Alright, I just read an AP article on Soccernet that said Landon Donovan is going to come back to MLS (LA Galaxy) when the new MLS season starts in April. This is just four months after he returned to Bayer Leverkusen.

Personally, I think Donovan is a homebody and overrated. Sure, he can score 10 goals a season in MLS, but can't cut it in the Bundesliga. I don't know how anyone can consider him to be a world class player if he's still playing in MLS. I look at someone like DaMarcus Beasley or Greg Vanney, who have tried their trade in Europe (Beasley and Vanney have both been successful, although Vanney has been frozen out lately and his team is going down--but at last he gave it a run). Then, I look at Claudio Reyna, clearly the best player America has ever produced, and he's been successful all over Europe--Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland, Man City...In my book, Donovan is taking the easy road, the comfortable path. I mean, did Donovan think he was just going to hop over to Germany and start every match??! I've read that the coach doesn't like him so much, but hell, it's his job to play so well in practice that the coach has to play him, whether he likes it or not.

I suppose my only suggestion for him would be to scrap the idea of playing in MLS, and try to catch on with a team in Spain or France. I know he is fluent in Spanish, so I'm sure he'd be more comfortable over there, and I think Spanish football suits his style of play more than German. Same goes for the football played in Ligue 1. I look at a team like Villarreal or Lyon, and they could sign Donovan on a loan deal or a cheap transfer and give him a wonderful chance to showcase his skills. Stay in Europe, though!

Just my ranting...

I couldn't disagree with you more about Donovan... the US team made a huge push in the '02 WC, and 3 of the 4 scorers of the US represented this inferior MLS... I just think Donovan is the heart of the US team, and he's got some kind of serious spark... just my opinion though


My favorite quote on the Mexico-US game tomorrow came from Alexi Lalas... "If you're a Mexican soccer fan, it must be incredibly disheartening at this point. Because that one thing that you could pin your hopes on was, At least we're going to kick your ass on the soccer field. When that's taken away, it must be derpessing. But I'll tell you what: We've taken that away, and we're not giving it back. It's up to them to come and get it. And I hope that we keep kicking their ass, time and time again."

I'd much rather see Americans in leagues that don't suck, like Spain or England.

I've had Earthquakes/Clash season tickets since the inception of MLS, and seeing Landon Donovan in person all these years there is no way he is overrated. Sure MLS isn't like the leagues in Europe, but he is such an amazing player. It's not just the goals he scores, it's the way he sets up everyone else.

Hmm, I'm going to take this moment to ask you some tough questions without having to worry about all the bullshit that goes on at BigSoccer.


1) Do you think the 'Quakes are going to be able to stay in San Jose, realistically? What do you think would have to happen for this to occur?


2) How would you feel about Landon, after all those years in the blue, suddenly returning to play for your arch-rival?


3) Is Chicago going to beat the shit out of everyone this year?

First off, I love that Alexi quote. He may not be the best defender we've ever had, but he was damn good. I also liked the one about Cobi coughing up "something that looked like a brownie." That's Alexi at his finest...

I just think Landon will never be a world-class soccer player until he proves it in one of the top leagues, much like Claudio, Alexi, and Tab did. Even now, Damarcus is doing it not through the Eredivisie, but because he's banging in goals in the Champions League.

And, I WANT him to do it in Spain, England, or Italy because I want the world to know that America can produce amazing creative and offensive talent, not just defenders and goalkeepers. And I think Landon can be that initial player.

But hey, if he signs for the Galaxy, I'll definitely hop on the metro to see them play United this year;)

Haha, as a non-SJ fan:

1) No.

2) I'd want to cut his Benedict Arnold-balls off. But our rival has a new rival, and we won't have a team next year, so maybe I don't really care.

3) No. Unless Peter Nowak quits his job in DC and moves back to the Midwest, along with Damani Ralph and Damarcus.


By the way, is Zach Thornton coming back to MLS? I haven't seen anything on Yanks-Abroad about him, so I was just wondering.

Also, why the hell would Damani Ralph leave to play for a mid-table Russian team? He must've been living on the southside making $25,000 a year from MLS. F*ckin' cheapskate league...How do we lose quality players to the Russian Premier League of all places?

$2 mil transfer. That's how. (Yet the league turns down $5 mil for Johnson?)


And yes, Thornton will be the starting keeper for Chicago this year.

1) No, we're lucky to have a team this year. It would take a dramatic increase in attendance this year, and/or finding the right ownership group willing to keep them here.

2) Kind of torn on this one. Landon has been treated really well here in San Jose, but I understand the desire to play near home. I think if he comes back to MLS he should play for San Jose.

3. I would be surprised if Chicago won it all, certainly not going to be the Quakes.

Since you're a San Jose fan, maybe you can help me out. Why can't the Earthquakes get 15,000 people a game?! You have some of the most entertaining players in MLS and yet people still don't give a shit. It makes me mad, because I feel like there are other cities out there who would love to an MLS team...

I don't get it either. The Quakes have won 2 championships in the last 4 years, arguably had the most entertaining player in MLS (although he did miss a few games due to national team commitments) and they still can't draw.

The best reason I can come up with is that there aren't enough people here willing to spend their money to watch MLS soccer. If you go to the San Jose message board at bigsoccer.com, it's funny the reasons people will come up with. There are a lot of soccer fans here in the Bay Area, but I think a lot of them look at MLS as an inferior product when compared to Mexico, Europe, and the rest of the world.

That, and who wants to watch a game in fucking Spartan?

Is it that bad?

I've heard as such.

It's an old stadium, but it's not that bad. The worst thing is the bench seating in the entire stadium except for one section. I like it because it's pretty small, and I live 5 minutes from it. Rumors around here are they might move to Santa Clara (10-15 minutes north) and get a new stadium which I think would help increase attendance.

I would support this.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=328994&cc=5901


I couldn't have said it any better.

so it's official, Donovan is quitting Bayer and returning to MLS.

What a loser.