Are you kidding on this? No athlete is guaranteed to be at a sporting event. Klinsmann has said that he will wait and see once LD gets back with Galaxy, is training and playing consistently (that's a laugh) that he will then decide whether Landon fits in with the team. So even if he's "back" doesn't guarantee he will be there. My daughters and I drove up to Kansas City from Texas for the WCQ vs. Guatemala. We bought our tickets well in advance, never questioning whether LD would be there; of course he would be there, we thought. Then of course, he's injured and doesn't go. we were disappointed not seeing him, but them's the breaks. We wore our LD jerseys anyway and had a great time watching the team.
I have done some research and have come up with the following theory. I believe Landon is actually being suspended by the league and US Soccer for an infraction, most likely gambling. The sabbatical/retirement story is cover up to protect the face of the league concocted by Garber and Sunil under their cover name "David Stern". There is also rumor stating that Landon will be joining a minor league handball team during his suspension. It is not known yet whether he will be taking the bus with the lads to the games to appear like one of the guys.
I would love one of our soccer journalists (okay, 'journalists') to ask the featured players - Klinsmann, Arena, Gulati and Donovan (off-stage) - their reaction to this video.
I'm not ones of the ones linking this to fan decisions on buying tickets, but a more general obligation to the media/public. Give you an example, I'm a Dolphins fan. When the Parcells' regime came in with their anti media/anti fan PR policies it was a complete slap in the face to everyone.
Can't believe people are now slagging on LD for not going public. Yet whenever he goes public, people say he needs to keep it private. All this just proves the dude can NEVER win with some folks. He just can't.
Everyone has known about Donovan's gambling problem for some time now. I'm glad the league and USMNT have finally taken some action on this. I suspect the mixed messages we've been getting about his return date have to do with a relapse he had while attending the superbowl. I hear he dressed up like Freddy Adu, got caught on-camera taking a bong hit, and then went and put $50g on a power outage delaying the second half. Since then, he's taken those winnings and gone off the deep end. We can only hope he can be stopped before he completely destroys himself.
I thought USSF was in the negative territory - colloquially known, as "red" - this season. They may be surviving but they are not exactly advancing the game much. of course, the reporters would treat any PED allegations very gingerly ... still, as pointed out, the media is taking a break here.
A player being out because of injury is completely understandable. But again, point out a single time in any sport a player hasn't been there because of a sabbatical. Not retirement, not injury which is something you can't prevent, but a sabbatical. One is a choice, one isn't. Just as no one can blame Rondo for not being in this year's All Star game. Can't control tearing your ACL. Your example doesn't relate.
I can tell you with absolute, 100% certainty that a permanent deal for Landon Donovan made sense for Everton during/after his first loan spell. Secondly, Fellaini just re-upped for another four years so unless someone offers silly money to Moyes/Kenwright (and by silly, I'm talking Andy Carroll to Liverpool silly - 35M GBP), he won't be going anywhere.
I think he'll be back for the Costa Rica game. Maybe he's pissed they didn't let him go on a Free to Everton, and this is him sticking it to MLS/USSF? Either way, I think he'll be back soon. Riquelme came out of retirement after watching Boca lose to River Plate in the summer friendly in Argentina 2 weekends ago...even though he swore he was never going to come back to Boca ever again.
Such things are the business of fans to the extent they impact the teams those fans support; it is a symbiotic relationship.
Who said it's complicated? This is a soccer forum. Landon Donovan is arguably the Galaxy's best player. Landon Donovan is arguably the USNT's best player. Landon Donovan's fans want to know why he's a no-show. Why is that so difficult to understand?
As Klinsmann himself has attributed his (purported) attacking nature to his German DNA, as evidenced by two world wars, I am guessing he could handle a joke at Hitler's expense.
Maybe my example doesn't relate but my first paragraph does. Even if LD does come back tomorrow and starts training, etc., doesn't mean he will be there. He has to be chosen by Klinsi and Klinsi has said it's not a given. Just sayin..... And given that the chosen roster usually isn't divulged by USSoccer until about 3 days before the game, no one buying a ticket is guaranteed that any certain player will be there.
After the first loan spell, I will grant you that's when it made the most sense, after he went over there and played well in a position of need. Since then, the purchases made on the attacking side seem to be working out fine from my perspective. They will need to strengthen the middle of the park if anything, after likely losing 2 good CMs in 2 summer windows. And Fellaini will get a silly offer, not 35m silly but certainly not too far from that. That bid is coming. And I just don't see how Everton can afford to turn down 25-30 million pound offers. Hell, they couldn't even turn down 12m for Rodwell. And Fellaini's new contract will have about 3 years left to run this August, won't it? Same as Rodwell last August.