Wynalda and Sampson come out about Harkes affair

Our favorite Eric (Wynalda) when discussing the John Terry affair w/Wayne Bridge's girlfriend on FFF brought up a similar situation in 1998 that led to then captain John Harkes getting booted from the US team because he was having an affair w/Wynalda's wife (they divorced in 2003, Wynalda confirming the affair was a major reason). The coach Steve Sampson verified the reason for Harkes' dismissal in hopes that the failure of the '98 team (3 matches, 3 losses) would be better understood.

Was Wynalda out of line in bringing the incident up? Is Sampson trying to recover some of his lost reputation? The English media is having a field day w/Terry, and obviously he's a scumbag, but is this something that should be in the public domain?

 

Harkes does have a pompousity that grates, doesn't he.

Seems like every footy website should have their own "Wally World" section. Count me as one that will be buying the book.

 

Ah... I like em both for different reasons.

You care what Waldo has to say? Go figger!
8)

 

What about Sampson? He's fallen on the grenade all these years, and to be fair he probably wouldn't have said anything had not Wynalda brought it up, but should of he had just said "no comment"?

When the '98 team ever comes up the only thing that comes to mind is that it was the worst performance at the WC in our history, not 'if only Harkes had been there'. Tbh if you had asked me what prominent player had been left off that squad I wouldn't have known the answer.

 

Further proof that Harkes is a dbag. As if his announcing wasn't proof enough.

 

It also shows that Sampson is kind of a hack.

Oh, well if it's finally out there here is why I made that decision...

 

How is this holding him to a higher standard? There is such a thing as Right and WRONG in this world despite what pompous professors or drunk/stoned people seem to think.

Having an affair with another man's wife is WRONG. Not to mention the wife of an f'ing teammate.

 

I see - yes - you are right... It isnt any more wrong.

I think the problem is that it has to go both ways. Famous people get excused or actions go unpunished for things that would be a problem for a 'regular' person.

The flip side is that you also run the risk of getting hammered and your behavior being under a microscope when you do something that strikes a cord.

Comes with the gig.

 

Well, ALMOST jensers.

Take 'Silky Pony Edwards' and substitute Republican of choice.

 

I saw the show and had no idea Wynalda was revealing this for the first time. Those of you who were paying attention in '98, what was the speculation as to why Harkes didnt make the team.

Overall, I think I'm actually pretty impressed with how this was handled. The captain was kicked off the team for doing something that was damaging to the team and un-captain like, but it was all kept private so there was no media circus. The media attention could have been as damaging ,or more so, than not having Harkes. It took some self-restraint to keep that under wraps and I think it is admirable.

Wynalda also said he told Sampson that he was fine with keeping Harkes in the squad because the team needed the best players available. He obviously said this to make himself look good by showing he put the team first. Sampson is most likely doing the same thing by confirming the story but I am fine with all of this. It is 12 years after the event. From the sounds of it, Sampson and Wynalda did the right thing in difficult circumstances and I think they deserve to have that known - if that's their desire. No harm is going to come from it except maybe to Harkes' broadcasting career - or at least we can hope.

And another mystery solved - I think we can now safely assume that Dempsey's wife must have flately refused advances from Harkes :wink:

 

The team did fairly well - other than the world cup - under him... but it was still fairly early for the new era of US Soccer. I saw some of the matches, but I was clueless as to who was who at that point.

One big positive for the MLS as it has developed - we have an opportunity to see the guys in the 9-24 range of the USMNT on a regular basis.

You always sound stoned!