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.