An Uncertain Donovan

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by neems, Oct 23, 2012.

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  1. bungadiri

    bungadiri Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 25, 2002
    Acnestia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    appoo! Where the hell you been man? If you aren't a sight for sore eyes I don't know what is.
     
  2. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    When another player suits up 144 times for the US, scores almost 50 goals, contributes nearly 80% of the offensive output in a World Cup cycle, scores the biggest goals in World Cup team history, when another guy does that? Then we can ask how many.
     
    StillKickin and Berks repped this.
  3. appoo

    appoo Member+

    Jul 30, 2001
    USA
    [​IMG]

    :D

    Haha thanks man
     
  4. bungadiri

    bungadiri Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 25, 2002
    Acnestia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Your taste in women has always been exquisite.
     
  5. appoo

    appoo Member+

    Jul 30, 2001
    USA
    Unfortunately, like my taste for balding, right sided attacking midfielders with 30 some goals and 3 World Cups for the National team, I don't always get what I like.
     
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  6. bungadiri

    bungadiri Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 25, 2002
    Acnestia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Those particular miseries are two for which you have a great deal of company.
     
  7. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    If he wants to take off time and then come back, he has every right to do that. Tim Thomas in the NHL is taking this season off and coming back next season.

    I have a problem with this stringing out so long. If Donovan wants to come back in a few months, set a date, and let all the speculation stop. I am sure Bruce Arena and Jurgen Klinsmann are tired of getting the same exact questions in every press conference.

    Its at the point where it looks like Donovan just wants attention. All this silence is just fueling more speculation.
     
  8. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So by him avoiding interviews and being silent on the matter he is seeking attention?

    Tim Thomas is in no way comparable to Landon Donovan. Tim Thomas would be Herculez Gomez announcing his retirement from the US national team.
     
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  9. russ

    russ Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Canton,NY
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I have a farvereable opinion of Brett.

    If Deanna,hasn't denutted him,she's cool with it so it's all noneomybizniz.
     
  10. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Can you really put a "due date" to mentality/psychological stuff?

    Bet if the guy hangs himself, people would be mad at him because "he ruined our chances of qualifying with his selfish act." SMH.
     
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  11. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fair points. But none of them having to do with LD. Also fair points.

    I was only trying to make the point that it's not like people don't have respect for what Favre delivered as a QB.

    EDIT: By the way, as a Niner fan, Favre can go rot in hell. ;)
     
  12. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Welcome back man! Your humor is missed. And we badly need some humor round these parts.
     
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  13. ussoccer97531

    ussoccer97531 Member+

    Oct 12, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    He is seeking attention. By not saying anything about it, he is just fueling speculation about multiple different things. If he comes out with a definitive statement, there isn't nearly the amount of speculation.

    Tim Thomas did the right thing while Donovan did the wrong thing. Both were unsure about their future's. Thomas decided to take time off and give his timetable. Donovan decided to take time off and let the speculation continue by not saying anything.
     
  14. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Or maybe Donovan doesn't give a crap what the media thinks and he's actually doing what he said he was going to do back in November; take a break and come back if and when he feels ready.
     
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  15. TheLostUniversity

    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Feb 4, 2007
    Greater Boston
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sure. But there is a huge difference between "not giving a crap what the media thinks" and "not giving a crap what my colleagues and employers think". Has Landon given due respect to his team-mates, to Arena, to not let the uncertainty of "if and when he feels ready" muck up their preparations for the season and for the pursuit of championships?
    Note I do not even bother asking that question with respect to the USMNT....... where the that line seems already to have been crossed.
     
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  16. Ghosting

    Ghosting Member+

    Aug 20, 2004
    Pendleton, OR
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's a lot of baseless speculation in this post. Here's what Arena actually had to say about this on Friday.
    Got anything other than your personal opinion to back this up? Based on the quotes I've read from players and coaches, they wish he was there, but are pragmatic about moving on without him.
     
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  17. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Of course they are going to be pragmatic about that.

    We don't know what a lot of these guys really think.
     
  18. USMNTforLife

    USMNTforLife Member

    Jan 31, 2013
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Teams deal with the same thing when a player rehabbing from an injury. He'll be back at some point this season and until then the Galaxy will be fine without him. For now let him have his break and then when he returns he should be fresh.
     
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  19. Ghosting

    Ghosting Member+

    Aug 20, 2004
    Pendleton, OR
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's fine. But it's disingenuous to imply that his teammates and coaches feel disrespected when there is no evidence to support that and actual evidence to contradict it.
     
  20. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Who cares what media thinks? Don't even see how that enters into the conversation. Only opinions which matter are LD's coaches in Bruce and JK and teammates, both LA and the NT. And I doubt guys in the NT locker room feel LD is a good teammate right now since he can't even be classified as a teammate, and that's separate from LD's accomplishments and whether he's "entitled" to do this, which every player is as playing for the NT is a choice. Not implying he's considered a bad teammate either, more not a teammate at all.

    But what media or fans think is irrelevant.
     
  21. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd say disrespected is the wrong term. But anyone who's been part of teams beyond the high school level knows the chemistry and respects for teammates comes from them being there next to you, fighting through workouts and practices, going through tough situations with you. It's a fraternity.
     
  22. appoo

    appoo Member+

    Jul 30, 2001
    USA
    How do we feel about Gallows humor? Because I believe that we need the brilliance of Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley are going to be required to overcome the lack of a cohesive strategy/system/style that team can rely upon.

    The USMNT very much reminds me of a Rick Barnes coached basketball team. Get a bunch of talent, toss it out onto the field/court willy nilly, tell the stars to go do stuff, and see what happens as Kevin Durant gets the ball every possession 35 feet away from the basket.
     
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  23. Ghosting

    Ghosting Member+

    Aug 20, 2004
    Pendleton, OR
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed. But you're looking at a coach and a group of players who have worked with Donovan extensively over the years and know him extremely well. It's going to take more than missing a couple months for them to turn on him... and so far it's only been three weeks (and only one with a full team in camp). A lot of how this plays out will depend on his attitude when he gets back with the team (see Beckham after his return to the Galaxy from AC Milan following the Achilles injury).
     
  24. Rahbiefowlah

    Rahbiefowlah Member+

    Oct 22, 2001
    Las Vegas
    I think we should get the band back together. Donovan and Beasley in midfield together. Convey can't play though. But not till June. We need to get in a real hole first.
     
  25. TheLostUniversity

    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Feb 4, 2007
    Greater Boston
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given what Arena says in the article, it backs up what I posted almost perfectly. "Baseless" does not mean what you seem to think it means........Bruce is saying "Shit happens, we'll deal with it". Landon's uncertainty seems to be, according to what Arena says himself, like injuries, the unexpected nuisance which is part of managing a football club. Except, of course, that it is not about injury but about a man's deliberate will.That's a tougher form of shit to be dished out.
    If Landon respects his team, he will not let this indecision damage its prospects. Bruce is, as he obviously should, taking action to make his team as robust as possible before whatever happens, but it should never have come to this. ........
    By the way, I said nothing about the respect his playing colleagues have for this "uncertainty". I do not know what they are doing or saying in reaction to this. What I asked was: " Has Landon given due respect to his team-mates, to Arena, to not let the uncertainty of "if and when he feels ready" muck up their preparations for the season and for the pursuit of championships? "
    Arena's words don't particularly sound like those of a manager for whom that respect has been made clear.
     
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