I don't think an uncalled free kick is justification for dropping one of your best players with the most World Cup experience. I don't like Donovan at a personal level and can see that his form has dropped, but he should still be a part of the team. The more I think about it the more I think it's more personal and not soccer related. And that worries me.
Isn't chemistry soccer related? Isn't team morale soccer related? Isn't leadership soccer related? Donovan has red flags in all those areas and a young transitioning team like the USMNT need clarity along with unity.
You can see from Klinsmann's son's tweet that the decision was on a personal level, and that's the part that irks me
The problem is with the coach not the team. Like I said is disrespectful to LD. I understand Brazil or other big teams leaving behind aging stars because the competition for the 23 spots is heavy but USMNT? C'mon man.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few here. Donovan doesn't want to contribute positively to this regime and could become a cancer. What do you do with cancer? This isn't about the World Cup and it's never been. It's about JK's vision for the program. It's about the younger players and their growth as a united unit. Donovan doesn't add anything positive towards that. If he were a leader or even tried to align himself with JK he'd probably be part of the WC. This is JK's team not Donovan's . I applaud JK for having higher aspirations for the program.
I think Wondo should be Boyd and Davis should be Donovan. I'm really surprised that Boyd was left off given his current form. I guess they saw him as being too similar to Altidore to bring which is a shame given Altidore's form lately, though personally I think it was more of choosing the wrong team than his play.
I tend to agree with the decision. Donovan's heart hasn't been in the game for the past year and it seems like that was the ammunition Jürgen needed to pull the trigger. I think he sees the writing on the wall with this group and advancing to the knockouts is a 50/50 between us and Portugal, given the insane Brazil travel schedule and the draw. This is a long-term plan and I think that US Soccer has bought into that. 2018 is the goal. Julian Green is a gamble. We don't know what he will be in his career, but it's safe to say he has infinitely more promise than Freddy Adu or Jozy did when they were 18. It seems likely that his inclusion on the squad was a prerequisite for him siding with the USMNT. If an 18-year-old who made his Bayern debut in the Champions League wants to play for you, I think you have to take that risk and make the play for 2018.
Also, I think a gamble is the smart play here. There is a very small chance this team is getting out of the group stage. This is the perfect year to go all in and take all risks
Although, much of sports is sentimentality and I do find it difficult to believe that Donovan didn't merit bench inclusion over Brad Davis or Alejandro Bedoya. However, Donovan's never been a bench player and perhaps that demotion would've created a negative locker room atmosphere. There's a lot of chemistry at work here and we may never know the full story.
Kinda disappointed LD won't be there as he has provided some of my favorite US soccer moments but when he isn't providing those moments he is useless so i can see why he was left off.
I'm sorry but this is UTTER RUBBISH. Donovan has red flags in chemistry with his teammates- some that he has played with since 1998/99 when they were U-17s, some he has played with since the 2000 Olympics and some he has played w/every World Cup cycle? WTF are you talking about? Team morale? What red flag does Landon have or has he brought as it pertains to team morale? Enlighten us. Leadership? Landon had been captain of the team enough times to prove his leadership of that team. None of that was ever in doubt. Not sure why you or anyone would even try to make up that stuff. I feel like DrLudicrous on this. I never liked Landon and always found reasons(mostly silly ones) to dislike him as a player and person but I grew to respect his game. Now I find myself defending him, smdh. Seriously dude did you just decide to make up random ish today? When did you even get the slightest indication Donovan didn't want to contribute positively to the regime? When has he shown an inkling of "Nasri-ism" in him? TBH if what Jurgen has done to him over the past year (done and said) had happened to a number of players around the world, do you think they would have reacted as classy as Donovan has? They'd have been insulting the national team coach all over the media. You mention more nonsense about Donovan adding nothing towards younger players and their growth as a positive unit. Huh? Again wtf? He has shown himself to be a leader. He has shown himself to be humble- as in the manner in which he accepted whatever Jurgen threw at him once he came back from his sabbatical. What else did you want him to do? Lick jurgens shoes every morning at camp?? Listen if it was merely about JK's vision for the program then he wouldn't be coaching and he'd be doing the technical work overseeing the program as is part of his job. It's about that and it's about the World Cup. Either way, if you or anyone still think there was nothing personal in the decision then you're silly. Oh for sure, Landon gave Klinsmann ammunition to do this but signs point to personal reasons and not purely football reasons for this. Something happened after the Bayern Munich stint when Jurgen and Landon were together. Something happened again after Landon decided he needed a break. Jurgen has it in his head that he must show the American media and fans that he is boss and will treat the American team like he would the German team-ie discarding players as he sees fit but the problem with that is the American team is not the German team and doesn't produce players like the German team does routinely. Back to my point, if you can't stick w/the Landon isn't in the best shape/form of his life blather, just don't bring out ridiculous untruths about him not being a leader or having red flags in other team aspects. Tim Howard and Michael Bradley's comments before the cut by Klinsmann let you know what those two stalwarts thought of Donovan.(funnily enough it's the exact opposite of what Klinsmann thought).
Really? So when he isn't scoring goals for the US he is useless? or assists? I'm pretty sure he's a player that has been known for his workrate all over the field throughout his career. I don't want to compare him to Clint in that regard but I have to because Clint used to be that type of player and over the past couple of years hasn't been known for giving maximum effort in tracking back and coming back to help his midfielders or defenders depending on where he plays. So let's not slander Donovan by saying when he isn't scoring or providing assists he is useless. Definitely not true. By all indications Donovan has become more humble and introspective over the past year or so. This isn't Nasri or some other European or African fancy pants that thinks because he plays for Man.City, he shouldn't have to come off the bench for his NT. I'd be willing to be Donovan was fine coming off the bench if need be. As he mentioned a few times, he might not be able to go 100% for 90 mins on the international scene but picking the right spots, perhaps as a substitute might have been the right play. I doubt chemistry was the issue re. Donovan and I'd imagine chemistry might be more of an issue now. Wouldn't that have been more reason to take TBoyd given that Jozy's form isnt' exactly spectacular and the talk had been about who can play the oh so great "Jozy role". Well If TBoyd is that similar then it would/should have made sense to take him. But Jurgen knows best. We shall see.
Excellent article by Ives http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/66/u...-world-cup-exclusion-a-shock-but-should-it-be
