I wanted this site to be about life and community. This June of 2014 will mark my eleventh year living in the USA. I miss the UK and Ireland. I miss football or soccer as they call it in the US. Funny how I still look at the BBC website first thing every morning to see the results from the night before. When I lived in London, I used go to Arsenal and watch midweek games. Now far away from all of that I think back, estranged and lacking a sense of community. I am in a chat group on ‘what’s app’ with a few of my brothers and some friends on saturday mornings which keeps me in the loop, an identity of some sorts. We talk about what’s happening, transfer talk and general bollocks. It’s quite funny, me and my brother John are Arsenal fans and there is my brother Hugh and another mate Samer who are Liverpool fans. Dawood usually has something funny to add, the banter is quite entertaining. Some of the chat can veer off to current affairs, movies, politics, wine, you name it, but its all in good spirits and it brings a smile to my face.

This summer I naturally enough backed England during the world cup, they were as usual a disappointment. They seem for a small nation to be under siege from the general public proxied by the tabloid media. Football in Great Britain is a national pastime. The fans are passionate, it’s more than being a fan, it’s an identity. Every Saturday they have their minds on the league matches, checking who is advancing and who is going to get relegated. I said, naturally enough, that I was supporting England, ironic as I am Irish. But the major leagues are in England and any Irish player worth his salt traditionally went to play in the English leagues, therefore we grew up supporting the teams which had Irish players on their rosters. However, this summer after eleven years in the US, I suddenly feel more American. My daughter who is now five years old, and my wife are both Americans. I watch TV here, I desperately try to get into American sports. I like Baseball and the NBA, but I try to ignore the ESPN channel with its ‘top ten’ highlights of the day accompanied by the grunge metal noise in the background. I feel sport is not their focus, too many talking heads and controversy, it’s brash and sensationalist. Everything on TV seems to be so cookie cutter. There is nothing with a modicum of intelligent conversation, although BEIN Sport is doing a better job with Ray Hudson and other faces from the global soccer scene.

I went to a soccer shop to buy that attractive Nike red hooped jersey. It’s a piece of American pie, something was pushing me to buy one.  A USA men’s national team jersey, I was going to buy it only to be told they were all out and the jersey is not being made any more. Bummer, I wanted to be a fan this summer. I was reaching out to have something to talk about with people. I have never been able to get into NFL. The time outs kill it for me. The game stops every minute and they go to commercial breaks. It’s impossible to focus on what’s happening. I love college football, but then again, I didn’t go to college here so it’s difficult to root for a team, but not as hard as the NFL. I go for Notre Dame as it has a strong Irish heritage. But here I was watching the England against Italy game on a Saturday afternoon and at half-time I went over to my neighbors house where they also were watching. A spanish father, American mother and two bilingual kids with their Mexican friends who were all rooting for Italy. It was hilarious, they were having a real go at me as I wanted England to beat the Italians. A genuine world cup atmosphere where rooting for a country has no comparison to rooting for a professional franchise. Italy went onto win, and then after the game, they suddenly all got up and started dancing to some pop music. Their living room was like being in the stadium, it was the start of actually being involved in a community spirit. The next thing that grabbed my imagination was the prospect of watching the USA against Ghana. For some reason I was excited to see the Americans and I just let it happen. I must admit I was expecting the USA to get Thumped. I hadn’t followed the team as in a country as big as the states things get etherized very quickly. It’s just not as visible.

So I find myself taking an interest. Following the whole Landon Donovan debacle which I must say was a huge gamble for Jurgen Klinsmann. Leaving the greatest American star at home, how could he do that ? Suddenly there was a debate, the whole ESPN model swung into action trying to stoke the fire so they could sell more advertising space. But you know what ? I found myself being interested, I was in the theater of American Soccer. I was by now looking at my family life, I live here, I understand America somewhat, and naturally all by itself I was rooting for those boys to win. We started watching the games. When I saw the guts and determination of the team I was mesmerized. I was completely committed to supporting the red white and blue. It was just a great feeling when Jones scored with a winding shot outside the box against Ronaldo and the Portuguese. It took forever to hit the back of the net, but when it did, wow, sensational. I along with my wife, our friend Andy and his son, and our daughter Lucy all jumped for joy that Sunday afternoon. America had not just competed but did exceedingly well against all expectations. I just feel I had to document this team spirit as it has been so inspirational for the whole country. I think my daughter was running around the house shouting ‘go USA, go USA’ which just won me over. Klinsmann is very deliberate and his press conferences are very special. He has caught the eyes of the average American much to the chagrin of the big corporate networks as those eyes will perhaps be more favorable to watching soccer where there is less advertising revenue. Or will it last ?

The US will be in the round of 16 teams facing a strong Belgian side. I am looking forward to that game as a nation. I will buy a shirt and perhaps one for my daughter too. I hope the feeling lasts as long as possible, in a way it has reminded me of home and for the first time I feel like a real American and not just another stranger. Well, done Jurgen, you brought a country together, something none of the politicians managed to do since I have been here, it’s an incredible achievement. Bravo.