An American Success Story...Clint Dempsey to Fulham...

Subject to the British work permit process American midfielder Clint Dempsey will achieve one of his dreams and move to the English Premier League. In recent years the number of Americans playing in the Premier League has blossomed thanks to trail blazers like Claudio Reyna and Brian McBride. Dempsey has risen through the ranks many other American soccer players dream of. While English teams are learning about all the quality in America, there is still stiff competition from the rest of the world for the limited slots in the top English league.

Ten years ago odds are that American soccer fans wouldn't know about Dempsey and he wouldn't be playing professional soccer without a foreign club taking a huge chance on him. However, Dempsey entered MLS after a successful college career and was able to work hard, earn a starting role, impress his national team manager and book a ticket to the 2006 World Cup.

So let's see how he did it:
- Graduated from Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas in 2001. Had a standout career for his school. Earned multiple MVP awards in high school. Also captained the Dallas Texans and led his team in scoring. Nominated as an All American as a senior
- Enrolled at Furman University in 2001. In his freshman season he started nearly every game and scored four goals while creating eight. His sophomore season was another strong one with six goals and six assists while starting every game. 2003 was his last season in college and he contributed seven goals and five assists making him Furman's second leading scorer...from midfield.
- In 2002 Dempsey made his first appearance with the US U-20's. He made the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship roster, but only played in one game.
- Drafted with the 8th overall pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Freddy Adu was the star of the show that year, making most people overlook the rest of the field. Of the rest of the players taken in the first round before and after that 8th selection, Clint is arguably the most successful to date (trailed closely by Chad Marshall and Pat Noonan).
- Earned his first senior national team cap in 2004 as a sub for Ramiro Corrales against Jamaica. Cemented his spot with the MNT in 2005 during the final round of World Cup qualifying. Picked for the 2006 World Cup team coming away as one of the only American players to play well.

Many of us American soccer pundits (if I may call myself one) feel the US Youth set up is a direct feeder to the professional ranks. We comb the results of the latests U-15 tilt to see who is going to be next. Clint Dempsey is a prime example of the "there is another way" school. Clint has worked hard through the trenches. He didn't go to Bradenton and he didn't go to a big name Division I soccer school (Not to take anything away from Furman which has traditionally been strong in soccer).

Clint Dempsey has worked hard at every level and proven he has what it takes to succeed. Since the ink isn't even dry on his contract, and the Home Office hasn't yet approved a work permit, it is hard to tell what his future holds. However, I feel good in saying that Clint Dempsey is an American soccer success story, no matter what the result of his tenure in England.