I'm done trying to choose a Premier League team.
I love watching the EPL, but I've got to get something off my chest: I just don't have it in me to root for any of the teams. In 2009 I went out on a limb and decided, after a few beverages with several Brits in a bar in Munich, that I was officially a fan of Everton. It was during the height of Tim Howards (continued) reign as their number one Keeper, and on the heels of the news that Landon Donovan would be joining the Toffees on loan from the Galaxy for several months. I really wanted to feel like I was a part of the culture of English football, and choosing a team to live and die with seemed like the natural first step. They weren't a mainstream choice such as Manchester United or Chelsea, had a natural rivalry with Liverpool and pretty boy Fernando Torres, and most importantly had TWO Americans that contributed significantly. I felt good about my choice, and looked forward to becoming a die hard fan over the course of the coming decades.
But almost five years later, even with Tim Howard still manning the backstops, I just can't bring myself to care about the Toffees. I used to do my best to watch highlights and keep track of results, but over the last year or so I just feel no urge whatsoever to invest any energy into following the club. The fact is that the main reason for my attraction to Everton was the presence of the American players, and that link is far too tenuous to get me to care about them beyond that players tenure. The thing that would get me the most fired up about English Soccer was when an American scored an epic goal, not when their team had success. I still root for Howard to do well and maintain the respect that he has cultivated over the last decade, but as soon as he is no longer with the team I doubt that I'll have any affinity for them whatsoever.
So I'll tell you what I'm going to do! I'm officially introducing The Deep Lying Forward Premier League Team of the Season. I still want to pay attention to the EPL, but I need something beyond just an appreciation for the game to get me to continue watching. After years of resisting jumping from one team to another like some sort of fair weather fan, I'm just going to lean into it and become a fan of the aspect of the league that I appreciate the most: the Americans. I am officially rooting for any team that consistently plays Americans, and my fandom correlates exactly with the number of Americans that team employs.
In that spirit, Stoke City has now taken poll position as TDLF Premier League Team of the Season. This doesn't mean that they will end the year as favorites, because teams that have American players but don't give them playing time will have a harder time winning the award. But even if Stoke gave significant playing time to two of the four Americans currently on the roster, it would give them a fantastic chance to be the favorites from start to finish.
That said, Sunderland have a chance to blow away the field with a successful season from new striker Jozy Altidore. If Jozy managed to score fifteen goals this season, it would go so far toward preparing him for the 2014 World Cup and creating buzz around the USMNT that it would be difficult for any team to overtake them, even if they were giving more time to more players. If Eric Lichaj had stayed with Aston Villa instead of going to Nottingham Forest broken his way into regular playing time alongside USMNT backup keeper Brad Guzan, then they would have been a very strong contender as well. And if it all goes to shit, Everton could end up taking the award simply by having Timmy starting every league game. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. The pre-season top-5 (with their American players) are:
1. Stoke City - Brek Shea, Geoff Cameron, Maurice Edu, Juan Agudelo
2. Sunderland - Jozy Altidore
3. Everton - Tim Howard
4. Aston Villa - Brad Guzan
5. Tottenham - Brad Friedel
As you can probably tell, the criteria for this award are quite arbitrary and determined entirely by me. That said, I would love to hear any persuasive arguments for or against certain teams in the race for the award, and will absolutely swayed by points that I hadn't considered. Stay tuned for updates about the current standings over the course of the EPL season, as well as thoughts about the progress (or lack thereof) of Yanks in the Premier League.
***UPDATE***
Check out my new addition to the DLF Premier League Team of the Season, a European Bracket! Spreading to the love to the rest of Europe, and setting up an epic showdown at the end of the year. Read and comment, tell me what you think!
Thoughts and opinions on Major League Soccer, the USMNT, and the future of Soccer in America.
I agree. If you aren't a fan of a specific team then root for the teams with Americans on them.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm sorry to say Eric Lichaj is now on Nottingham Forest not Aston Villa.
And don't forget Danny Williams on Reading.
Oh shit! Thank you very much for pointing that out Jordan I will make changes accordingly. If only Reading had stayed up they would make my pre season list for sure.
ReplyDeleteWell that makes me sad that the American pool is even shallower than I thought , but that'll just make choosing the winner that much easier. Not much consolation.
Thanks for commenting man. I really appreciate you checking out the site hope you come back !
I enjoyed reading this and respect your affinity toward the teams that house and play, or bench, the Americans. I've been a Liverpool fan for about 12 years. The passion and story of the franchise matches my passion and obsession with soccer. I love Liverpool, but I think what really gets me going and pushes me to watch games at 4, 5, or 6 in the morning, whether it is Liverpool v Newcastle United or Manchester United v Arsenal, is my love and passion for the beautiful game of soccer. If an American player is good enough, he will be on the pitch. Sure, other countries may look down on an American player but the manager is there to field the best team. It is harder for Americans to play in Europe, England in particular, but the door has been open thanks to players like Tim Howard. In the future, hopefully the newer generation of American futbolers may bridge the gap between the pitch and the bench. Dempsey is good, but he would not start on most teams in the Champions Leauge. That being said, I hope to one day see an American that contributes to a successful Champions Leauge team.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the sentiment of this article. Nevertheless, as an American, I continue to support Fulham FC, even though McBride(ret.), Dempsey(traded), Bocanegra(rel.), Kasey Keller(ret.) are gone. I came to appreciate the service provided to Dempsey from Davies(released). I came to appreciate Hangeland Schwarzer(rel.), Murphy(rel.), and the addition of Berbatov.
ReplyDeleteBut, yeah, I get it, it's hard. Easier for me if a Brek Shea had gone to Fulham. I appreciate the "Cottage" atmosphere, though I haven't even been there. Meanwhile, keeping an eye on Aston Villa, Stoke, Everton, Sunderland...all the aforementioned clubs that you mention. When those clubs go to Fulham, will I be rooting for a (2-2) result. So conflicted!
Meanwhile thinking of buying myself a Seattle Sounders jersey to show my support for that club.
You're a better fan than I Hammer, I legitimately wanted to continue to root for Everton over the years, but I just failed miserably. If you can keep it within you to support that team and enjoy watching them, I'm basically jealous. All I wanted from choosing Everton was to feel like a part of that fan culture, and I just couldn't get myself to truly immerse into it. So basically I'm just doing what I can to encourage myself to follow what already interests me about the league.
DeleteYou should totally get a sounders jersey, I already have one Earthquakes jersey and am considering getting a Goodson kit. Loved what he brought in the Gold Cup, very excited to have him in San Jose.
Thanks so much for commenting man I really appreciate it! Continue to read and comment, or even follow me on twitter @TDLForward to get updates on new blog posts. Thanks Hammer!
You have to fall in love, to the point that you can never go back. No kind of rational thought process can be applied to the decision. You don't choose the club, the club chooses you.
ReplyDeleteAnd just remember that you become a supporter of the club, not the players. The players will grow old and die, while the club lives on.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more, and I know what it's like. I will forever live and die with the Chicago Bears in the NFL, LA Lakers in the NBA, SJ Earthquakes in MLS, and the USMNT above all else. That was my problem with Everton: I was trying to force it on myself rather than letting it happen naturally.
DeleteYou are totally right man, thanks for reading and commenting I hope to see you around the message boards!