USA Soccer Legend Clint Dempsey sees the positive points in President Trump's Gatecrashing of Chelsea's Club World Cup parties – although he also believes that blues players should have been able to experience the moment themselves.
After the 3-0 victory of Chelsea over PSG in the final of the World Cup club, Trump shocked the football world when he stayed on stage during the team-lift of the team in Metlife Stadium.
And Dempsey, who won the Gold Cup three times and earned 141 caps with the American national team of the American gentlemen, had a mixed reaction to the striking stunt.
'I see it both sides, right? I mean, there is more talk about it than it would probably be, with things like that, “he told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview.
'But I also think that if you do something special, you deserve to have that moment with the people with whom you did it. So I see both sides of it in that situation.
“But it was exciting to see some of those games … I was surprised that Chelsea was so dominant,” he continued. “But it's good for the Americans to see. Hopefully there are children who are inspired at home by what they saw during some of those games.
Dempsey's comments came about a week and a half after the final loss of Gold Cup of the US on July 6 – a result (and a tournament) that came without Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun.
Yet a usually uninhibited, MLS-heavy group has been brought together to win five games and Dempsey believes that the national team has created more of a culture through that experience.
“There is more a team chemistry, I would say, because of that tournament. Now we just have to have mixed that with better play quality. But the honor of them, they showed fights and grit, could reach the final and were short. Now we want to see some sort of that culture that has been created, mixed with our best players in some of these friendly matches while we go to the World Cup. '
Dempsey, the players and coach Mauricio Pochettino will also want to see the stands full of more American fans.
The manager urged the American supporters to learn from the 'incredible' supporters of Guatemala after they had essentially created a road atmosphere in St. Louis for the Gold Cup semi -final.
Dempsey is certainly used to playing with the national team in some hostile environments and thinks that American players should give fans a reason to appear.
“I don't know if it's a price situation, whether it's a product situation on the field,” he started. 'As a player you just have to go out and determine what you can control, but you have to inspire them to go out and spend their hard -earned money to come and see how you play.
'And you look at different teams, such as Mexico, for example, even if they did not play at their best, their fans went outside and supported them through fat and thin.
'But I am also a believer that you have to offer a certain type of product on the field to motivate fans to go there and want to look. So hopefully, with our best players back and fit, and while we build on [the World Cup]Hopefully there is that excitement, and you see people who want to pack the stadiums. '
That should of course be an easier task if Pulisic is back on the field for the national team, after he decided to skip the Gold Cup after a debilitating club season with AC Milan.
Dempsey, who told men in blazers that it was not his own 'mentality' to miss national team competitions, said he has a 'much love' for Pulisic, but that he must be balanced when it comes to an expert in general.
'In terms of how former players view the current players, I think you really have to keep it, right? And that is what your work is, if things go well, talk about the good things, and if things don't go well, talk about what went wrong … I would not say that I am someone trying to hate someone. I just try to tell you – if you ask me my opinion: 'I'll give you my opinion. And I think it is important that you have to show love, but you also have to shoot up.
He added that Pulisic had one of the best seasons ever through an American abroad. And if his body was tired and he needed a little rest, then that's what he needed. '
Dempsey spoke with the Daily Mail to promote a partnership with the global health leader Abbott, who, together with Real Madrid, were compiled for the 'Abbott Dream Team' initiative. The program gives 11 players between the ages of 18 and 19 the chance to train with the Spanish giants, after try -outs around the United States in Chicago, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Dallas and Los Angeles.
Dempsey, whose unconventional road to star rowing went through a trailer park in Texas, certainly understands the importance of players under the radar who get eyeballs on them.
“I think it's great to have platforms where it doesn't cost any money to sign up, and don't matter what your background is, and if you are selected, you have the chance to do something special,” he said about the program, which will also offer food education to the 11 players in Madrid.
'Because I think there are many children who fall through the cracks, right? Not everyone can afford to play football, and there are different routes to make the pro. '
When asked about the state of talent exploration in the US, he continued: 'I just think it's important that you look everywhere, right?
'… It is a difficult thing in terms of the exploration, but it is also difficult in terms of development, good, try to develop players who [have] More a street style, more a pick -up type of style that they can take and are more creative. I think that is what we lack, the national team, more creative players that I would like to see. '
The following friendly US matches will come against South Korea and Japan in September.