Fulham Snag Eddie Johnson, Now 5th American Soccer Player to Roster

The BBC is reporting that English Premier League club Fulham F.C have signed American MLS star Eddie Johnson for 3 1/2 years after being granted a work permit. Johnson made history in the MLS, becoming the only player in the league with consecutive hat tricks with the Kansas City Wizards.

The 23 year old has scored 11 goals in 31 appearances with the US National Team, as well as 41 in 124 games in the MLS with the Wizards and FC Dallas. Johnson has become the 5th American international to join the club.....here are the 5 Americans on the team:

Kasey Keller, Goalkeeper

Carlos Bocanegra, Defender*

Clint Dempsey, Forward*

Brian McBride, Captain, Midfielder (Injured in August, set to return later this year)

Eddie Johnson, Forward

Note: the * means he is a usual starter.

I think this is definitely progress in American soccer, seeing 5 internationals on one Premier League team....Johnson and Dempsey are very good players and can prove they are very much in the elite group of soccer players. McBride is already one of the American greats on the pitch. Keller is very old, but he has been reliable at times. Oh yeah, let's look at the standings as of last week:

RED DEVILS ON THE TOP AGAIN!!!!

What was that?

That's right, Fulham in 19th out of 20. That means relegation if they can't climb out of this hole with 15 games left in the season.....and they have 2 wins out of 23 games, so it's going to be a near impossibility at this point, but who knows......let's try this again....

I think it's great progress in American soccer that Championship teams want our players.

PLEASE FULHAM!!! Don't get relegated to the Championship!!

ThecrookedcapAll-Star

675 days ago

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Damn...I was just about to write this story. This is the kind of move EJ has been needing. He has a lot of physical potential, but he needs some refining to become the kind of striker the national team can count on. Perhaps no better than to be on the same team as the best finisher we've ever had (McBride).

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MetsJetsDevilsDraft Pick

675 days ago

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Hmm. So what you are saying is that there is one team with 5 Americans and they are so bad they are going to get kicked out of the Premier League...

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

675 days ago

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In defense of the Americans, McBride has been hurt all year and Keller wasn't the starter early in the year. Dempsey may be their best player. And you can tell from the goals allowed stats that defense is their biggest problem -- so Bocanegra and Keller, to some extent, do have some 'splainin to do. That said, this team would be in the championship league already if not for Dempsey's clutch goal last Spring. They'd be much worse without the Yanks on the team.

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SSreportersLegend

675 days ago

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They suck with the Americans, they suck even more without them.

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False ProphetAll-Star

675 days ago

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USA!!!! USA!!!! WHOOOO HOOOO!!!!

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RomiezzoLegend

675 days ago

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This user is a TEAM USA fan. In every event.

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Pittsburgh GunnyMajor Leaguer

675 days ago

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Fulham's defending has been atrocious so blame that and the fact that former manager Lawrie Sanchez spent oodles of money on crap players from his Northern Ireland team.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

675 days ago

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Ya I didn't mention that part, Sanchez bascially used Fulham to get his guys Top Flight Contracts, but they're all championship level players.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

675 days ago

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These guys might become some of the first Americans to play in the Football League Championship.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

675 days ago

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How dare you disregard Jay DeMerit, Frankie Semik, Eddie Lewis and sooner then later Derby County and Benny Feilhaber.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

675 days ago

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Fulham sucks because:

A. They are on their 3rd gaffer in 8 months.

B. Their best player Brian McBride has missed the entire season.

C. Because of McBride's injury, Dempsey has had to play as the target striker which isn't his natural position and it thusly disrupts their midfield play. This team is much more effective when Dempsey can run at defenders and McBride can hold up play and head balls off on to runners.

Hopefully Eddie Johnson will grow up enough to make the first team regularlly and play that McBride role. If that happens and the midfield can return to order then this team can climb out of the reg. zone and survive yet another season.

Don't forget, without Dempsey's 60 million pound goal, this season is played in the Championship for Fulham.

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