Having previously had spells on trial in England, the skill and attributes of Eddie Johnson were something that clubs in the Premier League were only too aware of. He turned down a move to Derby County last summer, but eagerly accepted the opportunity to move to Fulham during this January transfer window.
Despite some protracted negotiations over work permits Eddie has quickly settled in London and is hoping to continue the proud tradition of Americans in the Premier League as he explained to us last week after training…
Welcome to Fulham Football Club, how are you finding the move to London?
It was a dream come true to make the move to the Premier League. It is every young American soccer player’s dream to come over here and play. To have moved over here and know some guys from the American national team, it has made it all the more wonderful for me. I am really excited to get going, it is without doubt the best league in the world and I feel that I am part of a great team here at Fulham.
Have you ever been to England before?
I trained with Reading and Manchester United in the past and from those experiences I have realised that England is where it’s at. The football is good, the expectations are high, the support is amazing and if you want to get to where you want to be as a player then this is the league for you.
After training with the team for some time it must have been a huge relief to be granted your work permit?
It was a big relief to have everything sorted once and for all. I have come in and only had a couple of weeks of training on the back of a two month off-season in the States; having not signed a contract in that time it was more of a trial for me. I was waiting on the hearing but once that went through and my work permit arrived, that’s when everything hit me and I could really get excited about the new challenge that awaited me. It was kinda frustrating to be wondering what would happen but I have had stuff to do to fill up my time which helped.
How different is life around the football club, in terms of training and game time, compared to what you are used to?
Everyday is a big challenge; nothing over here is guaranteed to you as a player. You have to prove yourself on a daily basis and I think that is one of the major differences with the MLS. No one is different from another guy in the squad, there is no special treatment or perceived level of status, you are rewarded with how you train and play in games and that’s how it should be. The coach treats everyone equally in terms of his expectations and demands, which are very high and I know I have to work hard to match these, which I am willing to do.
Have any of the guys been showing you around?
I have had guys like Clint looking after me and making sure I have everything I need. I am really enjoying being in London, it is one of the best cities in the world and has everything that I could possibly want. I’ve been out in Wimbledon Village, been to a couple of shops and Clint has shown me some nice places to eat, so it’s cool.
The Manager favours a 4-5-1 formation: does this suit your attributes?
Well I think some of my good attributes are my pace, my willingness to get in behind defenders, strength in the air and on the ball and an eye for goal I guess. How that fits into formations is the Manager’s decision but whatever way I can help and put my attributes to good use, I will.
You had a run-out with the Development Squad recently, how was that?
It was a good experience for me. It was my second lot of 90 minutes since arriving over here; the more games I can have with the boys, the more familiar I will become with what to expect from them and what they can expect from me. We had a good result [2-2 versus Chelsea], the coach wasn’t too happy with the football but we were pleased with a hard earned point away from home.
When did you realise that it was your time to try moving to a club abroad?
Last summer Derby County came in and made an offer to the MLS to bring me over to the Premier League, but at that time I still thought that I had something to prove in the MLS, not only to myself but as a player playing in that league. This was a high risk decision because teams in the Premier League might have thought I was turning down a move so would never be interested. I knew, though, that if I worked hard and got some goals then the interest would still be there and God willing teams would come in for me again, which is what happened with Fulham.
We find ourselves in a tough position at the moment, there are some big games coming up, what are the chances of seeing you involved with some of them?
I think we have a great squad. We have some top strikers in the side in Clint, Joe, McBride, Nevland and Healy; I just hope I can compete with those guys and compete with them on a day-to-day basis and improve each other as players. We’re a well coached side and are prepared well for games, when it comes to matches on the weekend it is all about us putting into practice what we have been coached on the training field during the week. As I say it’s about us at the weekend and if I am called upon to play any role then I will be ready.
On arrival at the Club, did you set yourself any short and long term targets to achieve in your time here?
Well in the short term we have to be looking at maintaining our position in this league, I think that one goes without saying. In the long term, I want to prove what I have as a player, continue the tradition of Americans coming to the Cottage and playing well; ultimately I want to win things with this Club.
