2-1-0)
Most telling statistic: 0 goals allowed. They've already showcased their high-scoring potential, but the theme of their season will be their defensive staunchness. The only thing to worry about is whether Mathis can consistently play well and keep his head in the game. (But with Juan Pablo Angel coming, is that even be a problem.) A very scary team at the moment, look for the MLS hype machine to start pumping 17-year-old Jozy Altidore as the next great American hope.

2. Chicago Fire (2-1-0)
They'll be tough to beat at home all year, as long as attendance figures stop declining. Justin Mapp is placing himself amongst the league's elite and if Barrett can continue his scoring streak, the Fire can certainly give RBNY a battle for East supremacy throughout the season. Adding Blanco mid-season is only icing on the cake for this team.

3. FC Dallas (2-1-1)
The slight aberration against RBNY aside, Dallas is slowly becoming the league's top offensive powerhouse. Nunez just went off for two goals, and combined with the potent attack of Ruiz and Cooper, the Hoops should have no problem racking up the goals. Defensive woes, specifically at GK (I'm looking at you Hislop) need to be corrected, but once Sala comes back, Dallas should be more than set to make a title run.

4. Colorado Rapids (1-1-1)
They've had a fairly difficult schedule in spite of their two home games to start the season but the Rapids have improved tremendously over last year's squad. Herculez Gomez seems to have regained his touch and if Beckerman can start complementing his consistency with some goals, the Rapids will be in the top half of the standings throughout the year.

5. New England Revolution (1-1-1)
The Crew tie certainly hurts them a bit in these rankings, but I can see New England giving the Bulls some serious competition this season. Twellman is a legitimate top-five forward and I truly believe the Revs have one of the best mid-fields in the league (Of course, that's only if Shalrie stays in New England). Still, there's something about this team that's a bit off-putting as they don't come off to me as a top-title contender. But with their consistency, its difficult to write them off. Of course, the season's early so we'll see how things shape up but so far coach Nicol should be pleased.

6. Houston Dynamo (1-1-1)
People see this team as one of the elites, but all I see is a very over-hyped, overrated squad. They've scored exactly 1 goal in three games, and with two of the league's "premier" attackers in DeRosario and Ching, that's an absolutely pitiful scoring tally. They tied a poor Galaxy team and while they only lost by 1 to the Red Bulls, they showed no semblance of the team that took the MLS Cup last year and gave Pachuca a helluva two-game series in the CCC. Maybe they just haven't gelled yet. They better hope that's the reason.....

7. Chivas USA (2-0-1)
Yes, they are for real. Sure it was Real Salt Lake, but that 4-0 beating highlighted the stylistic, flare-oriented type of play that Preki is instilling in this team. They have an absolute beast guarding the goal and their young squad is already showing flashes of brilliance. I personally love Cuban refugee Maykel Galindo and I think he's going to be a top-10 scorer in this league. Their 'star' player Guevara needs to assert himself more, but other than that, Chivas has definitely removed any negative connotations still lingering from that awful inaugural season.

8. Kansas City Wizards (1-0-1)
Their rampage through D.C.'s defense caused shockwaves around MLS, and although they've come down a bit after their loss to the fire, the Wiz remain a potentially scary dark horse in the east. I'm still not convinced on EJ suddenly become a world-beater and I don't think KC has quite the roster to do any serious damage come playoff time but small improvements (And the acquisition of Argentine midfielder Marinelli) will certainly keep them fighting for a wild-card spot.

9. D.C. United (0-0-2)
How the mighty have fallen. Obviously, I'm not going to pull the rug under them as so many others have already, but something needs to be done IMMEDIATELY regarding that defense. I'm probably a bit biased, but I still think DCU have the best offense in the league and I'm confident they'll return to a sense of offensive normalcy. I expect them to shore up that defense soon, either through formation changes or mid-season replacements. However, DCU will be in it at the end of the season and should still be considered one of the top title contenders. But any thoughts of dominance should be squashed right this instant, no one is a home-run favorite in this league and DCU will have to improve considerably if they hope to take home any trophies. The tide of parity raises all boats?

10. Columbus Crew (0-3-0)
Well at least they finally scored. The youth of this team is holding them back presently (Mentally at least), but they'll be responsible for much of the team's successes later on in the year. It will be difficult for the Crew to reach the playoffs this year but they're going to be a competitive bunch throughout the year, even if their propensity for draws carries out through the season. Potential is the name of the game here.

11. Los Angeles Galaxy (0-1-1)
Beckham can't come soon enough. On paper, their roster looks top notch but somehow that's not translating to on-the-field success. I'm sure Donovan will come alive and tear things up as usual, but someone else needs to pick up the slack as well (Ahem, calling Nate Jaqua). Seriously though, if Jaqua doesn't score at least 10 goals this year, especially with Beckham coming to town, the kid should be banned from MLS. Or at least temporarily suspended until he learns to use his 6'3 frame to actually win some balls in the air.

12. Real Salt Lake (0-2-1)
I'm going to be harsh here. This team is pathetic. Their situation is pathetic. And quite frankly, I think I've listed them too high in these rankings. I'm not even sure if Real Salt Lake, in this current iteration, will be around the league in 3-4 years. They are a prime contender for relocation and I don't blame city officials for having a lack of confidence. BTW, has anyone told Freddy Adu that the season started a couple of weeks ago? If he's still harboring notions of playing for Manchester United, someone needs to break the news to him soon.....you're just not good enough kid.

13. Toronto FC (0-0-2)
They have great fans....And um, a pretty stadium to stare at. To be honest, this team is an exact replication of their head coach. Feisty and competitive, but just not completely competent. I can see Toronto stealing a few games here and there, but they re surely won't resemble '98-era Fire. They won't resemble 1st year Chivas either though, so that has to be a plus. Wynne will help but Buddle and Eskandarian need to find their scoring touch or this team will have a tough time scoring goals all year.