No one is arguing that he's not good enough I think he certainly is, anyway we can't keep bringing up the WC yeah he had a few good games but we didn't necessarily go up against the best teams in the world (Poland, Mexico, and SK?). You could argue that he'd go up against tougher defenses in CL and Uefa matches then the defenses he played at the WC, actually thats probably a fact. Not to mention he'd have to play consistently well in Europe not just for a few games. All I'm saying as that his previous experience in Germany wasn't a good one and it might have effected him psychologically, he himself mentioned that whenever he made a mistake he would get booed and he felt a lot more pressure to play well, I think thats why he's so hesitant to go overseas. But again let me repeat I DON"T THINK THAT HE ISN"T GOOD ENOUGH, he can definitely cut it in Europe.
I didn't say that you argued he wasn't good enough. I'm argueing against your theory that he might be scared. Over the past 3 years there has yet to be one incident that could support this thoery. He might have sucked ass in a game, but I didn't think he was ever intimidated. This is a guy who had so much confidence in himself that he was taunting Bruce Arena's DC United club while he was in Bradenton. I disagree that pressure has any negative effect on Landon. Everything he's done in the last 3 years goes against it. MLS Cup, World Cup, Qualifying. Perhaps the one thing you can point to is the U23 Mexico match but from everything I've heard it was everyone EXCEPT Landon, Beas, and Convey who were scared
I watched Donovan play in WC 2002. He was great player then and still is one. But this here IMHO is the reason why SA and Euro fans get on US fans so much. There is no way on God's green earth that Donovan will ever be Fifa world player candidate. He is a great player, a good player but he isn't of that caliber. I think if and when he makes the move, he will do quite well and be quite the respectable player but one great WC doesn't mean anything. When I was still living England, they hype surrounding Owen was frealing crazy. Literally you had grown man fantasizing over a 17 year old boy. It was amusing at best and rather annoying at worst. Owen is still a great player, playing at one of the best clubs in Europe but the way the press hyped him. It was almost as if he was the second coming of Christ which is not true because LD is baby Jesus
I never said Donovan wasn't good. Being MVP at U-17 WYC doesn't somehow guarantee one a nomination for Fifa world player of the year. My point was that it can be annoying when posters fawn over Donovan saying he could start for Man U or Liverpool. Or that he can become Fifa world player candidate. It's not impossible but it is rather unlikely that he will. And its not just a US problem. It's problem for my fellow Man U fans who fawn over Ronaldo, or Arsenal fans with Fabregas and Reyes, or english back home who fawned over owen back in 98 and now fawn over Rooney. They are all good players in their own rights but they are all overhyped
After the way he bitched and whined in the KC game about Zavagnin holding him, one might have thought he'd be glad to go anywhere in Europe just to find better refereeing. Unless he was just doing a Stanaslavski.
Landon is an above average player and that's it. He is not the future. Landon lacks any real charisma and he's an absolute baby. I heard him on a radio show a couple years back dissing Adu because he was so damn jealous. He came off as selfish and small minded, immature and not a team player. I bet he's not even well liked at the Quakes. I sure don't like him. And as a player I have yet to see him live up to anything. I hope he does go to Europe (although I can't imagine that he would be in demand anywhere-well, maybe the 3rd division) so I won't have to watch him whining all over the MLS.
My point is that no one can exactly predict who will be nominated for FIFA world player of the year in the future. No one can say Robinho will defineately be nominated next year while Kaka won't. I think you can make a case that some time during the rest of their careers Robinho and Kaka are likely to be nominated. Landon being nominated for player of the year in the future is much less likely than Kaka, especially right now, and less likely than Robinho. But with the way FIFA nominates 50 players a year, unlikely and likely are highly subjective yet impossible is stupid. Anyone who says it is impossible for Landon to get nominated for player of the year knows nothing about world football and less about Landon. Saying it is unlikely is wise, saying it is possible is fine, saying it is certain is wrong.
I think on CNN today it said that 72% of the French like Americans while only 28% of the British do. My guess that, while this trolling sockpuppet once turned down an offer from Orient, he knows little about soccer and still holds a grudge from the revolutionary war. A least the French have some gratitiude left over from us saving their asses in two world wars maybe we should let the Germans occupy part of England so the Brits can see whats so great about America. I could be wrong but surely no American could seriously believe these things about Landon, how wrong would all those foreign posters be about the US fan base if what'sthat is one of us. At 22 Landon is the best American player, how average is that. He won the golden ball at the 1999 U-17 world championship, average. Two MLS cups in four years, no open cup equals average. He's a baby he can't even get off the bench at Reading, oh wait that's Convey. You don't like him so even though Bayer Leverkusen's GM says he will play 70-80% of the time he's not better than third division quality. That's why Porstmouth wanted Landon on loan last year because he's not better than third division quality.
I don't want to go way overboard on Landon. But I think most here are really just saying that 1. This is kid has shown a lot already and 2. He is only 22. Pavel Nedved was still playing for Sparta Prague when he was 24. He then moved to Lazio and looked quite good but not a world beater for 2-3 seasons. Then at Juventus in his late 20s he blossoms into a world player of the year. That's just one man's story. But the bottom line is Landon is a fine talent and has a durable body, smarts and is still young.
Bob, you make some good points but I don't think that prior poster you were responding to was serious at all. they just left of the emoticon or whatever it is called. He will excel wherever he goes and that will include germany '06 regardless of his club at that time.
I personally think it is time for Donovan get head to Europe. Don't care if it is Germany in the long run, but he needs to get out of the MLS.
Definitely the best post of the thread. It's dangerous to make assumptions about Donovan at this point, pro or con. We don't know how he'll respond to the new challenge, and we don't know how he'll improve with age.
No. Since Landon was 16 I've wanted him to play at Bayer. Leverkusen is a class club, and have been in all their dealings with us.
He is an average player. Wait until he steps up to a class league, or shines in a world cup. He was alright in '02, nothing special. You Americans are to hooked up on him. I think Beasley and McBride are better personally. They have stepped up to better leagues and shown what they can do, they havent been outstanding, yet they have been playing well. Donovans a little girl from what i hear also.
So did Beasley suddenly become better the moment he signed for PSV? You're reading too much into the shirts that Beasley and McBride wear. Donovan has been more productive in MLS than either of them were when they were in the league.
I'd look at DaMarcus as a wide receiver who's just finding out what it's like to play with a good quarterback and a coach who will call plays for him. And that was another football analogy from yours truly.
Anyone see the goal his soon to be teammate (berbatov)put in against Roma? Wow. Outside of EA Sports, you don't see that much skill on display very often. If he fits in and plays on this team, it's a very nice step up for him.
Yes, that was sweet. I did briefly start thinking about how he could combine with LD to relative glory there.