Fulham’s Forgotten Men

By Brian Lofrumento | 19th August 2008

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As a supporter from America, I’ve always had a soft spot for Fulham. With Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, and Kasey Keller all previously (or currently) on their roster, Fulham is a squad that has always trusted and depended on American players.

McBride was Fulham’s evergreen captain – the man who was always there to score that crucial goal. Carlos Bocanegra was hit and miss at times for the club from London. When he’s on his game he’s a solid defender who is good for a few goals a season, and this cemented a role in Fulham’s starting eleven for a few years. With the managerial changes at Craven Cottage, though, Bocanegra fell out of favor.

More recently Fulham have plucked two players from MLS. Clint Dempsey was signed from the New England Revolution after his great display at the 2006 World Cup, and the rapper from Texas proved great value in his first season at the club. On the last day of the season Dempsey scored against Liverpool to ensure Fulham’s survival in the Premier League. Eddie Johnson was purchased last season and is yet to get his chance in the first team. Now, though, where have these Americans gone?

Fulham’s main problem in the top flight is that they lack a consistent source of goals. In his first full season at the club, Clint Dempsey began the campaign as a striker. By January, the American had already racked up 6 goals in the league – a number unmatched by any of his teammates. When players came back from injury Dempsey lost his spot in the first team and still finished the season as the club’s leading goalscorer (with those six goals).

Clearly more firepower is needed. First of all, Dempsey isn’t even a striker. Second of all, he rarely got minutes in the second half of the season and still finished top scorer. One man who could’ve matched those numbers is Eddie Johnson, the American forward purchased from Kansas City. Johnson has shown on the international stage that his pace and ability to finish is one of the best in North America. Clearly a more potent goalscorer than Dempsey, there is no telling how well Johnson would have faired up front.

It seems now that both Johnson and Dempsey are forgotten men at Fulham. With McBride now back in the US playing for Chicago and Bocanegra plying his trade in France, Fulham’s American influence is sadly disappearing. Eddie Johnson is a player who surely would impress Fulham staff and fans alike, but is yet to get a full chance. Dempsey has proven himself at New England, for Fulham, and even proved himself in the World Cup. Strangely, Roy Hodgson prefers the likes of Seol.

Here’s to hoping that Fulham gives their American stars a chance to impress this season. The stars and stripes of the United States of America, after all, has never let Fulham down.