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Sir Landon Of Donovan

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thebes20 said:
I do not know whether he is able to stay, because of his contract, BUT, I know if Everton wants him, that he will come back. I have watched LD since he was a bleached blonde, watched his interviews, and yes, read the Beckham book.

He comes off as thoughtful, intelligent and a team player. He makes a lot of money from endorsements, and stands to make more in the near future. I do not think that money is his end goal, or what really motivates him. I do not see him going to the highest bidder like some players who's ego dictates that they follow the $'s. I think that he has found in Everton, what he has been looking for, a home in the EPL, the best league, and a club that appears to want him.

If I were LD, I would rather be a part of a team that has great potential and can beat the best, and maybe struggles sometimes. I think a player comes away with much more, than being a paid to play for the top team. There is heart here and soul. I think that Everton fits LD to a T, and I also think that he has taken notice that almost all of his fans in the US do not want to see him suit up for the MLS again. It is really worse than that, soccer web site after web site, the posters are saying that they are actually depressed that he might not stay. No player wants his fan base to hate him for being a traitor and leaving his team, but in LD's case the reverse is working. The concensus is that maybe only the Galaxy highups want him back. The MLS will soldier on in their middling state with or without him.

I love seeing him play, and if he goes it will be harder, but seeing Everton mentioned on Sports talk today, (even WO a mention of LD), means to me that we will be seeing a lot more of Everton here in the states. You all have no clue how little soccer is menitoned on top sports stations. The fact the Everton is on is truely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!

To finish, I will say that while LD has like 3 games left, I will continue to follow the Blues. I have gotten to know you, through your posts, and your fans, how much the team means to you all. I used to tune into whatever EPL games were broadcast and just watched the Arsenal, or MU to see good soccer. I will now forego them and hopefully watch and cheer on Everton. You have a very good team and your fans are a class act. Class on one hand because they did not just discount LD as another [Poor language removed] American player, you gave him a chance, and class on the other because of the way you handle your loses and wins, AND what you give to your team, your soul. I will be back, and I hope LD will be as well.
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+1 (y)
I have not posted much...but read most

like everton club-> not too big, not too small...just right :D
 
Catamount said:
Alrighty then. ...for anyone who is interested... :cheers:

Interesting article at Goal.com.
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Is he really trying to argue that Landon would be better off in the MLS? That Landon wouldn't improve by playing with and against some of the better players and teams in the world? I don't like the tone of this article. As Chico pointed out is does sound a bit "wah wah".

Yes, Landon honed his abilities in large part by playing in the MLS. Yes, the MLS can help talented young players prepare for greater challenges ahead. Yes, the league will, hopefully, continue to improve.

I would argue that Landon is the exception rather than the rule. He has always had the drive, work ethic, intelligence and natural talent that many others lack. This has allowed him to improve inside the MLS where others would plateau. The evidence of this is how quickly he seems to have adapted to the EPL when it took others a bit more time to shine.

I think we should be delighted rather than divided over MLS standouts heading overseas and having success. It shows the league is improving and that our very best are capable of competing at the highest or very near highest levels of world football. This is a good thing for the sport in the USA and for the MLS.
 
Phil Neville, "We just hope that maybe this kind of loan arrangement can be done again next season because he has fitted in superbly."


So he knows that we have very little chance of getting him in the summer! While Landon will want to be here permanently,we won't be able to afford him sadly and after his dynamic display at the WC, the [Poor language removed] may bid in for him on him or maybe some other teams I hate!
 

Grogtank said:
Is he really trying to argue that Landon would be better off in the MLS? That Landon wouldn't improve by playing with and against some of the better players and teams in the world? I don't like the tone of this article. As Chico pointed out is does sound a bit "wah wah".
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This isn't about Landon. This is about a species of soccer fan in the U.S. we call "Eurosnobs." Look, I live in New Hampshire, and the New England Revs are my club and that's that. They're probably gonna suck this year, but they're my club. Period. Eurosnobs' attitude is that MLS sucks no matter what, and that European footy is great no matter what. There are just a couple problems: it creates a self-fulfilling Catch-22 for one, and for 2, no, MLS isn't the EPL, or the Bundesliga, nor La Liga or Serie A. No one is pretending it is. But the Scandanavian leagues, the Scottish premier league (barring, of course, the Old Firm), Belgium.... MLS is much more on that level.
 
NHRevs said:
This isn't about Landon. This is about a species of soccer fan in the U.S. we call "Eurosnobs." Look, I live in New Hampshire, and the New England Revs are my club and that's that. They're probably gonna suck this year, but they're my club. Period. Eurosnobs' attitude is that MLS sucks no matter what, and that European footy is great no matter what. There are just a couple problems: it creates a self-fulfilling Catch-22 for one, and for 2, no, MLS isn't the EPL, or the Bundesliga, nor La Liga or Serie A. No one is pretending it is. But the Scandanavian leagues, the Scottish premier league (barring, of course, the Old Firm), Belgium.... MLS is much more on that level.
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I think he made it about Landon when he used Landon's success to justify his "I am right, you are wrong" rant about differences of opinion regarding MLS. In my post I laid out why I think Landon is a bad example for his argument.

The MLS is on it's way to becoming another feeder league for the best leagues in the world. This is a positive development considering the history of US soccer. The point of contention is how far along this path the MLS is compared to the middle leagues around Europe. Sitting in our own sandbox playing with ourselves wont help us gauge the relative quality of the MLS. Until the MLS becomes one of the top leagues, the only true measurement is how well MLS developed players do at higher levels.

The bottom line is we can't just snap our fingers and make people want to watch 4th or 5th division football. With more success overseas by MLS developed players comes more respect for MLS. Eventually the "eurosnobs" will notice. We just aren't quite there yet.

Sorry to GOT for the Yank centric footy politics!:lol:
 
Grogtank said:
Is he really trying to argue that Landon would be better off in the MLS? That Landon wouldn't improve by playing with and against some of the better players and teams in the world? I don't like the tone of this article. As Chico pointed out is does sound a bit "wah wah".

Yes, Landon honed his abilities in large part by playing in the MLS. Yes, the MLS can help talented young players prepare for greater challenges ahead. Yes, the league will, hopefully, continue to improve.

I would argue that Landon is the exception rather than the rule. He has always had the drive, work ethic, intelligence and natural talent that many others lack. This has allowed him to improve inside the MLS where others would plateau. The evidence of this is how quickly he seems to have adapted to the EPL when it took others a bit more time to shine.

I think we should be delighted rather than divided over MLS standouts heading overseas and having success. It shows the league is improving and that our very best are capable of competing at the highest or very near highest levels of world football. This is a good thing for the sport in the USA and for the MLS.
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For the record, Andrea Canales is a woman.

As a long time coach deeply involved in developing players in the US, I have to respectfully disagree. LD is the rule rather than the exception.

When players stay in the US until they have fully developed their ability, you get Reyna, McBride, Dempsey, Harkes, Wynalda, Lalas, Caliguri, Cherundulo, Bocanegra, Howard, Friedel, Hanneman, Joe Max-Moore, Donovan.

When they have dual citizenship or a European passport you get Dooley, Stewart, O'brien, Spector, DeMerit, Gooch. When they go to Europe to become a better player you get Adu, Johnson, Beasley, Edu, Altidore and until he returned to the US to complete his development, Landon Donovan.

LD is the first US player without college experience or a European passport to be successful in Europe and it took him longer than Reyna and Dempsey who had the college background. You can check if you want, but I've looked it up.

The evidence tells those of us that advise young people that the proven route to success for US players is to go to college, fully develop and mature in the United States and go where you are wanted (Europe for Harkes, Reyna, Dempsey, etc. US for Jones, Balboa, Pope, etc.)

If a youngster has dual citizenship or a foreign passport, there are more possibilities (Rossi, O'Brien, Spector, Gooch, Francisco Torres, etc.)

I am happy when players succeed on any professional team, whether it be Cobi Jones on the Galaxy, Clint Dempsey at Fulham or Landon Donovan. I'm frustrated when our best young prospects waste their precious time and talent on a pipe dream of Europe. It has never worked, not once. I'm glad LD had the sense to come home, or he may have ended up like Adu or Johnson.

Does playing in Europe make LD a better player? I would argue no. Everton doesn't give him the opportunity to fully express his wide array of abilities. Does it make him sharper. Absolutely. Should he go to Everton. Sure, if Everton wants him badly enough to buy him. He's an accomplished player. He should go with the best situation he can find. His US development path has earned him that right.
 

Catamount,

I'm not sure we are talking about the same points here. I think we define success differently. I define success as consistent first team action in top leagues. Some of the players you listed either weren't developed in the US or never truly saw much first team action in a top league.

It seems like you are coming at this from the perspective that I'm against MLS, which I'm certainly not.

As we begin to produce talent younger than 27-30 (eg. Donovan and McBride) that are truly ready to play in the top leagues, then we are getting somewhere. This already seems to be happening to some extent (eg. Dempsey and Bradley). The more this happens the more respected MLS will be. That said, MLS will always be a feeder league until it's regarded as one of the best leagues. There is no escape from, nor is there anything wrong with, that reality.

We can agree to disagree about Donovan and what he may or may not learn at Everton.

Our goalkeepers don't count in this conversation as they are always the best!(y)
 
NHRevs said:
This isn't about Landon. This is about a species of soccer fan in the U.S. we call "Eurosnobs." Look, I live in New Hampshire, and the New England Revs are my club and that's that. They're probably gonna suck this year, but they're my club. Period. Eurosnobs' attitude is that MLS sucks no matter what, and that European footy is great no matter what. There are just a couple problems: it creates a self-fulfilling Catch-22 for one, and for 2, no, MLS isn't the EPL, or the Bundesliga, nor La Liga or Serie A. No one is pretending it is. But the Scandanavian leagues, the Scottish premier league (barring, of course, the Old Firm), Belgium.... MLS is much more on that level.
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the scottish league and the scandinavian leagues have provided a hell of a lot more success stories in the prem than the mls mate. those leagues are in the shadow of the prem. but many a player has honed their skills there before coming over and making an impact in the top flight here. i like ld but lets not make out that all u.s. pro's are up to his standard, i bet there are some right duffers knocking around the squads, and some right duffer squads as well.

wasn't callum best a bit of a sensation over there in the college leagues ? don't recall much interest this side of the puddle, cos there are are players as good as and better than him to be found on school playing fields across the country
 
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The mls as a league is in an evolutionary stage,if they keep on producing players of the calibre of ld then respect from other leagues will follow thus elevating their status on a world stage.
Both ld and the lms will benefit from the time ld will spend at everton be that on a permanent or temporary basis.
For the record i hope we do negotiate a transfer with ld and the lms,he is a fine aquisition to the team.
 
NHRevs said:
This isn't about Landon. This is about a species of soccer fan in the U.S. we call "Eurosnobs." Look, I live in New Hampshire, and the New England Revs are my club and that's that. They're probably gonna suck this year, but they're my club. Period. Eurosnobs' attitude is that MLS sucks no matter what, and that European footy is great no matter what. There are just a couple problems: it creates a self-fulfilling Catch-22 for one, and for 2, no, MLS isn't the EPL, or the Bundesliga, nor La Liga or Serie A. No one is pretending it is. But the Scandanavian leagues, the Scottish premier league (barring, of course, the Old Firm), Belgium.... MLS is much more on that level.
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I am one of those that can find joy in all the various leagues. I like the MLS as I am a Sounders supporter. I am also realistic in what level it is currently but I see progress. I also find joy in various Euro leagues but I definitely don't like those that think one or the other as if you can't enjoy both stateside and Europe.
 
Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian said:
the scottish league and the scandinavian leagues have provided a hell of a lot more success stories in the prem than the mls mate.
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Haven't Scottish and Scandinavian leagues been around for considerably longer than MLS? Say, maybe ten time longer? There are also work permit differences, no?

Not saying I disagree with you about the level of MLS too much, but not sure that pointing to Scottish success is making your argument work, I tend to see MLS as about mid-to-lower table Cola. Very hard to make a good comparison, though, as the squads are far smaller, and the stadium atmosphere and weather conditions are so different (the summer heat in MLS makes for a very different pace).
 

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