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Huckerby has helped Quakes turn season around
HUCKERBY HAS HELPED QUAKES TURN SEASON AROUND
By Mark Emmons Mercury News
Article Launched: 08/31/2008 10:00:27 PM PDT

Earthquakes Coach Frank Yallop was trying to explain last week why Englishman Darren Huckerby is playing in San Jose. But he found himself stumped for the right words.
"You talk to him yet?" Yallop finally asked.
Sure. Huckerby comes across as a personable bloke with an adventurous streak who is a bit, uh, different.

"Well, then," said Yallop, as if that answered everything.

"Hucks" is a former English star forward with Norwich City who has helped re-energize the Earthquakes' previously dreadful offense. He has three goals and three assists in six games since his July arrival, including the late winner Saturday in a 2-1 victory over Kansas City.
But Huckerby, 32, also is such a cult figure back home that YouTube is filled with video tributes to him, and a rock band even named itself Huck in his honor. He turned down a chance to play in the elite Premier League to take far less money kicking the ball around in what, at least internationally, is still regarded as a soccer backwater.
So, what is this Brit doing in the States?

"I wanted to come to America forever," Huckerby said. "I already had made up my mind that if I couldn't play for Norwich, I was never going to play for another team in England. I'm a very loyal person. I know that sounds silly. But I guess I'm just a bit strange that way."
He's also an exuberant goal-scorer who has put the resurgent Earthquakes, unbeaten since Huckerby's arrival, into the playoff hunt.

For this stoutly built forward, soccer is not a cerebral chess match in which the ball is moved methodically down the pitch. His style is to constantly attack the defense at full speed. Saturday night, San Jose's offense almost entirely went through Huckerby on the left side.
"He said to me one time: 'I'm a maverick,' " Earthquakes General Manager John Doyle explained. "You can see it in the way he plays. He takes people on and beats them on the dribble. As soon as he gets the ball, you sit up on the edge of your seat because you want to see what he's going to do."

That's what made Huckerby a minor celebrity in football-mad England. In 2004, he led Norwich City to a first-division title, which pushed the Canaries into the Premier League for one season. A mutual love affair bloomed between Huckerby and the city as he scored 32 league goals over five seasons.

But a new manager cleaned house in May, and Huckerby's contract was not renewed. Yallop, a longtime admirer, had heard of Huckerby's steadfast refusal to ever play against Norwich City, and he urged Doyle to acquire the player's Major League Soccer rights from Toronto.
While his base salary of $330,000 makes him the highest-paid Earthquake, Huckerby told the British press it's only a quarter of what he could have made in England.

"It wasn't about money," said Huckerby, who has an 18-month contract with the Quakes. "Don't get me wrong, I'm well-paid and I've been that way throughout my career. But there was literally 20 times when I could have left Norwich for more money. They could have offered me 10 times what I was making and it wouldn't have mattered because Norwich meant that much to me."

So much that Huckerby constantly needles the English-born Yallop, who played for Ipswich Town, the bitter rival of Norwich City. (Think Yankees-Red Sox hatred.)
"He played for the enemy, but it's not his fault," Huckerby said. "Frank just wasn't quite good enough for the Norwich team. So he had to settle for the second best."
Yallop shakes his head.

"His Norwich connection ends when he comes across the pond," he said. "Darren's done great for us, and that's all that matters." Huckerby's wife, Lyndsey, and their two young sons are returning to England for the start of school. But Huckerby said he has no intention of spending free time hanging at pseudo-British establishments like Britannia Arms.
"I'm pretty open-minded," he said. "I want to embrace the California lifestyle. I love England, but this is an amazing place. Every morning I drive past valleys and mountains. I made the right decision coming here."

The Earthquakes (6-9-7) feel that way. The arrival of Huckerby — along with Scott Sealy, Francisco Lima and Arturo Alvarez — has transformed the team. "We've gone from where we looked liked we couldn't score to where we're dangerous all the time," Doyle said.
Huckerby already might be the team's favorite player. Fans at Buck Shaw Stadium chanted "Hucker-by" after his goal Saturday. And when the ball rebounded out of the net, he trapped it on the back of his neck and held it there as he posed. Later, he said he was trying to get on "SportsCenter." (See how he's catching on to America?)

A few days earlier, Yallop was talking about Huckerby as the forward walked past.
"You wish you could have played for Norwich," Huckerby said.
"That's bollocks," Yallop responded. "It's the other way around."
Huckerby laughed as he ducked into the locker room.
"See?" Yallop said. "It's never-ending with him."