U.S. Men's National Team: February 2012 Archives

*We're a matter of minutes away from the 11:30 a.m. Italy-U.S. game (ESPN2, Galavision), but there's plenty other games on TV today:

* At 5 p.m. on KMEX Mexico plays Columbia in Miami, followed by the Under-23 encounter between the U.S. and Mexico. The Americans have the Galaxy's Michael Stephens, Chivas USA's Jorge Villafana and Club Tijuana's striker Joe Corona and left back Greg Garza

*The Galaxy, meanwhile, play their second game of the Desert Diamond Cup against the New York Red Bulls in a contest that can be seen live at 7 p.m. here.

Eye on the ball: Clint Dempsey, shown here training with the is rare figure in U.S. soccer - an accomplished, consistent and still improving American striker (AP Photo).

And lets face it, Dempsey has played with a chip on his shoulder, a point to prove, ever since he was growing up in that Texas trailer park, so it's the ideal environment for him in England. Now he has the opportunity to take it to unsuspecting Italians on Wednesday, too.

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum has more:

London (AP) - Clint Dempsey jumped high in the air, both arms raised, as a fan in the stands at Fulham unfurled a Lone Star flag.

On this January afternoon in London, Dempsey had become the first American to score a hat trick in the history of the English Premier League. The eyes of English soccer were on the 28-year-old from Nacogdoches.

With 16 goals this season, the Texas trailblazer is destroying the image of the U.S. as a nation still searching for a top scorer.

"Being an American, I think you have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder because there's a point to prove," Dempsey said this week as the U.S. national team prepared for Wednesday's exhibition game at Italy. "I guess you'll kind of feel that way until maybe you're doing better as a country as far as going further in World Cups or you have Americans who are playing on the biggest teams in the world."

Craven Cottage is a quaint, Wrigley Field-type stadium next to the Thames in southwest London. Dempsey walks onto the field before games, turns and blows kisses to his family sitting in the Cottage Pavilion seats, above the locker rooms.

He's given Fulham, which has never won a major title in its 133 years, reason to cheer. Dempsey has had the best season by an American attacking player in England. His 10 league goals (nearly one-third of Fulham's 32) raised his total to 43 since he was bought from Major League Soccer's New England Revolution in January 2007, and eclipsed the 36 by Brian McBride from 2003-08.

It's smashing no matter the nationality. Only seven players have more EPL goals this season, a starry group that includes Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Demba Ba, Edin Dzeko, Ayegbeni Yakubu and Emmanuel Adebayor.

"I think what he is doing and the attention he is getting is long overdue," said former U.S. national team forward Eric Wynalda, now a commentator for Fox Soccer. "Not only is he a constant performer, constantly earning his spot in the team, in my opinion, he's scoring a lot of goals from deep positions. He's not always playing up front, and that impresses the hell out of me."

Having never scored more than twice in a professional game, Dempsey had not just one, but a pair of hat tricks last month. First, he scored twice from the run of play and then added a penalty kick Jan. 7 in a 4-0 rout of third-tier Charlton in the FA Cup. Exactly two weeks later, he scored three times - none of them a set piece - against goalkeeper Tim Krul in a 5-2 league win over Newcastle.

"It's always good to be doing well and to get accolades and stuff like that. But I'm not trying to be the first American to do this," he said. "I'm just trying to be the best player that I possibly can be."

Scoring against Ghana in 2006 and England in 2010, Dempsey joined McBride as the only Americans to score in two World Cups (Landon Donovan matched the feat later in the 2010 tournament). A week shy of his 29th birthday, Dempsey hopes to be adding to that total at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. The game in Genoa is a prep for the start of qualifying for the Americans in June.

"It's a huge weapon that we have with him because his vision on the field, because of his
sharpness, his one against one skills," said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, one of the top forwards in World Cup history. "I'm going to push him. I'm going to push him not to be content with anything that happens in the Premier League. I will push him hopefully to another level that he can get to."

And Dempsey could be a candidate for another U.S. team this summer. If the American Under-23s qualify next month for the Olympics, Dempsey would love to be considered for one of the three overage wild-card spots on coach Caleb Porter's U.S. team at the London Games.

"That's something that's always special. Growing up as a kid, I remember watching the Olympics. So we'll see if it works out of not," Dempsey said. "Just have to kind of wait and see. But there's two things I haven't done in my career so far. I've played in World Cups. I've played in the Europa League. I've played in the Premier League. It would be something to add to it to play in the Olympics, and also I never got to play Champions League. Those are the highest levels of competition possible."

Donovan, missing this week's game because of bronchitis, also would like to play in the Olympics. The U.S. Soccer Federation would have to determine how best to use its wild cards to fill roster gaps.

Fulham pushed Dempsey up to forward for part of the season because of injuries. With the national team, he's mostly been at midfield under coaches Bruce Arena, Bob Bradley and Klinsmann.

"I think he's a forward," Wynalda said. "I've watched him enough. My argument is just because he's willing to do the work in the midfield doesn't mean that we should cheat ourselves of a good forward. He needs to have a little bit more rest out there. Take a couple miles off of him. Let him get the ball when he's rested, not when he's tired, and let's see how good he is because I'm convinced that he's a lot more talented than he's even shown us up to this point."

There's been talk that bigger clubs could be interested in Dempsey, whose contract expires after the 2012-13 season. There's always a danger of going to a team where playing time is scarce, as defender Oguchi Onyewu learned when he got into just one competitive match for AC Milan.

"Some of my best memories are at Fulham," Dempsey said. "I'm having another good season. Hopefully our team can finish in the top half. After this year I have one year left, and we'll have to see what happens. But I've always been a believer that you've got to make the most of where you're at, and right now I'm at Fulham."

Two years ago, Dempsey became the first American to appear in a European final -- Atletico Madrid beat Fulham for the title of the Europa League, the continent's No. 2 club tournament. Collecting firsts for American soccer players hasn't been Dempsey's goal, but they've brought recognition to the Londoner with the East Texas drawl.

"I think everybody tries to go as far as they can," he said. "And if you do well and set the bar really high, well then, you're a pioneer."

The Italian Job: U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley, right, seen here playing for Chievo, is the lone American national team player in Serie A; Italy hosts the U.S. Wednesday in Genoa (AP Photo).

*Injuries threaten to derail Coach Jurgen Klinsmann's plans to have the U.S. primed and ready for World Cup qualifying this summer; he has just three games left to prepare beginning Wednesday in Italy.

In other soccer news:
*Chivas USA fell to Sweden's AIK Monday in Portland, where staggering numbers of Timbers fans turned out to watch a pre-season exhibition doubleheader.

Chivas USA lineup: Dan Kennedy, James Riley, John Valencia, Heath Pearce, Ante Jazic, Michael Lahoud (Laurent Courtois, 58), Alejandro Moreno (Casey Townsend, 63), Oswaldo Minda, Ryan Smith (Alan Souza, 46), Miller Bolaños (Ben Zemanski, 55), Juan Pablo Angel (Cesar Romero, 71).

Substitutes Not Used: Tim Melia, David Jr. Lopez, Rauwshan McKenzie, Scott Gordon, Jose Najera.

*It looks like the Seattle Sounders Women were always going to have the inside track to sign Diamond Bar's Alex Morgan. Here's why.

*In what is clearly a money-saving move, more details are emerging of the recent layoffs within Galaxy parent company Anschutz Entertianment Group and the realignment of its management structure to operate its 11 sports entities.

The No. 1 priority for the Galaxy: "dramatically" increasing season ticket sales.

"We are No. 1 in Major League Soccer with our jersey deal, with our naming-rights deal, with our sponsorships, with our premium-seating revenue," AEG President TimLeiweke told SportsBusiness Daily. "We are No. 1 straight across the board. We are not even top three in season-ticket sales. This is all about season-ticket sales for the Galaxy."

Leiweke said McGowan has added about 1,000 season tickets over the past month, since joining the Galaxy, to bring the club's number to around 7,500.

*If, like me, you were unable to watch the Desert Diamond Cup opener Wednesday between the Galaxy and Revolution on your iPad/smartphone because the MLS stream apparently doesn't support mobile devices, check out the highlights below.

Benny Feilhaber's smooth bicycle kick just 90 seconds in got things started, while Edson Buddle also scored to get his second Galaxy stint rolling:

Here's the Galaxy lineup: Josh Saunders, Todd Dunivant, A.J. DeLaGarza, Tommy Meyer, Dan Keat, Mike Magee (Paolo Cardozo 46), David Beckham ©, Marcelo Sarvas, Pat Noonan (Hector Jimenez 57), Adam Cristman (Juninho 46), Edson Buddle (Jack McBean 79)

Here's the Galaxy reaction to the game:

*Chivas USA came off second best in San Diego last night, losing to Club Tijuana's reserves.

Here's the Chivas USA lineup: Dan Kennedy, James Riley, John Valencia, Heath Pearce, Ante Jazic, Oswaldo Minda, Nick LaBrocca, Michael Lahoud (Casey Townsend, 69), Miler Bolaños, Ryan Smith (Alejandro Moreno, 69), Juan Pablo Angel (Cesar Romero, 69).

Substitutes Not Used: David Jr. Lopez, Rauwshan McKenzie, Patrick Mclain, Ben Zemanski.

*Former Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan has been playing more regularly in England so he is duly recalled (for the first time since late 2010) to the U.S. squad announced today for the upcoming game against Italy, along with Galaxy pair Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. More here.

*Former Galaxy midfierlder Chris Birchall has rejoined lower division Port Vale in England.

*Finally, here's an update on how former Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is enjoying the weather in Montreal.

*Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens and Chivas USA utility man Jorge Villafaña were both named today to a 10-day training camp in Frisco, Tex., involving 23 players that begins Sunday.

Senior squad regulars Dallas' Brek Shea and New York Red Bull Juan Aguedelo are among five newcomers to the roster.

The camp and a Feb. 23 game against their U-23 Mexican counterparts marks the final chance for players to impress Coach Caleb Porter ahead of Olympic qualifying, which begins March 22.

"I think Mexico is going to be about as close to a qualifying atmosphere as we can possibly get," Porter said. "We're going to have, for the most part, our entire group together for the first time."

The roster:

Goalkeepers - Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire)

Defenders - Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Ike Opara (San Jose Earthquakes), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo), Zarek Valentin (Montreal Impact), Jorge Villafaña (Chivas USA)

Midfielders - Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Gent), Dilly Duka (Columbus Crew), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union), Michael Stephens (LA Galaxy)

Forwards - Freddy Adu (Philadelphia Union), Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim), Jack McInerney (Philadelphia Union), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Tony Taylor (Estoril Praia)

*The Galaxy beat Chivas USA 3-2 this morning in Carson. Pat Noonan, Adam Cristman and Dan Keat scored for the Galaxy as LA sprinted to a 3-0 lead at the half; Trialist Cesar Romero and Michael Lahoud replied for the Goats in the second 45 minutes.

*Single game Galaxy tickets went on sale today for the club's 17 home MLS games starting at $30. Call 1-877-3GALAXY.

However, tickets for mini-plans, for as few as three games, start at $22 a game.

The Galaxy went undefeated at Home Depot Center last season.

*Landon Donovan was named Everton's Player of the Month after assisting on five of Everton's eight goals in January, and added another lovely dish against Chelsea last weekend. Donovan returns toi the Galaxy after Saturday's fifth-round FA Cup match against Blackpool (live 6:30 a.m. Fox Soccer).

*The Premier Development League, which includes five teams in Southern California, released its 2012 season schedule today.

The season begins April 22 when the newly-named LA Misioneros (formerly LA Legends) visits the Fresno Fuego.

*Loyola Marymount University announced today its 11-member 2012 recruiting class, highlighted locally by Bay League Player of the Year Michael Meissner of Palos Verdes High.

"Michael is a very versatile and talented attacking player," said Coach Paul Krumpe. "He is one of the top players in the South Bay, which is an area that has produced some of our best players. I expect him to be able to contribute in our midfield in a variety of positions."

I'm under a directive to burn some vacation hours so will take an extended break through next Tuesday.

That means no column next week, but one of this country's best soccer writers has stepped in with an apt Galaxy-centric column that breaks down the past and, hopefully, future sucess of the club.

In other local soccer news:

*No fewer than seven - yup, seven - MLS teams including the Portland Timbers, Houston Dynamo, Montreal Impact, Colorado Rapids and Chicago Fire (I'll let you guess the other two) are training at Home Depot Center this week.

Want to see some upcoming scrimmages?

Here's a (partial) schedule:

*10:30 a.m. Friday HDC Portland-Montreal
*Noon Saturday Oxnard College Chivas USA-Chicago Fire.
*10:30 a.m. Sunday HDC Portland-Houston
*11 a.m. Wednesday HDC Portland-Chicago.

Games involving the Galaxy are open to the media, but remain closed to the general public, BTW (the Galaxy and Dynamo meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the HDC).

*Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers reflects on signing for Leeds - and then seeing the coach that signed him promptly getting fired.

*No, Aston Villa you don't get to keep the Galaxy's Robbie Keane until a couple of days before the March 7 CONCACAF CL quarterfinal season opener (which isn't mentioned in this story). Villains, indeed.

*Guess which Galaxy player just got picked for their national team?

*If you only watch one game this weekend...make it Manchester United-Liverpool (4:30 a.m. Saturday ESPN2).

Also of note:

Landon Donovan and Everton against Chelsea (6:30 a.m. Saturday Fox Soccer)
Robbie Keane and Aston Villa against Manchester City ( 8 a.m. Sunday Fox Soccer)

*Finally, The U.S. exhibition game against Brazil will be played May 30 at Landover, Md., U.S. Soccer announced today.