Thanks everyone for your input! Yes, I'm aware of Rivaldo and his situation. But the bottom line is, he doesn't even have to think about being sent down. And of course i don't think Landon Donovan deserves to be equated with Rivaldo. that's ridiculous. I'm also not saying Donovan deserves to be automatically starting, etc. Read my post. I am saying that he shouldn't have to be worried about being sent down to the reserves; and if he is, then why not continue to stay here and get to play.
i'm not in the habit of telling anyone that they "should" or "shouldn't" do anything, but... if LD doesn't test the waters in europe, this would be a crying shame. if you feel you have the goods and a modicum of ambition, then that's your goal in this sport.
Oh, I totally agree. I look forward to when he goes over, in fact. He just said he's got one more year here, and then he's going over. Should be interesting, and quite a challenge.
I am quite sure that many here will disagree but I think Landon can be a far better player than Rivaldne of my closest friends is Catalan, and naturally a Barca fan. So I have watched lots of Barca games. Rivaldo is a very one dimiensional player- he shoots very well.... and that is just about it for his game. He plays no defense at all, even when he is playing midfield( which he often did for Barca), and he does not pass particularly well. With Landon's speed and vision- as well as much improved shooting and toughness, he can become a better player than Rivaldo. Not a given but it is well within his abilities.
Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? WHat you see today is a past prime Rivaldo. Donovan will be lucky if he can ever be as good as Rivaldo in his prime, which would mean a tremendous improvement from the Donovan today. I frankly don't think it will ever happen. If you had watched Rivaldo live in his portugal days and early Barcelona, you would know what i mean.
Much as it will disappointment not being able to watch him every week, he'll be there after next year. His stance is partly because he likes playing here and figures, what's the rush, and part trying to force BL's hand to let him go where he wants to go.
Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? All props to LD, but I have to agree with MIG on this one. Rivaldo is and has been a brilliant player for some time. Landon will become very good maybe even great, but I don't see him having the single-hand effect that Rivaldo has had during some of the games he's played.
Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? I watched MANY games with Rivaldo in his prime. When he shot he was absolutely brilliant.The rest of the time he usually watched his teammates play soccer. If you like lazy goalscorers, Rivaldo is your man.If not, he isn't. He has certainly had many coaches, famous ones too, who could not tolerate his lack of team effort.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? People are confusing Talent with what actually happens on the field. There's almost no one who is/was/will be as talented as Rivaldo. But his play on the field never properly refelcted his enormous talent.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? I thought that your play on the field is supposed to reflect your talent? I'm confused.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? It's supposed to if you have the right work-rate, morale, attitude, all that - something Rivaldo doesn't have all the time.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? well said. But my point was that the idea that Rivaldo was some iconic player that Donovan could never supercede- I just don't buy it. They are very diferent players, almost opposite, but I believe that Landon could be a better player than Rivaldo.T
Re: Re: Re: Re: Why isn't Donovan in Europe ? He has fantastic moments, but this is the very same guy that hs last 2 club coaches planted firmly on the bench.In fact his coach at Barca told him he would NEVER play him. So, I think a little perspective here is in order. Rivaldo is a guy who has brilliant MOMENTS, but he has even more lousy moments.b
Tommy Smyth on the issue from his chat yesterday http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=4293 Of course there is always Landon Donovan. Everytime you read something he is going to a differnet club. I interviews the Bayer Leverkusen GM. I asked him about the situation with Donovan and to tell you he was vague would be telling you exactly the way he was. His words went something like 'you have to want to play in the Bundesliga if you are going to play there'. From all indications, Donovan hasn't really exhibited that hunger.
that is unmitigated crap.He has stayed in MLS and improved a lot- can anyone say he hasn't improved his game here?? He has also helped MLS immeasurably. He has said he will go to Europe after next season. As for Leverkusen, please remember the chaos at that club when he was there.He was only there for a few months when he was ELIGIBLE for the first team- that was also the time that Daum was much more interested in what he could put up his nose, than any young players.So, I am sure this was a very unpleasant experience for any young player. The coach won't give you a chnce, and is more concerned with scoring blow. By the way, do people here realize that Pele never moved to Europe? I guess he had no hunger.
Hey, Tommy, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Donovan is not hungry to play in the Bundesliga. And why should he be? Ask him about playing anywhere else, and you'll see his hunger. Tommy mentions Beasley wanting to go to Spain. Did you ask Beasley, is he hungry to play in the Bundesliga? Nobody is who plays the style that Beas and Landon play. Landon mentions wanting to play in Spain or Italy, as well, but of course Tommy doesn't bring that up. Tommy, on more than one occasion, has held it against LD (in my opinion) that he didn't go back to Germany (seeing as how Tommy predicted that he would). Tommy's got his own personal agenda and it's going to bias anything he says concerning LD. But what I think is more important here is what Leverkusen said: you have to want to play in the Bundesliga if you're going to play there. They KNOW Donovan absolutely doesn't want to play there, so why in the world do they keep hanging on to him? It's not like in a year he's going to magically want to play for them. Seems that they're punishing LD for his attitude and they'll hold on to him until he dies. I just hope they get over themselves and get something worked out soon so LD can play where the style most suits him. Free Landon!
Leverkusen has invested in LD, who presumably was happy to receive checks from Leverkusen. Shouldn't they have the right to gain whatever profit from the future transfer of LD? Why should they "free" LD at LD's terms?
That's why I'm saying why don't they sell him? And I'm not saying at all they should do it on LD's terms. They have every right to get any and all profit from any future transfer. That's why I can't understand why they're still hanging on to him; maybe because they're not seeing a profit yet? I don't know. But I sort of got my answer on another thread, so thanks anyway.
May be no one is offering the kind of money that interests Leverkusen! IIRC, it costs Leverkusen little to hang onto LD since his salary is picked up by MLS and Nike. Why unload him unless if someone knocks on the door with a big enough check in his hand to make it worth the effort? Unless LD breaks his leg or something, his transfer value is unlikely going to decrease (or increase) much in a couple of years.
One part that many people do not think about is the amount of Primadonas bull$hit any player will be expose on europe, beside he whoop the mighty FIGO .....
I think it's time for LD to go back to Europe. Even if it means fighting for playing time in Germany, he's won 2 of the last 3 cup hear, and is his team's offensive leader. He's proven he can excel here. Time to move abroad before his play stagnates. I don't think he will get better playing against the same competition. Time for LD, Beasley and Bocanegra to pack up and move on, testing their skills against better teams so that they can improve.
well, he seems to be getting better every year as it is. Pls keep in mind that Pele never, ever played in Europe. I am sure Landon will go to Europe when he gets a serious big offer from a non-Levekusen team- like an Arsenal, ManU, even Everton. He will never play for Leverkusen, even though they own his rights.he has been -pretty clear about that. I have read a lot of sneering comments about Landon staying here instead of going back to Leverkusen. I wonder how amny posters here know or remember what was going on at that time at Leverkusen? Let me remind you if you don't remember or never knew: Landon was on the reserve team which played in the 3rd and 4th Divisions- he was VERY unhappy with the level of play, to say the least, but by BUndeslaiga rule, he could not play for the first team til he was 18. I think he was training with the first team and was 18 for the last several months while he was there. However, while Landon was very upset at having to play at a crap level, his coach, who was supposed to be looking over the team, was hunting far and wide for his next hit of cocaine. So, Daum was in an apparent stupor for months while Landon was stuck playing, what he called, "high school" soccer. He was very , very pissed off about this, both at the coach and at higher management for allowing this to occur as he stewed. These are facts that I NEVER read about here, only about how Landon was too much of a wimp to fight for a position on the first team.It is nonsense. He was stuck on a team with a stone junkie as a coach , and has ZERO interest in going back into that environment. Why should he?