View Full Version : Daily Telegraph: Donovan has a point to prove
appoo
24 Apr 2006, 08:09 AM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/04/23/sfnusa23.xml&sSheet=/sport/2006/04/23/ixfooty.html
pretty good stuff from the British journalist and some good quotes from Donovan.
babytiger2001
24 Apr 2006, 08:12 AM
Some very, very good quotes from LD... ever candid, as always.
And in the Telegraph? Not bad, for tabloid fodder. ;)
NBlue
24 Apr 2006, 08:28 AM
Hard to disagree with anything Donovan said in that article -- good interview.
appoo
24 Apr 2006, 08:36 AM
Hard to disagree with anything Donovan said in that article -- good interview.
he says a lot of interesting things.
a few weeks ago he says he demands of himself to be the best player on the field for either team when we play in the World Cup. Yet here he's saying that no one wants him in Europe.
he's a weird dude.
babytiger2001
24 Apr 2006, 08:39 AM
he says a lot of interesting things.
a few weeks ago he says he demands of himself to be the best player on the field for either team when we play in the World Cup. Yet here he's saying that no one wants him in Europe.
he's a weird dude.
Perhaps it's further proof of LD showing a desire to lift his game, reflective of the magnitude of the event, evidence of what motivates him -- especially when he's putting on the colors of the USA.
bltleo
24 Apr 2006, 08:43 AM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/04/23/sfnusa23.xml&sSheet=/sport/2006/04/23/ixfooty.html
pretty good stuff from the British journalist and some good quotes from Donovan.
thanks appoo for this article..
Landon is even your best player! The only thing I can not forgive him that he left Leverkusen:)
bltleo
IndividualEleven
24 Apr 2006, 09:55 AM
Disagree with the writer's assertion that Beasley is the Key Man.
Donovan didn't 'succeed' in Germany but anyone who has
followed his career knows he didn't want to be in Germany.
There a few other quibbles but it was just a puff piece.
Hed7181
24 Apr 2006, 10:03 AM
Disagree with the writer's assertion that Beasley is the Key Man.
Donovan didn't 'succeed' in Germany but anyone who has
followed his career knows he didn't want to be in Germany.
There a few other quibbles but it was just a puff piece.
I disagree. I think the article was very good. For a British journal, the author seemed to know a fair amount about the US, and Donovan's answers were very well stated and honest. He even points out himself he didn't succeed in Germany b/c he played poorly when given the chance. Of course, this would cause him to not enjoy his time there, but I bet the football reasons came first.
I think Beasley is the Key Man. Like it or not, he has probably been our most steady offensive force for the past four years. His recent dip in form makes his role even more paramount because it is a necessity that he raise his game for Germany.
We can quibble all we want about Beasley vs. Convey, but one is an international unknown (that doesn't mean he doesn't have skills) and one is a proven international offensive force. We NEED Beasley to step up and play like he has the past four years. That makes him the Key Man, IMO.
IndividualEleven
24 Apr 2006, 10:17 AM
For a British journal, the author seemed to know a fair amount about the US, and Donovan's answers were very well stated and honest.
It was short opinion piece with little substance or incision. Tough
for the author demonstrate knowledge in that format.
He even points out himself he didn't succeed in Germany b/c he played poorly when given the chance.
Given all the comments Donovan made before going to Germany,
his remarks to the reports come off as self deprecation
I think Beasley is the Key Man. Like it or not, he has probably been our most steady offensive force for the past four years.
He was the most consistent player during the cycle but that doesn't
make the key man for this tourney.
The key player is Reyna/Mastroeni. The engine room is paramount
against the powerfull midfields of our group, especially given
our lack individual scoring acumen up top.
eric515
24 Apr 2006, 10:19 AM
he says a lot of interesting things.
a few weeks ago he says he demands of himself to be the best player on the field for either team when we play in the World Cup. Yet here he's saying that no one wants him in Europe.
he's a weird dude.
I don't think teams don't want him...rather, they are probably put off by his malcontent behavior with Leverkeusen.
Not that they think he wouldn't perform, but I think alot of people realize that he wouldn't go to Europe if he wasn't guaranteed minutes with a "Big" club.
If he has another great World Cup, I am sure there could be a few of those in for Donovan. Whether he goes, of course, is the question.
Maybe Donovan is just our Cuathomec Blanco? :)
appoo
24 Apr 2006, 10:22 AM
Maybe Donovan is just our Cuathomec Blanco? :)
then he should be repeatedly be kicked in the nuts by Cobi Jones until he stop sbeing a prick :D
Hed7181
24 Apr 2006, 10:22 AM
Maybe Donovan is just our Cuathomec Blanco? :)
whoa, careful now.
Adam Zebrowski
24 Apr 2006, 12:28 PM
good article, although convey and beasley could split time, while donovan has no one to really split it with....
i do suspect, onyewu will emerge as the best american player, solid club pedigree, and given the group phase players he'll face, he'll be in for a major move, given he performs like many think he will...
Ringo
24 Apr 2006, 02:07 PM
a few weeks ago he says he demands of himself to be the best player on the field for either team when we play in the World Cup. Yet here he's saying that no one wants him in Europe.
he's a weird dude.
what's weird about that. he said nobody wants him in europe now. but he wants to be the best he can be this summer. perhaps I'm missing your point.
but a good find and good comments from Landon. honest. I hope he does play with a chip on his shoulder. give 'em hell, landon.
appoo
24 Apr 2006, 02:12 PM
what's weird about that. he said nobody wants him in europe now. but he wants to be the best he can be this summer. perhaps I'm missing your point.
he seems to flip between incredibly driven to be great and uncaring to the world. I just think he has a strange personality.
Achtung
24 Apr 2006, 02:14 PM
1. No mention of the Major Soccer League.
2. "DaMarcus" instead of the ever-popular DeMarcus or its various variants.
American soccer truly has arrived. :cool:
Achtung
24 Apr 2006, 02:17 PM
he seems to flip between incredibly driven to be great and uncaring to the world. I just think he has a strange personality.
He sounds a lot like most people that age, including myself. Some days, I feel motivated as hell to get things done, at work, at home, around. Be all that I can be and that crap. Other days my routine is... post on BS, check watch, surf web some more, get coffee, talk to coworkers about local sports clubs, repeat.
Of course I do wish that the "face of American soccer" was a bit more motivated than I am. But its not too unusual that he feels that way.
Ringo
24 Apr 2006, 02:21 PM
he seems to flip between incredibly driven to be great and uncaring to the world. I just think he has a strange personality.
maybe he's just driven to be great as defined by his own terms and not what some Euro journalist or BS poster thinks. one thing we know about Landon is that he sets his priorites differently than others would set for him. He can be driven and but uncaring what others think. maybe it's not strange ... maybe it's healthy.
appoo
24 Apr 2006, 02:24 PM
maybe he's just driven to be great as defined by his own terms and not what some Euro journalist or BS poster thinks. one thing we know about Landon is that he sets his priorites differently than others would set for him. He can be driven and but uncaring what others think. maybe it's not strange ... maybe it's healthy.
first, you know I'm pretty much one of the last people to be critical of Landon.
and in fact, I'm not trying ot be critical of him at all. Just pointing something out that I felt was a bit strange. And like you said, maybe it's something that could be considered a strength. But I will say that Landon might be the most uniquely built sports star I've come across in modern day sports.
you compare him to others of comprable talent in the American sports landscape (not the world), and you look at Kobe, Steve Nash, Mike Vick, and Vlad Guerrero. These are the guys who are among the most talented in their respective leagues, and leaned upon by their teams National and club. They all share things common with each other, but Landon definatly stands apart from them in personality
Adam Zebrowski
24 Apr 2006, 03:03 PM
woah, mike vick can't play the position of quarterback...
nash is canadian, so he's got that mentality going...
kobe, christ, he grew up in italy....
donovan's got too much of the soft california side in him...
he won't cut your throat...
on the other hand, dempsey would....
let landon, be landon....have dempsey emerge, and with adu coming along nicely, that's a good set of attacking mids....
get a real destroyer in midfield....
rolfe with cooper....
wynne, gooch and spector and i'm ready for 2010 already..forget 2006