Donovan Cut - is this the end of Landon?

Exactly. He brought these guys in to cut them, and he had to do it before the friendlies in case they went off and played insanely great. He straight ********ed a number of dudes who helped carry us through qualification, and the greatest player in US history.

 

Well said Brucey.

"If there are 23 better players than Landon, then we have a chance to win the World Cup." -- Bruce Arena. http://t.co/qO0Ys9vaAe

— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) May 23, 2014

 

Is this real life?

You want us to believe that Klinsmann has held a grudge against Landon Donovan since 2002 because Donovan couldn't score against Klinsmann's own country? WTF?

You also, conveniently, forgot to note that Klinsmann brought Donovan to Bayern Munich, after this supposed grudge began.

Take off the tin foil hat, please.

 

Bedoya? Beasley?

 

This is the first time I've posted here in years probably, but wow this angers me. Such a horrible decision. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't help but feel failure is pretty much sealed now in Brazil. Not because Donovan would have carried the team on his back, but because this WILL cause problems within the team and his absence will be felt. Brad Davis making it over Donovan (who is a midfielder - who are you kidding, Jurgen?) is absurd. I think the surprise roster announcement coming now, before even the first friendly is played, shows that Donovan wasn't even really given a chance. He was called into the 30 for show. This is disgusting. I feel like Klinsmann has kind of scammed US soccer - the team will fail badly in a few weeks, the pressure calling for his firing will be too much for the US to not fire him, but they will still have to pay him for another 4 years. I hope I'm proven wrong (I'd love it, believe me) but right now this has all the makings of a trainwreck. Great timing, too...

 

So I guess it means Robben doesn't believe in himself because Casillas made a great save on him during a break away in the World Cup final in 2010. It's just Klinsmann being Klinsmann, letting his mouth run ahead of his brain.

 

Pathetic.

 

Exactly how I feel.

 

Maybe. I hope Bedoya myself and he figures out how to be comfortable on the left.

 

This is the worst I've felt about this team going into a WC.

Because Green might continue his deer in the headlights act, and it would be hard to take him to Brazil. When that had already been promised.

 

Really?

Klinsmann hated Landon Donovan so much post-2002 he made him his only signing after his controversial appointment as the manager of the largest club in all of Germany and one of the biggest clubs in the world?

 

The rare moment of clarity from Lalas,

Alexi Lalas ‏@AlexiLalas 44m
No problem with LD out of #USMNT, but you do it after Cambodia. Don't name him to 30 in May '14 and then tell me he's not one of best 23.

 

I'm giving Klinsmann the benefit of the doubt by interpreting it as him saying Donovan blundered away those 2 shots. Klinsmann is right on one.

 

Some states are effed in the head.

 

Green, obviously. Part of the agreement.

 

I have a feeling Jurgen wanted to make this announcement this early because he knew alot of people will be shocked and this gives them as much time as possible to settle down and focus on preparations in time for the world cup

 

Nice, Bruce Arena's not a fan of the move...looks like we actually have a shot.

 

Did anyone say it's a grudge? Could it be possible that it just hasn't been the most supportive or motivational relationship for Landon? Or that Jurgen has failed to adjust his coaching techniques to get the most out of a very talented player? There are plenty of ways to interpret the Landon/JK/Bayern narrative. Jurgen returned to Bayern with the tastiest jewel he could bring from the States. Landon would be hard pressed to turn Jurgen or Bayern down. It didn't work out. Proof of anything? Not really. Evidence of a supportive, functional, productive relationship? Not that, either.

 

It's not even that. Many of my European family members believe the same thing as Klinsmann. Not about Donovan, but in sports in general. A team or players failure to win seems to always come down to lack of belief or lack of effort or lack focus, lack of coaching, lack of discipline, etc. It almost never comes down to the winning teams great play or superior athletes, incredibly high technical skill, etc. In other words, it's all about the loser being a loser. Klinsmann probably feels this way in general. I think that making it out to be some singular thing that he believes about Donovan which causes him to have some irrational vendetta against him particularly is far afield from the truth.

 

I find Lalas to be surprisingly good in analysis when NOT on a television. He and Twellman absolutely nailed it on their podcast last week. Really insightful stuff, asking a lot of tough questions about what Klinsmann is doing, etc.

But you put him on TV and he can't help but play the clown. Twellman also significantly worse on TV. They should really be hosting a radio show.

 

Yes, let's compare children who commit crimes such as murder or other serious crimes to one who said something stupid on twitter.

I can't think of any rational explanation to say something that stupid.

 

I don't disagree with this. I was just pointing out that you left it out of your summary and, moreover, it strongly suggests that Klinsmann respected Donovan and valued him very highly, contrary to your implications.

 

After 2010, it became pretty obvious that he has a "character" on tv.

 

Impossible standards?

Yeah, can we get a World Cup winning, formerly world-class striker to comment on Donovan's finishing in 2002 please instead of this hack? What standards do you think Klinsmann held himself to?