AEG working with Leverkusen to keep Donovan in San Jose after Loan expires

Doesn't matter what the PR spin is. LD is going nowhere because of the transfer window, now, or later. He will have to decide if he wants to play Europe for good or stay here again at year's end. I'm sure Bayer will tell him he can stay if he wants, but he will have to extend their loan deal again for another year. At this rate they will own him forever and he will never go overseas. I think we will truely find out what this kid is thinking come the end of this year in MLS. Should be interesting.
I believe Bayer gave the green light for the P'ship transfer so that they could showcase him for sale. Does anyone really think he is ever going back to Deutschland? I don't.

 

Re: AEG working with Leverkusn to Donovan in San Jose after Loan expires

Maybe you remember the World Cup in 2002. MLS Cup Finals in 2001 or 2003?

Starting for the MLS Cup champs week in, week out, upcoming WC Qualifiers and CONCACAF tourneys - yes - that is an opportunity to compete at the highest levels.

Languishing on the bench of a team that may or may not have given you a fair shake at first team action is not an opportunity to compete at the highest levels. If he was on the bench at BL, do you think he would have started in WC 2002?

The highest levels this country and this hemisphere have to offer.

 

This is all junk. It's like Pete Sampras' refusal to play the Davis Cup a few years ago. I understand he "loves it here." A lot of 25-yr-olds love it at their parents' houses, but there comes a time when a young guy's just gotta go. There are also times when the coutry comes first. If you've followed the story on Leverkusen's Web site, you can see that for over a year, they've been wanting him back as a key player. Leverkusen represents a chance at the coveted "Champions League football" that every player says he needs to progress. This could totally turn out to be one of those stories, both for himself and the US fans, where after an injury in MLS, we all are left to wonder what might have been. He's walked with the youth nats, he's run in MLS, and now it's time to fly, with the best, in the most physical league, with one of the most glamour-less clubs at the top.

 

You want him to. He obviously doesn't.

 

I think Donovan wants to go to Europe, and by Europe I mean England. I think he never wants to go back to Germany, but the contract mess caused by the loan situation scares off many interested teams. If his contract were simply owned by the MLS, he probably would have left after the 2002 season.

 

Re: Re: AEG working with Leverkusn to Donovan in San Jose after Loan expires

Who is to say that if Donovan had stayed at Leverkusen he wouldn't be starting there now?

Nobody can, but you can't say he'd still be on the bench.

I love MLS too but it's not the highest level in the hemisphere.

Donovan needs to go overseas.

(shrug)

 

If I might, I think you guys are missing the point of the recent Portsmouth loan talk. According to reports, Landon is/was actively persuing going to the EPL on a loan this spring. The ostensible reason why is that he knows that he needs to make a decision by the end of this year on whether to stay in MLS, go to England, or do something else. So he wanted to give England a try and compare it to life in the states.

Seems like a pretty reasonable approach - too bad that FIFA regs have probably nixed it.

 

Landon has gotta go....i mean look at Beasley and Convey and they are ready....how the hell can we ever call him world class if he is not playing against the best every week...a world cup cant prove it all...i mean he better go abroad or his performance at the next wc is gonna be just like the confederations cup.

 

Best thing said about this whole LD situation, ever.

 

I don't care if we call him "Lucy." What I care about is how good he _actually_ is, rather than how good we get to claim he is.

Landon doesn't have to do anything a bunch of zagnuts on an internet message board says he has to do.

The plan, as I see it, that MLS is trying to cook up is:

a.) Get his rights from Leverkusen somehow (there was a rumor a couple weeks ago about Leverkusen operating an MLS team. If the trade is an MLS franchise for Landon Donovan, that might be doable).

b.) Keep him in MLS for as long as he wants to continue to sign contracts to stay.

c.) Loan him out to whatever sides in the Premiership have an interest.

d.) If a big time prem club decides they want to underwrite MLS for the next 30 years by dropping a massive transfer fee on him, MLS will listen.

Where is the problem? Donovan gets to stay at home and play in Europe, remain part of the National Team more often, stay with his actress girlfriend, make money and, if the right clubs come along, maybe play in the Champions League that is Viagra to so many on this board.

I'm sure it's not what _you_ want, but then you don't get to run Landon's life for him.

 

I don't know if Landon will have quite as much say about this as you think he will. If I am Bayer, I'd be more than happy for the MLS loan he's had that has developed his skills, given him confidence, etc. All the same, Bayer owns him, payed him his original contract, still may be paying part of his contract etc. They are not going to stand by while they dont reap anything off him (in the form of transfer fee or playing time). I don't know if Bayer will agree to extend an MLS loan. Most likely after the loan, MLS is going to have to compete just like every other club will compete for Donovan in terms of an actual transfer fee, IF he doesn't want to stay at Leverkusen.

Oh, and I don't think the MLS is subject to any transfer fees from Donovan if a deal is agreed during his loan stay. However, at the same time, a deal cannot GO THROUGH (like Landon actually changing teams) till after the loan unless MLS send's him back to Leverkusen or Leverkusen has a clause where they can call Landon back for a given fee or whatever.

 

Believe me, Landon is ready and wants to go. This will be his last year in MLS...if he even stays that long.
And I think his going after this loan is proof positive he wants to go. Dominic asked him, "Do you want to go." Landon: "Yes. Do you want me to go?"
Dom: "No." But Landon STILL wanted to go anyway.
I think Appoo is right: MLS thinks they can appease Donovan by sending him off for a few months to compete at the highest level, and then have him come back to home and hearth, and that will make him happy. And as we all know, a happy Landon is a very productive Landon. But that ain't gonna last long. He will hit the big time sooner or later...and I think it's going to be sooner.

 

Let me get this straight: Landon should go where he doesn't want to go so that 'we' can call him 'world class.'

There was a time, not long ago, when footballers plied their trade at home -- Pele' made his reputation in Brazil and in the World Cups. In '74 the Bundestrainers were sceptical of Gunther Netzer's condition because he had been playing in Spain -- far from the rigorous atmosphere of the Bundesliga. In fact, Netzer was never in form and played few matches in the '74 Cup.

Times have changed, true, and MLS is not Brazil or the Bundesliga, but it is still possible to play well and remain in top shape right here. Landon is not in the military; he is not required to go overseas. He has the right to live his own life. If aspects of that life don't meet your expectations, pour yourself a stiff drink and get over it.

 

Re: Re: AEG working with Leverkusen to keep Donovan in San Jose after Loan expires

Donovan could always refuse to sign a contract extension with the club that is buying him. That might not make moving him impossible but it would severly damage his market value.

 

I don't think you're reading what I'm saying. I'm saying MLS may be negotiating the purchase of Donovan from Leverkusen in exchange for an MLS franchise.

 

I agree 100%. Landon's tanned and rested, he's got an actress girlfriend, and he's doing well in his chosen profession. Why would he want to go play in the rain at a place where you don't see the sun for months at a time?

 

quadruple the salary and a reputation for never reaching his potential, for starters. and what, he needs to get TANNER and MORE rested?

 

Why is salary the biggest thing? I walked away from a mid six figure salary in my mid 30's. My wife and I both work at jobs we love now. What was the next step for us. Make sevn figures? Live in a 2 million dollar home? Buy Porsche's? We live great lives. No debt. Have money, happy. When is enough, enough? He will go to Europe next Jan window and make his money hten. Christ, sounds like someone living vicariously through someone else. The Al Bundy syndrome. Sad. When he is excelling overseas next year, do you think this is going to matter one bit? No. So go on and blah, blah, blah all you want. It's not about what you think is right for him. It's what he thinks is right, and what he is happy with. Get a grip. If he isn't up to snuff Bruce will drop him and put someone else in. Don't give me this "be all you can be crap". Go join the Army if that is how you feel.

 

If Landon shines in Olympic qualification / makes it to Greece, and shines - he's a gone. The Euro cash will come out this summer for the kid from The Redlands, and this loan talk will be gone. The MLS and Leverkusen will have no choice but to sell, sell, sell.

 

Yeah, why would Landon want to sign with a club like Portsmouth that's probably going back down to the 1st Division next season? If he plays his cards right, he will worth a lot more money and be able to transfer to a better qulaity organization. Sounds like he knows what he's doing.

 

Actress girlfriends probably have higher maintenance costs than your wife.