At Season's End, Americans Shirk EPL Stigma

• Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, April 24, 2007 3:22 PM

The times have a-changed in England's Premier League. Americans in the league are no longer a novelty and no longer just goalkeepers. Indeed, as EPL strengthens its claim to being the world's best league, the USA continues to extend its influence. As Chuck Culpepper of the Los Angeles Times points out, these days if you head out to see Reading or Fulham play, you might even hear chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" emanating from the English crowd.

In all, there are five defenders, three midfielders, three goalkeepers and one striker playing in the Premiership. Of them, Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (goalkeeper-Reading), Brad Friedel (goalkeeper-Blackburn), Jay DeMerit (defender-Watford), Carlos Bocanegra (defender-Fulham), Jonathan Spector (defender-West Ham), Oguchi Onyewu (defender-Newcastle), DaMarcus Beasley (midfielder-Manchester City) and Brian McBride (striker-Fulham) feature regularly, and for the most, each of these players has had a good season.

DeMerit and Spector, whose clubs are fighting off relegation, have likely played well enough to earn contracts at other EPL clubs next season, while Howard, Hahnemann, Friedel, McBride and Bocanegra are all automatic first-team choices at their respective clubs. Beasley is on his way to nailing down a new contract next season.

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