by David Falk

Soccer America writer Paul Gardner writes “A Look Back at 2013” posted January 3, 2014 at SoccerAmerica.com. He wanders his way through many topics, including the Sounders acquisition of Clint Dempsey:

But Seattle has something else on its mind. Like Clint Dempsey. The Sounders’ mega-buck move for Dempsey came as the major surprise of 2013. A shock, really. A positive one, of course, that was the universal opinion — I certainly felt that way, though I would have been hard put to explain why.

Now, some five months later, I have moved to a state of total bafflement over the move. Who thought it up? What is it supposed to accomplish? The answer to the first question seems clear enough: owner Joe Roth. Which tells us that this was not a soccer move. Roth says he wanted Dempsey right from the start of the Sounders’ MLS life back in 2007. Why? This was no hometown boy returning in triumph — Dempsey had no connection at all with Seattle. I guess the idea was to make him the centerpiece of a team that would take MLS by storm.

and then later adds:

My faith in Sigi’s ultimate good judgment suffered a near crippling blow when he quickly got rid of Mauro Rosales and then upped the status of Osvaldo Alonso to a DP. Yikes.

Dempsey now has a difficult season ahead — trying to have a big impact on the Sounders in a World Cup year, which will mean a prolonged absence with the U.S. national team. A good run for Dempsey and the national team might augur well for the Sounders, but who knows — I’m not aware of any evidence that equates good news from the national team with happy happenings in MLS. Or that bad national team results bring bad tidings to MLS.

There’s more, here.

If you are like me, and wondering about why a majority owner (Roth) with only youth soccer coaching experience seems determined to tinker with his soccer toy, this reading might leave you nodding your head. If you also wonder why Sigi Schmid is still around, more of the same. Roth can’t really blame Sigi for a disruption he has been concocting since 2007.

Now the Sounders have Dempsey — but not really. He’s in Fulham. Then with the US in a World Cup year. Thanks Joe, but this is no Hollywood ending so far.



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