Dempsey to Sounders

Hopefully that one more hurdle is PORTLAND. Bring on the drama

Mindblowing indeed. A real "pigs fly" moment. expect Dempsey on the next Geico commercial

 

:character-oscar:

 

On second thought, this would be great if Dempsey comes back to MLS via DP that allows him to bypass the allocation order. He has earned as much respect as thiery henry and then some (dont have a cow I'm not saying he is better than Henry, just saying he has surpassed many an obstacle in his career that shows you should never count him out). I take back my interest in the Portland complaints and drama. Still will NEVER root for seattle

 

Wow. Just, wow.

 

Wow. I don't know what else to say. Wow. I had put absolutely no stock in the rumors up until now, but I suppose I no longer have a choice.

What a huge coup for MLS. To Mo's point, I can't recall a time when a player with as high a profile came to MLS while still in his prime (or at least very close to it).

Is he that unsettled at Spurs? Is he burnt out on playing in England? Are there other personal/family reasons bringing him back to the States? Is he hoping he can truly become the face of U.S. Soccer by doing so? Is Seattle backing up the Brink's truck to his door? So (very) many questions.

We'll see how everything shakes out, but what I can predict for now is...

1) This is big for MLS. BIG.
2) I don't like it from a USMNT standpoint. I'd prefer he continue facing Premier League-level competition week in and week out in the lead up to 2014.
3) I do like it from the standpoint of the general growth of the sport in the U.S. This is a marketer's dream (and I'm a marketer by trade).

EDIT: Also, what a bunch of BS that people are already saying that this move (which hasn't even happened yet) means that Dempsey can't cut it. Lazy ignorance. If it does happen, I'm curious to hear the reason. I know it has nothing to do with his ability to be a highly effective player in England.

 

Re Tim's #2 point, I think it is a wash. If he is transferred to Seattle, he'll most certainly go back to England on a brief loan via Donovan/Henry/Etc. over the winter...all kidding aside, I'd hope to Fulham (but that ship has sailed and let me just pontificate about broken hearts for a moment...). And with Klinsmann's connections, he may wind up with a spell at a top German club, or back at Spurs if it is a loan. Please, all, let the speculation fly because he's still a Spurs player as of now.

 

SI is reporting it's a done deal for an estimated $9 mil, which if memory serves, is about what Spurs paid us.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/so...ers-tottenham-hotspur/?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp

I'm still in shock.

And a reported 4-year, $32 mil deal for Dempsey. I guess that sound I heard was the Brink's truck.

 

Dude, I'm in this camp.

 

Wow shocking news....

Great for the MLS but makes me even more disappointed that he didn't stick it out with us.

 

Looks like you hit the nail when you mentioned the "Brinks truck". Ives is reporting $9 million fee an $8 million/yr for four years. Wow, I dont know what to say about that eiter. It is all so mind blowing.

 

Shocking transfer has Dempsey headed to Seattle Sounders

Brian Straus>INSIDE SOCCER
Posted: Fri August 2, 2013 9:27PM; Updated: Fri August 2, 2013 11:14PM
CNNSI.com

You can read the remainder of the article via the link.

CNNSI.com is my go to source for facts and I stop doubting once a story has been posted there. Welcome home Clint!

I certainly understand landing the big fish from the MLS perspective. It is a coup for Seattle and with the TV contract negotiations coming up Don Garber & Co. must be over the moon.

The Fulham fan in me is grinding his teeth over this move because if the report on the contract values is correct it sounds like the base deal of $4 millon per year for four years is pretty much what was reported that Dempsey was asking Fulham for prior to his move away from Fulham. I will always believe that if MAF had not been looking to consolidate and sell a deal could have gotten done to keep Clint at the Cottage. If it winds up that Dempsey is earning closer to the $8 million number reported well then good for him.

I said I wouldn't be surprised if Clint was not wearing a Spurs kit this season but I am surprised that and MLS team stepped to the plate and offered him the financial security he was reportedly seeking prior to leaving Fulham. For the MLS as a league I have to be excited that a club was financially and in terms of atmosphere able to attract and land a major American signing like Dempsey.

 

Whatever he was making at Fulham, he was 29 and no way in hell were they going to give him that until he was 34 yrs old. While I think $8 million/yr is too much money, Dempsey if finally getting the respect he deserves and will be with fans that love him.


Also can someone remind me why Seattle can play on turf in a football stadium and receive no grief for it the way the Revs do? Especially considering the money they obviously have with the cash they spent on Dempsey. I hate Seattle even more now.

I was at a Revs match a few weeks ago and Gillette stadium is fantastic. They would never have the money to build an equal facility just for the Revs.

 

extremely late to the party, but I think I agree with just about everyone one on this. 1) Wow 2)WTF and 3)Wow

 

There are different types of turf fields Mo. I believe the Rev's turf is pretty old and the comment I most recall hearing about it is that it is like playing on concrete. Seattle on the other hand has been pretty much been give a thumbs up as "good" turf in that it is close to a natural playing surface. It is still turf though.

Gillette is fantastic compared to what? (Just curious)

The complaints I have heard about Gillette is that it is too large, in the middle of nowhere and traffic can be terrible. Professional soccer clubs should have soccer stadiums but that is just my two cents worth. I have never been to Gillette so I have no personal insight or comment on it whatsoever.

 

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/de ... ls-030813/

 

Sounds pretty official now if the Spuds are reporting it.

Thinking that Clint wants to be the big fish in the small pond. Maybe he is hoping that a great year or two back here in the States and he will attract the attention of another larget European Club and go back?

 

Not exactly in the middle of nowhere, but still about 30 miles from Boston, which leads to smaller crowds. Bob Kraft has done a great job with the surrounding area with the building of Patriot Place with all the shops, restaurants, Patriot HOF, movie theater, and hotel making it a year round destination. For Patriots games (about 40k), yes the traffic can be tough, but with Rev's crowds the traffic is not nearly as bad. Worse traffic I have even seen for a Rev's match that came close to rivaling a Patriots game was with Beckham and the LA Galaxy when they drew 40k back in 08 or 09. With a Patriot game the crows start arriving about 4 hours before the game. Rev's matches they show up 2 hours tops. Yes the place is very large for a MLS team, but the fan amenities and great with wide concourses and lots of concessions.

If memory serves when it first was installed, the turf got very high marks from the players FIFA, but now that it is aging it may be time for a replacement. Weather true or not I read FIFA actually rated it at either near the top or the best of any artificial turf at the time it was installed. Originally the stadium was grass but it was not getting enough sun in late Nov and Dec and was getting pretty torn up and therefor was replaced with the turf. I guess when they built it they did not take into consideration how high the stands would be compared to the old stadium which was right next door. Gillette's stands are steeper then the old place.

 

Money doesn''t talk, it SCREAMS.