We didn't really have a plan B for Jozy going down, but I'm thinking back to the other #9's we frequently used that cycle who didn't end up going to Brazil: Herculez Gomez, Eddie Johnson, Terrence Boyd -- maybe Juan Agudelo if you go back much earlier to the start of the cycle. And then obviously there was Wondo who did make it to Brazil. I don't think I would have been all that comfortable with any of those players starting in the 2014 World Cup.
That's not a plan B. AronJo was hurt when the roster was named. That's a wish and a prayer. And, Dempsey was an older, different player in 2016 and 2017.
Euro players talk about it because it is different than what they are used to. It is something that all professional athletes in the US have to deal with in their careers. How do NBA players play roughly three times the away games as an MLS player without it being talked about regularly. The travel in the US is an extra challenge, but it doesnt overcome the extra pressure to perform and the intensity of games and training for the big Euro clubs. This is all grasping for there to be another way that LD was special. He was slightly better than the rest of the average american soccer players. He is not a big figure in the world wide game. I have no idea why people continually try to make him into a hero that he isnt. Why isnt being the all time leading scorer and assist guy who had many big moments and consistently performed against Mexico enough?
And outside the World Cup, the US has also came in 4th in a real Copa in 1995, defeating Argentina along the way. And of course, Bradley's US defeated a legendary Spain team. Ecuador's arguably the strongest team Jurgen defeated.
That is why I say we didn't have a like for like. We needed flexibility to play a different style. I really hate to say it because I don't want this to be a Donovan argument but aside from any other advantages/disadvantages you want to attribute to Donovan, I think it is an inarguable fact that he was one of our most versatile top players for the US....ever. Some others were versatile as well but Donovan had versatility like few others. The fact that Klinsmann brought several (not just Davis) players with little versatility would have increased Donovan's worth. Of course we did make it out of our group and it is impossible to tell whether we would have done slightly better or worse with Donovan.....
It is amazing they were able to do without MLS. If only the confederation cup was a "real" tournament.
I dont have any argument about him being the GOAT... for a couple more years. You are the one going on and on about how many games he played and trying to make him out to be a grinder. Btw, there are quite a few more on here who are more delusional than you.
You go out of your way to poor mouth the guy. We agree that he is the best USMNT player and at the same time that he's not any sort of world great. His longevity and games played is notable in that he merited selection to 4 different World Cups as a starter. How many Americans or otherwise can you say that about?
It was actually 3 WCs. Quite a few players have been starters at 3 WCs and nobody is talking about them in this manner.
He said merited which is his opinion but shared by many. Beasley is one who has played in four and I believe there are a few more.
I would add on that even many of those that believe he was justly left home seem to believe that it wasn't for soccer reasons but for his poor attitude and because he would have been a "cancer" in the locker room. I believe at least one compared it to Ibra being left off of Sweden's team. (I am not comparing Donovan to Ibra!)
I'd replace cancer with distraction and also note that although I'd have brought Landon for sure, he wasn't an automatic starter for me in 2014, IIRC.
I believe that the comments ranged from distraction to cancer. I don't believe the majority of those that felt he should have stayed home would say cancer but it was a sizable minority....or at least a vocal minority.
Neither you, nor I were the coach and it has been quite a long time now but I don't really see Davis, Bedoya or Zusi as starters over Donovan....at least one of those (sometimes two) started each and every game in the wc. Obviously we have different opinions. On most everything regarding his exclusion, let's leave it at that.
By the way, @DHC, while I do believe that we have differing opinions, I don't really mean the previous post to be directed particularly at you...no offense meant. I just have a fear that anytime I mention Donovan (or Klinsmann for that matter) in a conversation I have a very real fear that the topic will change so that one or the other (usually both) become the new topic which just goes over and over the same old information/speculation/arguments. Unfortunately, I have been guilty in this thread of keeping it going, so I'll try to stop now. It has been 6 years now and since there really hasn't been any new news I can't see any way that any of our opinions will change. .
no worries. Those two are the third rail of USMNT. I don’t feel strongly either way in that debate other than it certainly wasn’t on field issues that kept Landon off the 2014 squad and that Irrespective of that, the team did much better than expected in Brazil.
Given Klinsmann never beat a big team in a single competitive match ever, it seems ridiculous to nit-pick the quality of the Confederations Cup. Especially since Klinsmann failed to qualify for it by losing to Jamaica and Panama at home.
He earned the 4th on merit. I don't care what Jurgen said. But even going back to 2013. That’s a solid 11 years as an inked in starter.
you guys have a disease. the fixation you guys have is intense. the ability to build an extreme narrative in whichever fits your alliance is impressive, albeit annoying. my default response is that the situation is nowhere near as extreme as guys think.
Klinsmann also never failed to qualify for a World Cup, If that helps. He also drew Portugal and Belgium, both in regulation. Those were big accomplishments. Ecuador was top-15 at the Confederations.
He was a starter from 2002 to 2013,when he lit the Gold Cup on fire. I only said 11. It should have been 12-13.