By Gentry Estes
Staff Writer
It’s a good thing Clint Dempsey doesn’t care about fame. If he did, he might have to wear a sign in public.
It could read: Rookie of the year in Major League Soccer; leading role in national television commercials; accomplished rap artist with a music video.
Maybe then the 23-year-old U.S. midfielder would be noticed in his neighborhood grocery store.
“No, no, I’ll never really get recognized in public,” Dempsey said recently. “But at the same time, it’s not something I really worry about.”
Dempsey’s brief splash in the newest pool of U.S. soccer talent has gone much like those of previous generations —; discreetly. Most American sports fans wouldn’t recognize Dempsey, just as they wouldn’t know the U.S. men are ranked fifth in the world heading into the World Cup in Germany.
That climate can change, Dempsey insists, and today’s noon Group E opener against the Czech Republic is the perfect time to make it happen.
“You only can move forward. Anything less than that is a step back for soccer in the States,” Dempsey said. “You want for people to continue to have to respect your country and what you can do. We’ve got to go out there and represent.
“If we do that, I think everybody is going to continue to jump on board.”
The U.S. team is assured of three matches in Germany the next two weeks, and a top-two finish in its four-member Group E would mean a playoff spot in the round of 16.
Against odds and most predictions, the U.S. made such a run four years ago, reaching the quarterfinals before bowing out with an evenly contested 1-0 loss to Germany. Television ratings went up with each of five U.S. games in 2002, despite early-morning start times between 2:30 and 7:30.
Less than 1 million American households witnessed the opening victory over Portugal on ESPN2. Sixteen days later, more than 5 million saw the Germany defeat live on ESPN or delayed on ABC, making for easily the most-watched soccer game in network history.
“National teams can do great things in qualifying and win friendly games, but the acid test of any national team is how you perform in a World Cup. That’s the bottom line,” said outspoken U.S. coach Bruce
Arena, who received much of the credit for turning a last-place finish in 1998 into the magic of ’02.
The rapid growth of youth soccer in this country has spawned more talent and home-grown stars such as Dempsey, Landon Donovan, DeMarcus Beasley, Eddie Johnson and Oguchi Onyewu on the U.S. side. Their impact has been clear.
After failing to qualify for the World Cup finals from 1950 to 1990, the U.S. hasn’t missed one since. In the qualifying run for 2006, the Americans won the North and Central America region with a 7-2-1 record.
Though many in this country don’t realize it, Arena said, a fifth straight Cup finals appearance is rarified air for an event that begins two years prior with nearly 200 countries.
“Now you’re down to 32, and that’s the real animal,” Arena said. “Maybe in this country, no one understands that, because we have our nice professional leagues where we call whoever turns out the winner the ‘world champion,’ which is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard. And (we) never win a world championship in any of these sports anymore.
“This is it. This is the real world champion.”
So does the U.S. stand a chance to be that world champion?
A BBC preview put odds on the Americans claiming their first cup at 80-to-1. Fellow Group E members Italy (8-1) and Czech Republic (25-1) were projected far more favorably, and the tough draw leaves most experts doubting a U.S. repeat of 2002.
The group’s top seed is Italy, an established global power. The Czech Republic is ranked No. 2 in the world, and Ghana is a longtime youth-tournament kingpin.
“This is the best teams in the world in the most competitive sport in the world,” Arena said, “and if we can build an American team to that stage, that’s pretty impressive. We’ve come a long way in a short period of time.”
The next step is another strong showing to earn respect, both at home and internationally, where fans scoff at the Americans’ high ranking as a product of weak competition in this part of the globe.
The U.S. perception around the world basically is dangerous, but hardly a contender worthy of such a high ranking.
“The opinion is we can surprise a lot of people,” said U.S. forward Brian McBride, who plays professionally for Fulham in England. “We’re a good, solid team that teams probably have to be very prepared for.”
Even for hardened soccer veterans such as McBride, who’ve gone on to stardom in other nations, the World Cup is special. It’s the culmination of a dream shared by youngsters across the planet.
“The World Cup is an unbelievable experience,” McBride said. “Don’t get me wrong —; playing in the English Premier League is great. But this is where we built up for four years, and having that anticipation is exciting.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to walk out on the field for those games, with the spectacle that it is, having the ability to represent your country.”
E-mail Gentry Estes at gestes@timesfreepress.com
Staff Writer
It’s a good thing Clint Dempsey doesn’t care about fame. If he did, he might have to wear a sign in public.
It could read: Rookie of the year in Major League Soccer; leading role in national television commercials; accomplished rap artist with a music video.
Maybe then the 23-year-old U.S. midfielder would be noticed in his neighborhood grocery store.
“No, no, I’ll never really get recognized in public,” Dempsey said recently. “But at the same time, it’s not something I really worry about.”
Dempsey’s brief splash in the newest pool of U.S. soccer talent has gone much like those of previous generations —; discreetly. Most American sports fans wouldn’t recognize Dempsey, just as they wouldn’t know the U.S. men are ranked fifth in the world heading into the World Cup in Germany.
That climate can change, Dempsey insists, and today’s noon Group E opener against the Czech Republic is the perfect time to make it happen.
“You only can move forward. Anything less than that is a step back for soccer in the States,” Dempsey said. “You want for people to continue to have to respect your country and what you can do. We’ve got to go out there and represent.
“If we do that, I think everybody is going to continue to jump on board.”
The U.S. team is assured of three matches in Germany the next two weeks, and a top-two finish in its four-member Group E would mean a playoff spot in the round of 16.
Against odds and most predictions, the U.S. made such a run four years ago, reaching the quarterfinals before bowing out with an evenly contested 1-0 loss to Germany. Television ratings went up with each of five U.S. games in 2002, despite early-morning start times between 2:30 and 7:30.
Less than 1 million American households witnessed the opening victory over Portugal on ESPN2. Sixteen days later, more than 5 million saw the Germany defeat live on ESPN or delayed on ABC, making for easily the most-watched soccer game in network history.
“National teams can do great things in qualifying and win friendly games, but the acid test of any national team is how you perform in a World Cup. That’s the bottom line,” said outspoken U.S. coach Bruce
Arena, who received much of the credit for turning a last-place finish in 1998 into the magic of ’02.
The rapid growth of youth soccer in this country has spawned more talent and home-grown stars such as Dempsey, Landon Donovan, DeMarcus Beasley, Eddie Johnson and Oguchi Onyewu on the U.S. side. Their impact has been clear.
After failing to qualify for the World Cup finals from 1950 to 1990, the U.S. hasn’t missed one since. In the qualifying run for 2006, the Americans won the North and Central America region with a 7-2-1 record.
Though many in this country don’t realize it, Arena said, a fifth straight Cup finals appearance is rarified air for an event that begins two years prior with nearly 200 countries.
“Now you’re down to 32, and that’s the real animal,” Arena said. “Maybe in this country, no one understands that, because we have our nice professional leagues where we call whoever turns out the winner the ‘world champion,’ which is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard. And (we) never win a world championship in any of these sports anymore.
“This is it. This is the real world champion.”
So does the U.S. stand a chance to be that world champion?
A BBC preview put odds on the Americans claiming their first cup at 80-to-1. Fellow Group E members Italy (8-1) and Czech Republic (25-1) were projected far more favorably, and the tough draw leaves most experts doubting a U.S. repeat of 2002.
The group’s top seed is Italy, an established global power. The Czech Republic is ranked No. 2 in the world, and Ghana is a longtime youth-tournament kingpin.
“This is the best teams in the world in the most competitive sport in the world,” Arena said, “and if we can build an American team to that stage, that’s pretty impressive. We’ve come a long way in a short period of time.”
The next step is another strong showing to earn respect, both at home and internationally, where fans scoff at the Americans’ high ranking as a product of weak competition in this part of the globe.
The U.S. perception around the world basically is dangerous, but hardly a contender worthy of such a high ranking.
“The opinion is we can surprise a lot of people,” said U.S. forward Brian McBride, who plays professionally for Fulham in England. “We’re a good, solid team that teams probably have to be very prepared for.”
Even for hardened soccer veterans such as McBride, who’ve gone on to stardom in other nations, the World Cup is special. It’s the culmination of a dream shared by youngsters across the planet.
“The World Cup is an unbelievable experience,” McBride said. “Don’t get me wrong —; playing in the English Premier League is great. But this is where we built up for four years, and having that anticipation is exciting.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to walk out on the field for those games, with the spectacle that it is, having the ability to represent your country.”
E-mail Gentry Estes at gestes@timesfreepress.com
