Donovan Cut - is this the end of Landon?

Thought it was interesting that 2/3 of his statement was about LD:

Congratulations to the 23 players named to the @USsoccer World Cup roster... pic.twitter.com/k56VbKTEfA

— Don Garber (@thesoccerdon) May 22, 2014

 

And when he goes to the cheap excuses after getting our asses handed to us by you guys and our pimps from Ghana, our pitbull soccer writers are sure to hold his feets to the fire. <----------sarcasm

 

He just put all the pressure on the players.

Now they have to win without Donovan. Now they have the massive distraction of the Donovan/JK kerfuffle to answer about in every press conference. Now Davis and Green have to show up big, all the pressure and all the eyes are on those two guys, because they are there and Landon is not. Now there is almost certainly resentment and frustration at certain players who waltzed into the team (and maybe were even promised spots before hand) while the guy who built the program on his back sits at home. Now JK has to get good results or he is going to be gone. Now the entire team is wondering what the heck is going on, and no matter what JK says, it is not going to cover up the real issue here.

This is a massive amount of pressure that JK just hoiseted upon himself and the rest of the team.

Did you see his taped reasoning, he looked completely frazzled.

 

Wow! 50 pages in less than 24 hours...its all been said by this point.

I'm still shocked even if all the signs were there, and absolutely gutted that Donovan's international career will (probably) be ending this way. I didn't expect him to start, but I absolutely wanted him on that roster. Klinsmann's decision does not make any sense to me, as Donovan has more talent and experience than Davis, but I'm still cheering for the team, even if its not the best 23.

I am a bit worried about the fall-out in the locker room; I'm not buying the rumors that Donovan was disliked by many of his teammates. Its going to be the focus of the media for the next few days and the first question that veterans especially are going to be asked.

 

Everyone with half a soccer brain, or who knows anything about US Soccer and Landon Donovan knows that this is a disgraceful and potentially job ending decision by JK. For MLS their best player is not going to the WC. People are going to lose money on that decision.

The guy who carried the program on his back for well over a decade just got shafted as his last moment as a national team player. Donovan deserved better than that, and everyone knows it.

For JK it is a big FU to US Soccer, to Donovan, to the entire system. It is more a grand statement or some kind of weird performance art than it is actually coaching and managing a team.

 

Yeah, but this is going to shape up to be a bit of a battle in the minds of the journos into who they like more, who they are more loyal towards, and who is going to have more influence and currency in US Soccer in the long run. I place my bet on Donovan. My guess is he will be involved long after JK.

 

How about if you're Julian Green and a lot of people think Donovan was sacrificed so that Klinsmann could keep the deal he arranged with you several weeks ago? If he does get on the field, he'll be under even more pressure than if both had made the final roster.

 

Leaving out all of his play prior to 2014, and just viewing him as one of the 30 guys vying for a spot, was it right to leave LD off based on his current form fitness and ability?

 

yeah but the last time a German dropped a bomb on a US squad and caused this much commotion, it was during world war II.... jk, jk... means just kidding, not Jurgen Klinsmann btw...

Seriously though... I'm shocked, but not necessarily surprised if u get what I mean.. I mean as much as I love JK as our coach, he always seemed like he had the potential to do something like this... if we flop at the WC and Wondo, Green, etc.. don't play well - he is really going to have a lot of explaining to do

 

The levels of idiocy in this thread are reaching unparalleled heights.

 

no. he should be fired on the 90th minute of our second game if we lose both. ifwe beat germany in the 3rd game we will historically shame him and he will never coach again.

 

If that is the case, he never should have let Landycakes come back after his walkabout. I really hope that the "send a message" idea is not true because if it is true then Klinsi completed botched it.

 

I do not know what all of the commotion is on LD being left off the list. We have a low chance of making through the Group stage to begin with. When you consider Germany has one spot, that leaves us with a 33% chance (statistically). This menas our entire WC Group chance lie with the first game. Ghana is fast. LD is old and slow.

The funniest part of all of this is the ad right above comment entry for a 2014 USA WC Jersey with Donovan's name on it for $154.94. That is some funny stuff.

 

Landon has been on the edge for awhile now with Klinsmann's selections for first team players. Was I surprised, even shocked? Yes. Do I think Klinsmann has ulterior motives in this decision? No. I think, in reality, that if this is the way Klinsmann saw the team going (without LD) then it makes a TON of sense to do it as early as possible rather than later. As someone else posted the rest of the team is surprised too. Well, let's get that surprise over with, let's get past the hurt to a friend and colleague and let's get focused on the task at hand. Giving the team an extra couple days to do that is a smart move.

Agree or not -- Klinsmann was brought in to help us get the right approach and mindset organizationally and within the team to do better than we have done before. He certainly is shaking things up --- let's see how he does. This one decision does not make or break him. Shoot, his contract says that his performance in the Brazil doesn't either! I do think it fair to at least give him Brazil to see how we do.

I also think it fair to say that this was a big decision on his part and is one that will be inspected as we go forward and one that he will be second-guessed for. But fire him? Come on!

P.S. I did find it interesting as well that the Donovan shirt continues to be the 'lead' jersey pictured --- that will have to change quickly.

 

Even if he wasn't great in practice today, does that mean he can't give you big minutes three plus weeks from now? If we have a one goal lead and need someone to hold the ball to close out the game in the last few minutes, who is a better option than he?

 

Not really to be honest. He's better than Brad Davis and Green. He's better than Johanneson who like LD isn't a center forward.

 

We talkin bout practice?! Not a game? We talkin bout practice?!

 

isn't there an England board missing you somewhere?

 

I'm guessing they don't miss him.

 

wait you like an article admitting that landon is not the same player mentally or physically?