Revealed: How Liverpool's pursuit of Dempsey prompted his unprecedented exile

[Rupert]

It will be interesting to see if there are any legal reactions to this piece. If not, then can we assume it is largely accurate (I don't doubt there are other things not known about, so not published)?

Maybe I'm being naive here, but it does look to me like Dempsey has been very badly advised over the whole sorry mess. Yes, he should have been smart enough to modify his (reported) behaviour, but somebody must have convinced him that the move to Plod was all but signed and sealed.

As I said on another topic, I am sorry asbout the way it all ended up for Dempsey, but I retain very fond memories of his time with us, and I can not see myself booing him when he comes visiting, though I expect many others will take the chance to make themselves feel better.

[cmg]

An interesting and useful summary of events. The fact that it comes from goal.com, a known unreliable source, need not bother us too much as it does not really contain anything we didn't know before. The only 'new' stuff is the bit about MAF threatening to send Dempsey on loan to a Championship club as a punishment. We can discount this as garbage immediately. Fulham could no more force Dempsey to go to Charlton (which would probably transgress his Eighth Amendment rights as well) than they could force him to go to Aston Villa.

Both Liverpool and Dempsey cut rather sad figures in all this.

We seem to have got at least the minimum we expected for the player (why Liverpool would think we would be interested in a figure lower than one which had already been bid is the most mystifying feature of the whole sorry saga). It remains, now, to be seen if Dempsey can replicate with Spurs the kind of stellar season he had (one time only) with us.

I agree totally that Dempsey seems to have been very poorly advised in all this.

The fact that we haven't (as yet) had any 'Dempsey side' of the story dishing the dirt on Fulham can mean either that there isn't any, or a return by one of the finest players we have had in recent years to the kind of standards of professionalism we had come to admire in him (or, perhaps, both).

[bmasar]

(why Liverpool would think we would be interested in a figure lower than one which had already been bid is the most mystifying feature of the whole sorry saga).

Because Liverpool thought they had our feet to the fire. They knew Dempsey wouldn't agree to move to Villa or similar, so they figured we would have to take whatever they offered.

[cottagecornerreject]

It's odd that those that completely laugh off goal.com with 99% of the time are taking this article as the gospel. If the article ripped fulham what would you be saying about goal.com then? What still wasn't revealed is the true nature and what was said in the jol/dempsey dust up. It very well could be what led dempsey to do what he did. There is also this.


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1153580/tottenham's-clint-dempsey-reveals-stress-of-transfer-saga?cc=5901

Another article I can't find mentioned Dempsey today before his WC qualifier
saying he just wanted to move on from this but it was noted again how he thanked MAF the club and the fans but what was notable is his complete lack of mention or thanking of JOL. Take that what you will.

[St Eve]

I agree that Clint could perhaps have handled the situation better but I really don't hold any animosity towards him.

I can see that this really was his last chance to get a move to a "big" club and having provided us with 5 and a half years of exceptional service perhaps deserved to be treated in a slightly more adult fashion by the club (though it is nice to see us not get railroaded into a deal we didn't want, so plus points for the way we've dealt with Liverpool).

I wonder if this is partly Jol's personality. You're either with him or against him and he's not afraid to butt heads.

That said I think Clint might have got his move to Liverpool had he just towed the line a little longer and let his agent get on with the transfer shenanigans.

Sad way to end his career with us but Clint will remain a Fulham legend for me and I'll be proud to give him a warm reception if he plays against us.

He was hardly a legend

[Nightwind15]

The one thing that has come to light after this has been put to bed is that Jol is liar.

As far as Dempsey's career from here on those with a crystal ball foretelling of his demise with Spurs no little of the man from Texas.  My estimation is he will be a star at Spurs just like he was for Fulham.  The reason being he a go to type player that will always come through for his team.  If I had to be in a fox hole with someone I would pick Clint Dempsey to have my back. 

[Mike]

 :bang head:

jog on!

[MJG]

Cottage Corner Refugee alert.

[YankeeJim]

Just wondering, with all the criticism of Dempsey, earned or not, why does no one have something to say about Jol & the Chairman selling our season to Spurs and pocketing the money? With the Dems, I expect Spurs to do well. Without the Dems, I fear we are no better then bottom ten middle or lower.

[Jack Fulham]

Just wondering, with all the criticism of Dempsey, earned or not, why does no one have something to say about Jol & the Chairman selling our season to Spurs and pocketing the money? With the Dems, I expect Spurs to do well. Without the Dems, I fear we are no better then bottom ten middle or lower.

Dembele deal was out of our hands due to the release clause and Dempsey forced a move. I don't think pocketing the money was their intention but the moves happened stupidly late in the window and any deal we try to strike at the end would see us being ripped off as the other clubs know we have to replace and we have money to burn.

[MJG]

I really hate this argument that we have brought in £XXM we should then spend the same £XXM on players or that MAF is 'pocketing the money'

Its about running a club & business. The money we spend & bring in, are just parts of a clubs total turnover. There is no seperate 'transfer' bank account where it gets topped up or goes overdrawn.
Yes the Managers have budgets and maybe sometimes he would get a bit more, but its also about wages, investment in youth, the training ground, Craven Cottage., paying the bloody tea lady.
Its all in the pot to make the club run in a sensible way.

MAF has put in about £200M and we are in a sense £180M still in debt to him. We have a payment structure in place to pay back £10M per year. But its not as if Spurs pay £15M for Dembele and MAF does a bank transfer of £12M out of the club because we recieved that money.

Those of you who think MAF is tight with his money and bleeding the club explain this...
At the meeting of the premier lge last week, we were one of only 3 clubs who are not in favour of FFP. MAF wants clubs to have the ablity to run how ever they want, its his business and he does not feel their should be restrictions as to how much money he puts in. If he was walking away and not interested thats not the argument he would use.

[JimmyDunnesBum]

Just wondering, with all the criticism of Dempsey, earned or not, why does no one have something to say about Jol & the Chairman selling our season to Spurs and pocketing the money? With the Dems, I expect Spurs to do well. Without the Dems, I fear we are no better then bottom ten middle or lower.

demps , star he was at fulham , is most likely to be a bit-part  , so can't see him being that much of an influence at the lane  .and the truth is , he was only an afterthought for spurs because moutinho wasn't available ; he was never on their original radar.

and as for us , berbatov is proven quality , petric , given the service, will score and frei already does certain things better than clint , so i'm not particularly mourning demps' departure . no , it's mousa we're going to miss , the irreplacable one.

[MasterHaynes]

Just wondering, with all the criticism of Dempsey, earned or not, why does no one have something to say about Jol & the Chairman selling our season to Spurs and pocketing the money? With the Dems, I expect Spurs to do well. Without the Dems, I fear we are no better then bottom ten middle or lower.

demps , star he was at fulham , is most likely to be a bit-part  , so can't see him being that much of an influence at the lane  .and the truth is , he was only an afterthought for spurs because moutinho wasn't available ; he was never on their original radar.

and as for us , berbatov is proven quality , petric , given the service, will score and frei already does certain things better than clint , so i'm not particularly mourning demps' departure . no , it's mousa we're going to miss , the irreplacable one.

Agree 100% would just add Dempsey was signed by Spurs not only because they failed to get Moutinho but also to get Berbatov who they tried to jump in and nab from us while he was having his medical in the afternoon. I think if they would have got him then no Dempsey bid which is why bid for Dempsey came so late in the evening (about 8.30pm).

[Forever Fulham]

I haven't seen evidence that Spurs were after Berbatov.  What have i missed?  You claim they tried "to jump in and nab [him] from us".  I admit I don't live on this board, but I thought I should have heard about that.  I think Spurs got Clint at the last minute because 1. They wanted a proven winner; and 2. FFC saw the prospect of continuing to pay for a disaffected player and possible bad will spreading.   The historic revisionism continues on that message board about the relative values that Clint and Moose brought to game results.   Jol created first impressions with his initial reportage and, as he represents authority, fans tended to adopt his story as the one true story.  Whatever.  Petric might come through.  Berbatov might have enough legs left in him to be effective over the course of the season as a starter.  A lot of "ifs".  Let's not pretend the jury is still out on Clint's effectiveness.   

[alexbishop]

I haven't seen evidence that Spurs were after Berbatov.  What have i missed?  You claim they tried "to jump in and nab [him] from us".  I admit I don't live on this board, but I thought I should have heard about that.  I think Spurs got Clint at the last minute because 1. They wanted a proven winner; and 2. FFC saw the prospect of continuing to pay for a disaffected player and possible bad will spreading.   The historic revisionism continues on that message board about the relative values that Clint and Moose brought to game results.   Jol created first impressions with his initial reportage and, as he represents authority, fans tended to adopt his story as the one true story.  Whatever.  Petric might come through.  Berbatov might have enough legs left in him to be effective over the course of the season as a starter.  A lot of "ifs".  Let's not pretend the jury is still out on Clint's effectiveness.   

Berbatov said in an interview in his home country that spurs had come in for him on the last day

[Forever Fulham]

Thanks, Alex Bishop.  I didn't know that.

[Burt]

His agent was touting him around right up to the end, he met Daniel Levy just before the window closed.

[YankeeJim]

Just wondering, with all the criticism of Dempsey, earned or not, why does no one have something to say about Jol & the Chairman selling our season to Spurs and pocketing the money? With the Dems, I expect Spurs to do well. Without the Dems, I fear we are no better then bottom ten middle or lower.

I think your biggest fear is without Dempsey, there's no reason to carry on supporting us. 

Our chairman puts all his energy into the club and has handled the situation impeccably.  He has supported the manager 100% and did not give in to the bullying from the American own scousers. To claim he is pocketing money is as deluded as the "two sides" argument put up by Dempsey.

I think your biggest fear is without Dempsey, there's no reason to carry on supporting us. 

Now that is an asinine comment. You have no idea what "my biggest fear is" so I'll tell you: irritating, obnoxious individuals such as yourself. I was here long before Dempsey and will be here as long as the "Friends of Fulham" I've grown to know & respect remain the decent folks they are.

I agree with Hatter Don that I truly hope FFC never gets another American just so I don't have to read nonsense such as your post. Sorry if bullying by we Yanks is your greatest fear.

Sorry mods. I know nothing should be personal so my apologies to all but this pointed headed, four legged creature.

[Yellow Jacket]

I agree I hope that no more Americans sign for the club. It's funny how everybody just says well he was a panic buy. From the Spurs people who I've observed on their podcast. He wasn't a panic buy but he was a guy who was still out there. An opportunistic move by Spurs. To think Dempsey was just a last resort for failing to get Berbatov and Moutinho was asinine. Dempsey isn't a direct replacement for either.

[MasterHaynes]

I haven't seen evidence that Spurs were after Berbatov.  What have i missed?  You claim they tried "to jump in and nab [him] from us".  I admit I don't live on this board, but I thought I should have heard about that.  I think Spurs got Clint at the last minute because 1. They wanted a proven winner; and 2. FFC saw the prospect of continuing to pay for a disaffected player and possible bad will spreading.   The historic revisionism continues on that message board about the relative values that Clint and Moose brought to game results.   Jol created first impressions with his initial reportage and, as he represents authority, fans tended to adopt his story as the one true story.  Whatever.  Petric might come through.  Berbatov might have enough legs left in him to be effective over the course of the season as a starter.  A lot of "ifs".  Let's not pretend the jury is still out on Clint's effectiveness.   

I don't know where you have been but it was all over the media including MOD which is normally way behind events. It was even on Sky that Tittenham had made a last ditch bid to get him on their transfer clockwatch. Even Jol referred to another club coming in for him when he was having his medical but the kept him in the room.