USMNT legend Clint Dempsey revealed Fulham’s lineup once led to him suffering a broken hand out of anger.
While speaking on an episode of CBS Sports’ ‘Kickin It’, Dempsey told the story of how he punched a window in the locker room after being told he was not starting in a Europa League game for Fulham.
‘It was a Europa League game, and normally when players come back from injury that were in the starting XI, once they proved that they were fit and played as a sub and played well or whatever, then they got into the team again,’ Dempsey began.
‘So they call me up before the game against Juventus at home and they’re like, “oh your gonna be starting.” I’m like, “yeah I know, that’s what normally happens when you’re in the starting lineup. You come back, you should be starting.” And I get there and it’s like, “oh your not gonna be starting now,” and I’m like, “huh?”‘
Dempsey went on to correct himself and state that it was actually the semifinal against Hamburg that Fulham had played after facing Juventus.
Clint Dempsey recently told the story of how he injured his hand punching a window at Fulham
He went on to mention the incident led to him pulling off an iconic celebration after the injury
He then described the moment his manager at the time, Roy Hodgson, told him that he was no longer in the starting lineup for the game.
‘And he’s [Hodgson] like, “Ya know mate it’s not like you’ve been pulling up any trees lately,” and I’m like, “what the f*** do you mean? That goal versus Juventus that was a giant Red Oak. Like it’s not like I haven’t been doing anything.”
‘”When other players come in here from being in the starting lineup, they go back into the team, why is that not the same situation with me? You think I’m just gonna be good soldier? Y’all got me f***ed up.”‘
‘So I go out to the locker room and this is where I f***ed up. I’m like, “you can’t tell me that there’s 11 of you motherf***ers better than me,” and then I said boom,’ he added, while performing a punching motion.
Dempsey, a USMNT legend, made 232 appearances during his time with Fulham’s squad
‘And I hit through this window that’s like plated and I pulled my hand out and I said, “s***, I f***ed up, I f***ed up,”‘ he continued, holding up his hand to show the scar from the incident.
Dempsey explained that he injured his hand so badly that he had to get surgery. However, he was lucky not to fully tear the ligaments in his hand or else he would have been sidelined for some time.
All together Dempsey made 232 appearances during his time with Fulham, including 14 in the Europa League.
During the 2009-10 season, Fulham beat Hamburg in the semifinal of the Europa League to set up a final against Atletico Madrid but ultimately couldn’t lift the trophy, suffering a 2-1 defeat to the Spanish side.
