OT: USA Women's and Men's Soccer Team

[sandiego17]

I love what LD has done for soccer in the US. But, we are thinking of this with too much emotion. The truth is LD, great as he has been, is probably on the downside of his career. Klinnsman has an idea of what he is trying to get done, and he is the one who knows what players he needs.

As awesome as it would be to see him out there again, we also want to make sure this isn't like trotting out Johnny U when he was finished just because he's Johnny U when there's somebody better behind him on the bench.

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I'm not ready to accept logic, still in the emotional phase ! Brad Davis? Come on Juergen!

[oneinchpunch]

I think he's had it in for LD because of the sabbatical.

It sucks. Took a bit of joy out of the WC for me

[sandiego17]

I think he's had it in for LD because of the sabbatical.

Or something else, but definitely more than just performance. Jonathan Klinsmann, classless idiot that he is, does confirm that.

[SFW]

I love what LD has done for soccer in the US. But, we are thinking of this with too much emotion. The truth is LD, great as he has been, is probably on the downside of his career. Klinnsman has an idea of what he is trying to get done, and he is the one who knows what players he needs.

As awesome as it would be to see him out there again, we also want to make sure this isn't like trotting out Johnny U when he was finished just because he's Johnny U when there's somebody better behind him on the bench.

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I agree with this.

[SFW]

Or something else, but definitely more than just performance. Jonathan Klinsmann, classless idiot that he is, does confirm that.

I don't see anything classless about Klinsmann and he is definitely not an idiot.

“This is certainly one of the toughest decisions — the toughest decision in my coaching career – to tell a player like him with everything he’s done and what he represents, to tell him that you’re not part of those 23 right now,” Klinsmann said in a video released Thursday by US Soccer. “I just see some other players slightly ahead of him.”

“The last 10 days he did everything right,” Klinsmann said of Donovan’s performance in training camp. “He was always positive, he took it the best way possible. So his disappointment is huge. I totally understand that. He took it very professional, because he’s an outstanding professional player and he knows that I have the highest respect for him.

“But I have to make the decisions as of today. I have to make the decisions what is good today for this group going into Brazil and I just think that the other guys right now are a little bit ahead of him and I told him that. And he understands it, but obviously he’s very disappointed.”

[sandiego17]

Not Juergen, Jonathan. I respect Juergen and I do agree he has every right to chose his team, just completely disagree with this decision. Google Jonathan Klinsmann and Donovan.

"HHAHAHAHAHAHAHA DONOVAN HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Stay classy young man.

http://www.thescore.com/worldcup/news/506992

[Bolt-O]

It's all probably a 'chemistry' thing. So far, I like what Klinsmann has done with the team, and he is looking to develop for the long run. He's already much better than Bob Bradley was. Arguably LD is better than many on the team in the midfield, and has the caps, but if your 'star' can't get with your program, and he has lots of mileage, you probably would be best to not start him, but if the player insists on starting, you'll have problems on the team. I'd hate to make that decision, we'll see if it works out.

[SFW]

Not Juergen, Jonathan. I respect Juergen and I do agree he has every right to chose his team, just completely disagree with this decision. Google Jonathan Klinsmann and Donovan.

"HHAHAHAHAHAHAHA DONOVAN HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Stay classy young man.

http://www.thescore.com/worldcup/news/506992

My bad, I missed that you were talking about his son. And yes, that was a very classless response by his son.

[Yubaking]

I love what LD has done for soccer in the US. But, we are thinking of this with too much emotion. The truth is LD, great as he has been, is probably on the downside of his career. Klinnsman has an idea of what he is trying to get done, and he is the one who knows what players he needs.

As awesome as it would be to see him out there again, we also want to make sure this isn't like trotting out Johnny U when he was finished just because he's Johnny U when there's somebody better behind him on the bench.

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I disagree with your assertion. Any emotion I have about this comes from my belief that Klinsmann just weakened our chances by not including Donovan on the roster.

Given the history between Donovan and Klinsmann, it is difficult to see this as anything other than petty and unprofessional, contrary to the opinion of some. This goes back to Donovan's lack of success in Germany several years ago. It can be seen further in comments made by Klinsmann leading up to this latest roster decision questioning Donovan's commitment and insisting that Donovan is only a forward, as opposed to being both a forward and midfielder, thereby ignoring the extra value that Donovan has as a player that can play multiple positions and deselecting Donovan from the larger and arguably softer list of midfielder candidates, making it easier for Klinsmann to justify the decision that it now appears he was eager to make all along. The social media commentary of Klinsmann's son only reinforces the notion that there is a palpable animosity between Klinsmann and Donovan. Why else would Klinsmann's son respond in such a pronounced fashion?

Further, I find it difficult to justify the conclusion that Donovan, the face of U.S. soccer, is not among the team's best 23 players (or 22 given the likely quid pro quo arrangement that brought Green to the team--there does not seem to be any other basis for Green's inclusion on the final roster).

We all understand that Donovan is on the downside of his career and that he never would have played 90 minutes in every game for us. But he would have made a strong reserve option and strong presence in the locker room. This is especially so in light of the teams we have drawn in the "Group of Death". Does anyone really think that we will have even close to 50% of the possession against either Portugal or Germany? That seems highly unlikely to me. And that means that we may be in a position of having to counterattack as our primary means of generating goal scoring opportunities. To me, that means Donovan, not Brad Davis, who is actually older than Donovan.

Also, who thinks we are going to score on a set piece against Germany? Not likely. The center of the German defense has three solid options for two starting spots, none of which is shorter than 6'4". German air superiority indicates that we will likely need to generate scoring chances in regular possession by making quick passes into space and running onto balls, weaving our way around the trees, not through them or over them. To me, that means Donovan, not Davis.

And to the extent that people think Davis offers something in terms of his ability on free kicks, then I would submit that carrying 8 defenders is unnecessary and that a roster adjustment should have been made to accommodate Donovan, who definitely offers more than the 8th defender. There is no denying that Donovan has the ability to create goal scoring opportunities. And it would not surprise me if at some point late in one or more of our group games, we might find ourselves down a goal, needing to score to salvage a point. I think that is where we will miss having the ability to bring Donovan in as a late substitute.

Finally, cutting Donovan is a very controversial move that Klinsmann cannot successfully portray as entirely dispassionate no matter how much he may wish to characterize it in that fashion. It is the kind of move that can lose Klinsmann the respect of some of his players and that can create discord and factions among the players, especially the veterans, which could also potentially weaken the team by harming team unity and creating distrust for Klinsmann. The move is also a bad move from that standpoint.

So I do not like the move because I think it is bad for the team, not because of some emotional reaction about Donovan being somehow entitled to a spot he did not earn.

[sandiego17]

So I do not like the move because I think it is bad for the team, not because of some emotional reaction about Donovan being somehow entitled to a spot he did not earn.

Emotion is not the reason I hate the move, I think it's a horrible decision, but no doubt I had an emotional reaction (ya, I know). It f'n pissed me off and continues to piss me off. I don't think there are many who could argue with a straight face that Davis is more deserving of a WC roster spot or will be more useful to the team. Hell, even Jonathan Klinsmann doesn't even believe Davis is better than LD, and we know how he feels about Donovan.

[Yubaking]

Emotion is not the reason I hate the move, I think it's a horrible decision, but no doubt I had an emotional reaction (ya, I know). It f'n pissed me off and continues to piss me off. I don't think there are many who could argue with a straight face that Davis is more deserving of a WC roster spot or will be more useful to the team. Hell, even Jonathan Klinsmann doesn't even believe Davis is better than LD, and we know how he feels about Donovan.

I have had the same kind of reaction as you.

I don't think keeping Davis over Donovan can be justified with a straight face either.

I was objecting to the poster that suggested that reaching a conclusion that Donovan should have been kept had to have been some sort of emotional reaction (with the implication being that such a conclusion was not well thought out). In my view, the reasons to keep Donovan are factual and straightforward and have nothing to do with emotion.

I agree 100% with you that the decision not to include Donovan on the roster was not just bad, but was horrible as you stated.

[UtahBolt]

What is the history of bad blood between LD and Klinsmann's kid?