Landon Donovan is NOT going to the World Cup this summer. Yep …quite the shocker. So unless you’ve been stuck under a rock or watching the hockey play-offs like every other red-blooded American, there’s no way you’ve missed this controversial drama play out over the past couple of weeks. It’s been quite a bombshell for US soccer fans and we can’t let it go — just yet anyways.
And, I’ll just say …pretty ballsy move there Klinsmann. Accurate or not, if the US fail, supporters will most likely point to Donovan being left off the squad as the reason.
We are in the Group of Death for God’s sake and having LD’s name on the roster was, at the very least, a binky to help us self-soothe World Cup nerves. No doubt Donovan is a LegenD, scoring more goals for the US than any other American in history (57 Goals and 156 Caps). And, it’s fair to say he’s scored the most exciting one too …ever. (Remember THIS World Cup moment?).
Now, I do love a good debate …over drinks, of course. So, I’ve applied myself in the best way I know how to the Donovan controversy and settled on 3 things I’ll be watching for (despite NO Donovan) in Game 1 against Ghana (June 16).
1. Calm Confidence …bookies always say that you should never bet on a hyper horse before a race, right?
2. Solid defense …closing up those gaping holes everyone has been talking about.
3. Attacking …back to #1. I just want to see these boys play to win.
Jürgen Klinsmann knows what it takes to win a World Cup. He actually achieved it as a player for the German side in 1990. Truth be told, I’d be very curious to know how much Donovan’s decision to take his little sabbatical played into all this. Klinsmann is after all infamous for his “commitment” to winning. Regardless, I’ve put Donovan behind me and decided to trust our coach and, at the very least, get behind him. It’s the American thing to do!
Plus, we can always vilify Klinsmann later, right?