Fulham Player Profile: Clint Dempsey

Clint Dempsey is the first of several player profiles I will be posting soon. I start with Clint, because he is the reason I started following Fulham in the first place.  This profile below was originally a part of Sbnation.com's World Cup coverage. 

Clint grew up in Nacgadoches, Texas. He played college soccer at Furman University. He was drafted by the New England Revolution in 2004. Then, in January, 2007 he went on to play with his current club in England. That club is Fulham Football Club. In his early days at Fulham he came off the bench. He was not a full time starter until midway through his second season with the club. He has been a starter for Fulham ever since.

Clint's nickname is "Deuce". He has been known by this nickname since his days at the New England Revolution. When he is not playing football he is an aspiring rapper. He is a big fan of hip hop music. He is certainly well known by this nickname. Even some announcers refer to him as Deuce. When Clint scored a goal against Juventus they called him by the name "Clint Deuce Dempsey".

Club World

Clint has been an integral part of Fulham Football Club's success since joining in 2007. He has been a very dangerous winger. In the 2008/ 2009 he scored 8 goals. In the current 2009/2010 season Clint has scored 9 goals. Clint has played big in some of Fulham's most important matches. In the 2008 - 2009 season Clint scored 2 goals against Manchester City on the road. That season he also scored a tying goal at the end of the match against Chelsea at Craven Cottage.

Most recently, he scored the winning goal against Juventus in the Europa League to put Fulham in the Quarterfinals. This was an incredible goal. Fulham had less than 10 minutes left in the second leg of the Europa League against Juventus. Just outside the penalty box, on the right side he chipped the ball to the top left corner of the net.

Clint was very important in the Europa League and the EPL last season. He was hurt in the middle of the EPL season. Fulham actually dipped in the EPL while he was out. He is also the first American player to play in a major European Club Final.

What to look For

I think fans should follow Clint for several reasons. First, he plays football with flair and personality. Clint plays football with much emotion. When he scores he certainly knows how to celebrate. When he scored against Juventus you would have thought Fulham had just won the Final.

Second, I think a player that can raise their game in the biggest matches makes them special. Clint I think thrives on situations that would be considered clutch. When you need that pass to a striker in a big spot he will be able to deliver. When you need that goal to move you ahead in a tournament Clint has come through. In fact, he has done this several times with the National team and Fulham.

Third, He is also a very versatile player. In his time at Fulham he has played on the right and left side in midfield. When needed he has played up front as a striker. I have personally watched him play in many positions for Fulham.

Fourth, he is a complete player. Fulham play a very disciplined style of football. Roy Hodgson demanded his players to play defense and keep their shape. Clint doesn't just score goals. He is a complete team player.

Please check out these great Clint Dempsey goals that were posted on YouTube by 723FootballFilms.