Maybe I haven't been paying quite enough attention lately so excuse me if this is old news (I did search first!)... So Donovan was #21, now he's #10 (in Venezuala game). Is this b/c Reyna won't be coming around for quite some time or just to sell more jerseys? Is this the first time he's #10? I looked on USSOCCER.COM for past info but couldn't find anything so I'm sort of fishing for more resources here...
I think Landon has been given the #10 jersey..I don't think it is a oversight. I think Arena is sending him (and the rest of the soccer world a message) He will keep it until someone else comes along that can wear that shirt..who can play the #10 position better..maybe Adu's number sometime in the future
US national team jersey rules basically are that the player with the most caps gets first selection when it comes to what number he wears. Donovan has 33 caps (although it doesn't seem like it) and in this camp was one of the more experienced players. Players in this camp with more caps than Donovan were Kasey Keller (wears 18, 61 caps), Eddie Pope (wears 23, 56 caps), Frankie Hejduk (wears 2, 45 caps), Earnie Stewart (wears 8, 85 caps), McBride (wears 20, 66 caps), and Kirovski (who wears lots of different numbers but this time chose 9, 55 caps). In camps where Reyna isn't present, expect to see Donovan wearing #10, he has enough caps under his belt to trump most of the regular attacking players that would usually wear the 10 shirt.
He's worn it in every friendly since the WC hasn't he? I certainly have no problem with it, unless Johnny O. is on the field, then there might be a scrap. Seniority or no seniority.
He definitely wore #10 against Canada in January. I remember remarking to a friend at the time (Andy Mead, who took the photo) that it was a milestone of a sort. http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0118_usa_can_ajm/web_D82E3013.jpg He didn't wear it against El Salvador (this photo by Mike Lastort). http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2002/1117_usa_slv_ml/web_DSC_2646.jpg
If im not mistaken, shouldn't he be wearing the 9 shirt? I think he should be the 9 and JOB should be the 10. Call me crazy, But it does seem logical.
O'Brien seems happy with #5, hes worn it in pretty much every game hes played with the nats. According to USSoccer.com Donovan has worn #10 the past three games, against Argentina, Jamaica, and Venezuela. It says he wore 21 versus Canada but that could be a typo? I didn't see the game on TV so I couldn't go to a tape and get confirmation.
Where did you find that data on USSOCCER.COM? I looked for about 5 minutes and couldn't find that. I'd love to know where they have those sorts of stats...
Yes, it's a typo. I was at the Canada game and he wore #10. Also, I posted a link to a photo of him wearing #10 against Canada a couple of messages above. There are several shots of him wearing the 10 in that game at www.ibiblio.org/footy .
If you look at the USSF match report on each game, it lists jersey numbers, although it incorrectly lists Donovan as #21 in both the Argentina and Canada games. Venezuela (lists him as 10): http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=29695&itype= Jamaica (lists him as 10): http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=27859&itype=113&iCategoryID=63 Argentina (incorrectly lists him as 21): http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=27668&itype=113&iCategoryID=63 Photo of Donovan wearing #10 against Argentina: http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0208_usa_arg_sab/web_sab_4092.jpg Canada (incorrectly lists him as 21): http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=26668&itype=113&iCategoryID=63 Better photo of him wearing #10 against Canada: http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2003/0118_usa_can_ajm/web_D82E3469.jpg
Donovan is only keeping the #10 jersey warm for Freddy. He will have to change to a differnet number in another year or two.
lol Did you mean Freddy or Freddy? We all hope that Freddy is even better than Freddy! Maybe Donovan is keeping #10 for Freedy who will just prep it for Freddy? hehehehehehehe btw - for those that don't know, Fredua Adu has a younger brother named Fredua who is also reported to have skills...
Donovan's worn No. 10 in every game in 2003. And I suspect he'll continue to wear it until Reyna comes back.
Because he´s the US player to wear the Nº 10, when Reyna is not playing, and if he´s better than Reyna so he should be the Nº 10. Even tough the rules of numbers and possitions, almost always the players Nº 10 are mysteriously the stars of the team, or one of the most skillful player.
So someone that is a reporter needs to ask Donovan: Did Bruce ask him to wear it or did he ask Bruce? This is significant since we all know that Reyna is our #10... Did marketing play any part in this? Donovan is known as #21 for the US and all the shirts from WC2002 had 21 for him on them. He wears #10 for SJ... When Reyna comes back, who will wear the #10? interesting questions - I'd love to see the answers... Where's Tim? Maybe he can get them answered
I really fail to see the significance of him wearing the number 10. If memory serves me correctly, and I'm pretty sure it does, Brian Maiseneouve (Spelling?) wore the number 10 against Honduras in Seattle before the World Cup and we all know where that got him. I could be wrong but I got the tape here with me at college, and I looked at it not too long ago so I don't think I am.
Yes...Maiz wore it in seattle. Count me as a Crew fan wondering why he was even there, never mind wearing #10. Seniority, methinks.
I can't imagine they sell enough merch for them to change his number just to sell a few more shirts. As was posted earlier, the players choose numbers by seniority in terms of national team caps. If 10 is his preferred number and 21 is his second preferred, he'll get 10 as long as Reyna isn't around since the other guys with more caps than him don't wear #10 and, when Reyna comes back, it'll be his if he still wants it. Out of respect, I don't think a young turk would take the #10 if its current "holder" was just gone for a game or two. Other numbers don't have quite the cache of the #10, so nobody much blinked when Dan Califf wore #23 during the El Salvador game (http://www.ibiblio.org/footy/2002/1117_usa_slv_ml/web_DSC_2851.jpg) even though that is definitely Eddie Pope's number until he retires from national team play (although I sure did think it looked strange on Califf for the US even though he wears it for LA). However, with Reyna's return uncertain, Donovan's status on the team well-established, and a boat-load of games coming up, it makes sense for him to take the number he wants.
Seeing as how the No. 10 traditionally goes to the best all-around player, leader, on your team, I tend to think it was Arena's idea to further support the direction he wants this team to go, namely by saying at the beginning of the year he intends to build this team around Donovan. Especially since in everything I've read about LD, he's sort of shy'd away from being "the Man" out there and I just can't see him taking it upon himself to ask for that number, especially given the legacy of Reyna.
here's an interesting thing to take note of... Reyna wore #21 in WC98, then took over the #10 shirt in WC02 qualifying and wore it proudly in WC02. Donovan wore #21 in WC02, and now he wears the #10 shirt when Reyna doesn't play. ...it looks like Donovan will be THE MAN in WC06 in Germany.