An interview with Landy Cakes. My respect for him has grown 0.2% since he addressed, talent retention and the salary disparity in MLS. As far as I know, he's the only player to address the issue publicly in post-beckham history. A translated part of his interview... Q: Do you feel accomplished, satisfied? Now that time has gone by do you feel that the right choice was made in helping develop soccer in this country? A: I think it was the right choice. Look, it's not a big league yet like the European leagues. I think it's important for us that the league betters it's self and good that big named players play here. Of course it's good that young MLS players have aspirations of playing in Europe, Germany, Spain, Italy, Englang, but we still need good young players to better this leaue. ..... Q: Honestly, when they told you that DB was coming to galaxy..Were you ok when you learned about the millions that he was going to earn? Did you feel a bit overlooked in your accomplishments for this country and the galaxy franchise and now all of a studend DB was going to take recognition for something that you've been doing all along? A: Look, I'm not stupid. I know what DB brings to us. I'm not jealous. What hurts is that everyone wants to earn more. In this league there are alot of players that don't earn much, almost nothing. It doesn't matter to us weather DB, JPG, or Blanco 100,000k. We're not upset with them, we're a bit upset with the league because everyone wants a raise and then here come Blanco and DB and they end up earning alot more than us. and he talks more about MLS, I hope others can help to translate the remaining relevant questions and answers... http://podloc.andomedia.com/dloadTr...3/espndeportes/entrevistas/080229_donovan.mp3
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes A: Look, I'm not stupid. I know what DB brings to us. I'm not jealous. What hurts is that everyone wants to earn more. In this league there are alot of players that don't earn much, almost nothing. It doesn't matter to us weather DB, JPG, or Blanco 100,000k. We're not upset with them, we're a bit upset with the league because everyone wants a raise and then here come Blanco and DB and they end up earning alot more than us. This is a great answer by Landy. My thing is, why couldn't we use that DP spot to pay the players that we want to keep around. Instead of getting a DP just use the money to pay players like Eddie Johnson, Matt Pickens, Nate Jaqua, Joseph Ngwenya, Andy Dorman, and Pat Noonan to stay in the league. Landy said that if we can't keep our young Americans here in the league and just keep using our DP money to bring old people from Europe then this league is in BIG trouble for the future. I agree with that statement.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Most of the clubs are looking for a return at the turnstiles from their DPs though, hence the bias towards big-name players
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes When so-called fans of soccer come out to see unknowns, come out to support their team whether winning or losing, then those salaries will be raised. If Americans only want to watch players who have already been featured in 4-4-2, then the DP strategy will stay. EDIT: besides - what will Landy earn when his contract is up? He was the first "DP".
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes He was hardly the first player making way over the league max, so how do you consider him the first DP player?
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Something interesting that i hear in this interview is that landon admits he's ready to go back to europe and give it a shot, he says that he is contracted to play right now in the US, but it seems he might go to europe once his contract is up with the Gal's. When is that?
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Football Manager says its up at the end of this season, so maybe he'd be free to join a European team in the 2009 January transfer window
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I'd love to see him play in spain or italy, he even admits he plays that 'latino' style of soccer. He does, and i think would be a good fit for la liga.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I've heard to about half the interview so far, and i am listening to the rest right now... A part of it should be translated and posted in either the MLS youth development and/or also in the US Youth NT boards..... He does say how Americans are very athletic, perhaps the most athletic in the world....but how technically there is a gap he does not see closing until maybe 15-20 years...... even against sides like Mexico...so much so he points out that the reason he plays in the right for teh NT sometimes (aside from it not being his decision but Bob's) is that vs. teams like Mexico where the possession will tilt in their favor, he WILL see little of the ball anyway, and therefore is asked to play on the right and defend much more than he usually does or he'd like (his words) He points that the same applies often to clubs where he sees Mexican clubs playing a brand of soccer that uses a lot more technical ability to maintain the ball and show creativity in attack..... HOw Mexican players -as little boys- already play to learn skills on maintaining the ball and play on the ground, whereas he say these skills are not taught enough to Americans until it is late like at 10-15 years of age.... again saying how athletically "ready" most players already are....but how this is not necessairly bad, but different...and how he does not see this changing (ie closing the gap on "skills") for about 15 to 20 years....
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I believe he is signed through 2009. By then he'll be a free transfer. Whether the Galz may want to push him toward Europe earlier and get something for it .... Hey, haven't I been saying the same thing on the USMNT board over the last week? FWIW, Mexico's top league isn't very good tactically but competent technically. My take, mind you. He is giving an interview to a Spanish speaking station.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes The bottom half of the MFL is hilarious tactically, but the best 8-10 teams in Mexico could compete in any league in the world IMHO.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes From my observation - 1) The Mexicans teams do not know how to run a counter. 2) The Mexican teams can't cross well from the run of play. 3) The Mexican players don't dribble well around their opponents. 4) The movement off the ball is very poor. 5) The pace of play is very slow. 6) The physical aspect is very weak. Now, I saw the Chivas-America match last season that was fantasic and the better Mexican clubs (Chivas, Santos, Toluca, Pachuca, et al.) obviously do mo' better things but it's really not a very good league. Now, if you watch the Argentine games on TV, you see some superb tactical soccer. MFL? Rarely so.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes :yawn: argie league so overrated, and mls? lol no thanks ayso will do. im sowwy you mad at mfl, they make the most money and have the best players, not fair!. That's y you have argie clubs buying mexican rejects like boca jr with castro man x america and river plate with loco abreu from last place team tigres hahaha. Delusional in denial one, brazil, mfl = the rest .
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Yawn who let the trolls in. All these LMF fangirls sound the same to me.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Because I don't think AEG or La Galaxy, or any other team for that matter, want to pay to make their opponents better (not beyond a certain small amount anyway). I don't think it would be a hard choice if I were running the Galaxy (god forbid) and I had to choose between getting Beckham or helping the Revs keep Twellman. ??? That's not even a choice. And if you're strictly talking about the league paid 400k, really that doesn't spread that far. If Noonan is offered a spot on an English or Spanish side, is another 100k going to change his mind? I doubt it.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Exactly. Guys don't go overseas just for the money. And while I can sympathize a little with Landon's point, it's very obvious that the MLSPU is doing a great job of keeping players "on message." Now let's see if they can make higher salaries happen in negotiations and if they achieve that while making it more difficult to get other things they may want - limited free agency, larger roster squads.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes This one's different. He/She didn't use the word "Spazzo".
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes i agree with that, in my opinion its very boring as well. there's just a bunch of passing forward and backward and than someone hits it long.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I'm a fan of the MFL, but I can admit that the quality of play in most cases doesn't quite live up to the standard in an AFA game. Fast, furious, two-touch play is much more attractive than your usual Mexican game, but I still love the league...just not as much as my domestic league (despite it's flaws).
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I really don't watch FMF. I havent seen a Mexican team play outside of international tournaments in two years. I have no idea how the quality is from top to bottom. That said, I would like to see Landon playing in either Argentina or Mexico. It would be nice to see him in Spain as well, although I don't know how much interest there would be considering he'd take up a foreign player spot. It would be really nice to see him playing for Boca or America or something in Copa Libratadores, and considering every Mexican alive thinks he's the urinating devil it would help with his biggest problem, showing up when it REALLY matters and when the entire stadium hates you. I'd just like to see Landon move abroad, while he seems fairly complete in terms of development, he definately could use some mental toughness. I really have no idea how international scouts feel about Landon, he seems like he would be a good player in a Latin league (or Holland, Italy, Germany again, just not EPL).
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes While I agree with some of the above. Mexican teams do have excellent off the ball movement. The tend to dominate possession against almost all of their oppenents, including some of the big boys from brazil and argentina. One does not do that with just technical ability. The usually have 1-2 passing options available at all times, which does not happen without good off the ball movement.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I think Landon would do very well a second time around in the Bundesliga because its a physical league, similar league to the MLS. I see him fitting in well at Hanover 96. He would compliment Mike Hanke very well. Not to mention Steve Cherundolo is a starter there, and has captained the team in the past. Hamburg or Hertha Beriln would suit his style well also but he should really avoid going back to Bayer Leverkusen! Gehen sie noch Deutschland mein brutter!
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes I doubt very much he'll ever return to Germany. From all accounts he hated it, didn't (and still doesn't I assume) know the language, like the culture, and felt homesick. He speaks Spanish fluently. His game fits La Liga, and I'll be damned if he's not good enough for a mid-table side there. I really think he could do well there, but I don't know if a good enough club wants to use a foriegn player slot on him. If Landon goes to Europe it's, IMO, a club in the big 3 leagues. I could see England because it's the most popular and he'd get big bucks. I'd see Spain for the same reasons + weather. I very much doubt he's still in the states in a few years, I really think he wants to prove all the doubters wrong. I hope he does, but again, why not Boca or America (or River, Pachuca, etc)? Both are huge clubs that have talent, he speaks the language, they'd pay him well, he'd be close to home, and get to play in the biggest club tournament outside of Europe. I know he's hated in Mexico but I'm sure CA fans would love him if he won them some hardware.
Re: Landon Donovan Interviewd on ESPN Deportes Actually, he's fluent in German. Said it took him about 3 months to learn the langue the first time he was there and he picked it right up when he went back the 2nd time. But yeah, ain't no way he's going to go play in German, I don't think. Just doesn't like living there.