| Footballers under pressure |
 England crashed out of the World Cup after a dismal showing. One suggestion is that they were just too tired, writes Stuart WeirThis month sees the start of the Premier League and domestic football season. “What?” I hear you say. “It’s only five minutes since the World Cup final!” Football certainly has become an all-year-round activity. It is generally agreed that too much football is played - taking its toll on players’ bodies - but the commercial pressures demand that TV’s most popular sport be on our screens January to December. The 2010-11 Premier League season is an intriguing prospect. Last year Chelsea ended Manchester United’s three-year dominance of the Premier League by one point. Chelsea won the FA Cup as well; Manchester United the Carling Cup. But for the first time in several years, no English team reached even the semi-finals of the Champions’ League. Arsenal fell short of honours despite a late run, but at the time of writing they look likely to lose their captain Cecs Fabergas to Barcelona. Liverpool have parted company with manager Rafa Benitez after a disastrous season. Tottenham Hotspur, who broke the monopoly of the so-called “Big Four” by grasping fourth place, will be looking to consolidate and move on. Manchester “money-no-object” City need some success to satisfy their Middle Eastern owners. A great season is in prospect. Whether players will be ready for a punishing season of 60 games with little rest after the World Cup, remains to be seen. One club which over-achieved in the Premiership last season was Fulham. Once the height of their ambitions was to avoid relegation. Now Fulham is well established as a mid-table team. Last season they also had a good FA Cup run but the crowning glory was reaching the Europa League final where they went down 1-2 to Atletico Madrid. One of the major contributors to Fulham’s success is Clint Dempsey, their American mid-field player. Clint has the knack of scoring important goals. He has been on the scoresheet 20 times in 63 games for the USA. He scored in the 2006 World Cup against Ghana. He scored three in the 2009 Confederations Cup - against Brazil in the final, Spain and Egypt. He also scored against England in the World Cup this year past the hapless Rob Green. That was his second goal against England, having got one in a friendly against England in 2005. He told me, “Playing in the World Cup fulfilled my dreams; scoring was the icing on the cake”. And who will forget his magical chip for Fulham against Juventus in this year’s Europa League? Clint is a devout Christian. “My faith is important to me. I grew up in a Catholic family and went to Sunday School and church. I still go to church every Sunday because it helps me to grow spiritually “My faith is what gives me peace of mind and confidence for the future. I mean peace of mind when you go through good and tough times and not just in football but in life.” |
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