Relegation could be tough on Americans

One way or another, at least four and possibly nine American players are doomed to relegation today when the 2007-2008 English Premier League season comes to an end.

Either Manchester United or Chelsea will clinch the title, but at the other end of the table, Derby County, which includes former UCLA players Benny Feilhaber and Eddie Lewis, already is assured of going down.

Joining Derby in the ridiculously named League Championship -- which is, in fact, the second division in England's four-tier professional setup -- could be either Reading, with Americans Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey, or Fulham, with its quintet of U.S. players -- Brian McBride, Kasey Keller, Carlos Bocanegra, Eddie Johnson and Clint Dempsey -- or both.

A victory on the road over F.A. Cup finalist Portsmouth can save Fulham from relegation. It staged a miracle recovery to avoid the drop last season, and has won three of its last four games to make a scrap out of it this time, but the odds are long.

Fulham has won only seven of 37 matches this season and of those seven only two have been on the road. Even the always upbeat McBride acknowledged that Portsmouth is "going to be a very difficult game."

Reading, which is on the road against Derby, and Birmingham, which is at home to Blackburn Rovers, are the other teams in the relegation dogfight.

Reading's task would appear easier since hapless Derby has won only once in 37 games. A win would save Reading, as long as Fulham loses or ties.

Birmingham, meanwhile, has no option but to win, but standing in its way is Blackburn's former U.S. World Cup goalkeeper, Brad Friedel.

Friedel, along with Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard and West Ham United defender Jonathan Spector, would be the only three Americans left in the Premier League should Fulham and Reading both be demoted.

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Even if Fulham fails, Dempsey will be staying with the London club. He signed a new contract last week that will keep him at Craven Cottage until 2010.

But McBride's and Bocanegra's future is less certain since both will be out of contract once the season ends. McBride has said he wants to stay, but Bocanegra wants to move on.

The chances of either returning to Major League Soccer -- McBride is a former Columbus Crew player and Bocanegra played for the Chicago Fire -- are slim. Even if they were offered designated player contracts, they would still earn more by staying in England.