American Progress

They were released from the handcuffs, let free in the wild, and told to make it happen. The fruits of their labor are just now beginning to show.

Clint Dempsey was always a great MLS player, and a good national team player. In the summer of 2006, he took the next step, regardless of if he was ready or not. Blasting home the Americans loan goal, he was officially on the international scene. But it was more than just a goal. He was the only one that took some leadership. While all of the other Americans were to busy trying to keep possesion between the back four or making the always safe play, Duece was pinning the ears back and taking on defenders on the right edge like a mad man, often creating the only USA opportunities of the tournament.

His move to Fulham came at a perfect time, he had outgrown MLS, but was he ready for the prem? He struggled to get constant first team minutes at the end of last year, but managed to save Fulham from relegation with his goal against Liverpool at the end of the campaign. Qeustions arose this season if he was truly in Sanchez’s plans. McBride went down with the injury, and Dempsey stepped up. He has been on a tear ever since. Now we are finally seeing the fruits of putting an immensley talented player in a constant european influence. Dempsey is just so much more polished than he used to be. He can now be counted on as a forward or an outside mid, and is scoring constantly in the premiership.

Many great coaches have said, to improve as a team, each player must improve individually. That is what will ultimatley take the United States to the next level on the International soccer landscape.

Freddy Adu scored his first Benfica goal this week from the penalty spot while his team was down a goal in cup competition. Adu was not called to the spot by the coach, he stepped up, put it home, and sent the game to extra time. Where he again converted in the shootout to help Benfica to a victory. Talk about some stones for a Euro soccer rookie teenager from America. Alot of talk was starting to formulate about if Adu would get lost in the vast Benfica system, if he was really still in Camacho’s plans. Everyone close to the situation called for patience, and it is starting to pay off. The thing some American fans need to realize is that even if Freddy isn’t getting first team minutes every time out, he is still in training with players of such a high level that he will grow as a player tremendously, even without touching the field. The hard work has payed off though, as Freddy has made the squad for Benfica’s biggest league game to date against Sporting Lisbon, a feat he hadn’t accomplished for the past set of league games prior. The growth is very mucuh there from Benfica supporters view, who think he has improved as a player a ton from just the Copenhagen game to today.

This is the kind of stuff that will take this program to the next level. The goal is when we play a World Cup game to not be able to say that they just had better players. The goal is closer to being achieved every time these two young men take the practice field, and many are following in suit.