Paul Oberjuerge: Landon Running on Empty

[Nutmeg]

"I wish I had more energy..." (http://www.dailybulletin.com/Stories/0,1413,203%7E28557%7E3003598,00.html)

I have a feeling this will go over like a lead balloon...

"I'm just tired," he said. "I just get mentally tired. "It takes all my energy just to be ready for the game every three or four days. In practice I'm just kind of out of it, and even at home I'm tired and I just sleep all the time."


[Sampson] added that he and Bruce Arena, Donovan's club and national coach, respectively, need to do a better job of conserving U.S. soccer's national treasure.

"Landon has to be managed better between Bruce and myself," Sampson said. "We have to find some compromise somehow so this young man can have his legs back."


Said Donovan: "At times, Steve will say, `I want to make sure you get a lot of rest.' As I'm leaving for the national team, `Make sure Bruce gets you rest.' But then I get to Bruce, he's, like, `Well I need you now, but when you get back there, make sure you get rest.'‚"

Donovan chuckled softly. "It's their job and their livelihood and they both do a pretty good job of it. But it's tiring."


...


U.S. soccer has only one superstar, and he's on the verge of collapse. Until it comes up with another Landon Donovan or three. it better take better care of the one it has.

[appoo]

oh hell Landon. You can sleep after October

He got a mini-vacation from playing matches from a Feb Champion's League match, to a pair of March Qualifiers, and then from then to LA's home opener for MLS.

Yea you haven't got a real vacation in a long time, but you wanted this, you deal with it.

[dcc134]

Oh, please.

[Justin O]

I'm tired too.

[michael greene]

I hear in Germany everybody gets 6 weeks of paid vacation.

[appoo]

well we may not need him to beat TnT. Perhaps Arena should save him him for the 2nd half if we need him

[bunge]

I bet I do more damage to my body drinking than he does playing, and I've been doing it for longer, but you don't see me complaining.

[StillKickin]

All of y'all need to just shut up and deal with it...just like Landon. He's going where they tell him to go and playing when they tell him to play. I hope Sampson doesn't start him, not tonight and not Saturday.

And I'm benching each and every one of you who whine and complain...just like Landon. And I'm reminding you...he didn't write the article; he just answered the questions.

[tab5g]

Stating you're tired doesn't mean you aren't happy.

I hear that Landon plays best when he's happy and tired.

[GoDC]

If anyone cared anough to interview Dempsey or the other guys who played GC they would say the same thing. Get over it folks.

[Bailamos]

Release the hounds!

If a single person cuts him any slack for the next twenty pages of posts I will be shocked.

I'm looking for plenty of "Ungrateful pig gets paid to PLAY! Sack up!" and lots of personal testimony about how Sat/Wed soccer games are a joy to play and energizing, instead of tiring.

[JohnR]

Landon needs media training.

[DoctorD]

Too much poontang.

[FirstStar]

Landon needs media training.

Landon needs a PR person to answer all his questions for him. He should have learned by now not to trust his own mouth.

[appoo]

All of y'all need to just shut up and deal with it...just like Landon. He's going where they tell him to go and playing when they tell him to play. I hope Sampson doesn't start him, not tonight and not Saturday.

And I'm benching each and every one of you who whine and complain...just like Landon. And I'm reminding you...he didn't write the article; he just answered the questions.

I'm not criticizing him for being tired. I doubt there is another American who has played more than him over the past few years.

I'm just saying that is something he should have known would happen. He accepted the job of being the face of American soccer.

and that means he has to appear for these All-Star games, Gold Cups, and matches in Spain.

[Aquarius21]

as much as i hate hearing about how tired he is, since this isn't the first time we've heard it, i don't mind so much compared to what Ruiz did.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/12347656.htm

Random thought #2 talks about Ruiz's absence from the all-star game and a club game before that.

"Players from around the league have played in just as many matches as Ruiz, but you don't see Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey backing out of games for 'rest.'"

yes, he's complaining about being tired, but i haven't heard him ask Bruce to not call him up or ask Sampson to not play him. he knows the deal

[appoo]

as much as i hate hearing about how tired he is, since this isn't the first time we've heard it, i don't mind so much compared to what Ruiz did.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/12347656.htm

Random thought #2 talks about Ruiz's absence from the all-star game and a club game before that.

"Players from around the league have played in just as many matches as Ruiz, but you don't see Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey backing out of games for 'rest.'"

yes, he's complaining about being tired, but i haven't heard him ask Bruce to not call him up or ask Sampson to not play him. he knows the deal

perhaps you're right and I am being a overly critical of Landon

[MLSNHTOWN]

I bet I do more damage to my body drinking than he does playing, and I've been doing it for longer, but you don't see me complaining.

Sincerely,

Clint Mathis

[StillKickin]

I'm not criticizing him for being tired. I doubt there is another American who has played more than him over the past few years.

I'm just saying that is something he should have known would happen. He accepted the job of being the face of American soccer.

and that means he has to appear for these All-Star games, Gold Cups, and matches in Spain.
And did he say anywhere that he doesn't want to play? No. Has he refused to play at any time (ala Ruiz)? No. They asked him; he said he was tired. But he nowhere states that he's not happy. And nowhere is he complaining.

And I'm sure he knew it would happen. It's been happening for a few years now. But just knowing things are going to happen doesn't mean he isn't going to get tired.

I'm tired too; and I still do my job, albeit perhaps not as well each day as I should. Same with LD, difference being thankfully I don't have people critiquing my every move. Landon is still doing his job, and happy to be doing it, and some days he's able to do it better than other days.

[Mattbro]

I bet I do more damage to my body drinking than he does playing, and I've been doing it for longer, but you don't see me complaining.

Arrghh, too much rep in the past 24... but I LOLed at this...