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TGIF: Donovan is coming back, but 2009 should be his MLS farewell

Landon Donovan (ISIphotos.com) 

                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

Landon Donovan is coming back to MLS.

No, that isn't a surprise. Anyone who tracked his loan with Bayern Munich saw his stock take an AIG-like tumble in recent weeks. We all knew he was returning, but what the LA Galaxy's announcement on Thursday did was help bring some sense of calm over what has become a circus-like atmosphere in Galaxy-land thanks to Mr. Posh.

It is easy for some to forget that Donovan has been the most stable part of the Galaxy organization, and has been for years, which is why the Galaxy couldn't wait to let it's fans know that all was not last as David Beckham sat in Italy begging not to come back to MLS.

As much as the whole Beckham fiasco has probably made Galaxy fans more grateful for still having Donovan, the reality is that it is time for Donovan to go to Europe and stay in Europe. Yes, we have heard that before, but the difference now is that Donovan actually wants to go, and he looks ready to make the most of the opportunity.

For all intents and purposes, the 2009 MLS season should serve as Donovan's farewell tour. Forget that whole Beckham coming back at mid-season tour (which has disaster written all over it, if that scenario actually plays out). The upcoming season should be Donovan's last in MLS before he goes and gives Europe one more proper try.

The Bayern Munich loan was anything but your standard move and can't be counted as a legitimate chance for Donovan. As much as Juergen Klinsmann likes Donovan and wanted to give him a chance, the Bayern Munich board was never really interested and the only way Donovan could have changed its mind was with a string of Bundesliga goals.

The goals never came and Donovan never really settled in, even after a promising run-up to the second half of the season. He showed an ability to get involved, and make good decisions, but he never did make an impact and failed to give Klinsmann the ammunition to try and lobby for a transfer.

Does this mean Donovan's chances of ever succeeding in Europe are over? Not in the least. If anything, his time at Bayern has shown us a player far more comfortable on the European stage than the one we saw struggle badly in his second go-round with Bayer Leverkusen. No, Donovan didn't dominate, but he did show glimpses of a player who is better equipped for the move overseas.

That is why 2009 has to be it for Donovan in MLS. He has done more than enough for the league during his career, and after this season he should be given every opportunity to make a permanent move abroad to a club where he will be given a legitimate chance to settle in and become a solid contributor.

Whether Donovan actually succeeds once he goes to Europe isn't the point. What matters is that Donovan has earned the chance to try. He has one more year to help the Galaxy find stability and its first playoff berth in three years, but after that MLS and the Galaxy should make it as easy as possible for Donovan to move on. After years as the only reliable figure in the circus known as the Galaxy, Donovan has earned that right.

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What do you think about Donovan's return to MLS? Is it time for him to leave the league? Think he should give up on his European dreams? Do you see him going to Europe next winter and being a star?

Share your thoughts below.

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Comments

  1. donovan fighting with Arshavin ohh that is a good one… it would be like tyson in his prime for pee wee herman donvoan is not even close to being arshavin aresenal caliber.

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  2. I agree with you, Ives. I’m actually hoping he can go in the summer transfer window; if not, definitely during the winter transfer. MLS needs to help him out and lower his transfer fee, especially given the economic times we live in.

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  3. “the premier league is to physical for donvoan no way he would succeed there. and no way he would be goo d enough for any la liga team nor will any la liga team consider him. he is the most creative american player but when it comes to la liga no way does he have the technique or abiltiy to hang. the only league he could POSIBBLY succeed in are france or holland. holland he could play as a wing forward for on of the big three and score 10-15 goals, other than that he is not really fit for europe. he would do better in mexico.”

    Wow, I think a big European club should hire you as a scout. You seem to have everything figured out…

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  4. I absolutely agree that Donovan needs to go to Europe, seems to want to, and looks more ready to suceed then he did in his previous endeavors. Unfortunately, I don’t think Donovan’s contract with MLS ends until 2010. So hopefully MLS does not ask for too much and keep potential suitors away.

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  5. In my opinion La Liga would be best for him, I like the idea someone said if Valencia sells Villa, Donovan could go there.

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  6. It wouldn’t shock me to see LD end up with Arsenal if he ends up in Englad. Gazidis is obviously familiar with him, and he could fit into Arsenal’s style – though he and Arshavin would be fighting for minutes.

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  7. He seems to have really grown up since the WC 06 horrible performance. I find myself rooting for him now which is a big switch from how I felt about him in the aftermath of the last WC. I hope he gets his chance with the right situation where he can really show his talents.

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  8. Landon’s in kind of a pickle as far as transferring goes.

    The rich clubs like the Big 4 and RM and Barca in Spain who can afford his pricetag (more than the $10 mill for Jozy, obviously) will be able to recruit the best of anyone internationally.

    The mid-table clubs probably wouldn’t be interested in paying that much for him. They seem to be bargain hunters like Moyes (Everton).

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  9. 1. Let me add to what Ives said about why this Beckham thing has disaster all over it for LAG. They will have to cut a pretty good player (who you assume is playing an important role on the team) to free cap and roster room for Beckham. He’ll be coming back after 1/2 season in Italy (which just begs injury for an over 30 player). He’s got several English NT matches. Even if he doesn’t miss any LAG games, the flite from LA to London–that’s a doozy. I’m going to be surprised if Beckham plays more than 8 games for the LAG this season.

    2. While I agree with Ives philosphically, as a selfish NT supporter, I’d look for Landon to make his move in August 2010. Here’s why:
    –if he moves at the August transfer window and goes to a club where he plays a lot of minutes, this will have been near constant soccer for Donovan since January 2009 (and this will be a busy summer for him given Confed Cup, Gold Cup and WCQs). I’d expect him to be worn out or injured by South Africa.
    –if he goes to a club either in August or January and then doesn’t play much, we get a critical NT member going into the WC who has basically gotten minutes only from USNT matches. That’s a bad way to round Donovan into form.

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  10. He just needs to go somewhere that’ll play him….he didnt wow enough to go too high up in europe, you’d think….but lets all hope he can go to a top league, play regularly, and tally some goals/assists.

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  11. murphy… if you’re one of the gals, and superstar DB begrudgingly comes back mid-season to your club, gets the fanfare and glory after you’ve worked your a$$ off all season longhow do you feel? especially after he’s dissed the club/league. i know i wouldn’t want him in my locker room. give me two decent guys in leiu of DB’s 400,000 hit. actually it wouldn’t take much to find someone for under 200k to match DB’s stats from last year. it would take even less to find someone to trot around the field aimlessly ala becks in the 2nd half of the season.

    but then, if becks does come back for that half season, i WILL make it a point to make it to some galaxy games in order to jeer him.

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  12. A move in 2010 doesn’t make a ton of sense since that is a WC year and he’ll be wanted in the US for long camps away from Europe throughout most of winter 2010 and then will miss the the benefit of being in midseason form as MLS players are when WC begins that summer.

    Or am I wrong?

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  13. John Godfrey – write your own EDITORIAL piece on the subject and include whatever info you want. This is Ives’ opinion. It is not an article on how to make the move happen. It’s simply an opinion that he should go.

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  14. Donovan would only get regular playing time in a relegation battle type team. He would be 27 or 28 by then. He is too small and weak for the EPL imo.

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  15. I don’t think anyone should have expected Lando to dominate at one of the few legitimate “big clubs” in Europe. This little offseason loan spell kept him in shape AND guaranteed that he would gladly be signed (not necessarily by another “big club”) permanently in any European league he wants to go to.

    I hate the way he acts in MLS, diving and screaming at referees and acting like he’s a god, and how dare anyone tackle him? But that’s not the real Donovan…he is a different creature for the national team and was for Bayern.

    Bottom line is, if he can get MLS to sell him, he is gone, and if he picks the right team he will be a first XI player. That team might not be Bayern, but few are. Or, one is, to be exact. 😛

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  16. the premier league is to physical for donvoan no way he would succeed there. and no way he would be goo d enough for any la liga team nor will any la liga team consider him. he is the most creative american player but when it comes to la liga no way does he have the technique or abiltiy to hang. the only league he could POSIBBLY succeed in are france or holland. holland he could play as a wing forward for on of the big three and score 10-15 goals, other than that he is not really fit for europe. he would do better in mexico.

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  17. is he under contract until 2010? 2011? beyond? is there an escape clause of any sort? these are knowable facts that should be part of the story, in my opinion.

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  18. After the Beckham fiasco, I truly appreciate Donovan. I am no longer on the fence about him. He was inconsistent in the past, but at least he was always dedicated to the club. Unlike that traitorous disloyal dog they call David Beckham. If Beckham returns, I hope we (Galaxy) don’t win the MLS Cup. I’d hate to see him get any glory or think he played any positive role for the club. Like George Lopez says, FTP!

    If you don’t know what that means, look for it on youtube.

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  19. I think Donovan coming back from Bayern Munich is a blessing in disguise. His only champion at the club – Klinsmann – will be gone soon and LD would have become immediately unwanted. It’s happening to far too many great young American players as it is.

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  20. Agree with one of the other posters. Mid-table Prem club. Everton, A-Villa, Fulham (they’re mid-table now…for a little while anyway)or Wet Spam. I think it would be a good idea for him to be in or near London. I used to think Spain was a good idea too….but i’m not certain anymore.

    Midtable Prem or top two in Holland. He’d have a blast in Holland….at least on the field.

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  21. I think the loan was very good for Landon. In the games I saw him play in, it seemed that the other BM players did not want to involve him at all, so he seemed lost, out of the cog. I think he could do well with the right club if he is put in the right position with the right type of club. A midlevel Spanish league team that allows him to play in some space would be great.

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  22. It’s hard to be impressive when you only get 10-20 minutes a game and the last whistle blows before you get a chance to relaly settle into it. Sadly, in the games where he had more time on the field it seems like there was never any proper service for him or Klose or Toni or whoever was left in. Under those circumstances, not much you can do.

    That being said, I agree that he showed great potential and given a team in the right situation I’m sure he will stand out. I could see him with a Prem club, even Arsenal, as much as I hate the Gunners.

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  23. “. . . what has become a circus-like atmosphere in Galaxy-land thanks to Mr. Posh.”

    then

    “After years as the only reliable figure in the circus known as the Galaxy. . .
    —————————————–
    First it’s DB’s fault, then it’s always been that way?

    Glad you figured that one out in the end. Us SJ fans have known that all along 🙂

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  24. No offense but are people really this clueless? If Donovan were out of contract after this year we would have heard about it by now. He’s under contract for a few more years. That’s common knowledge to anybody paying attention.

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  25. I would think buying Donovan would be a good marketing decision for a team, no? It would increase their profile here in the States and they would sell tons of his shirts. How many shirts does Donovan sell in a season?

    I would’ve bought a Donovan 13 shirt from his time in Bayern…

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  26. John, did you miss this line near the end, “but after that MLS and the Galaxy should make it as easy as possible for Donovan to move on.”

    This means he is under contract beyond 2009, because if he was free after 2009 MLS and the Galaxy couldn’t get in his way anyway, could they? As it stands, MLS and the Galaxy will control what Donovan can do after 2009 and in my opinion they should let him go and not make it overly difficult for him to leave.

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  27. why is beckham coming back to the us such a disaster? i think fans would enjoy booing him every time he touches the ball, and mls would get some good exposure with him in his role as league villain.

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  28. I think LD can succeed in a top UEFA league, but not as a target forward. To me, he appeared overmatched in that role against Bundesliga defenders. Put him in the midfield from where he can make his trademark deep runs, and he’ll do fine.

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  29. Two things:

    1) When he was given minutes, he scored (albeit these were friendlies).

    2) How do you write a 600-word piece about LD possibly going to Europe next year without once referencing his contract status? It seems to me that this will be a fundamental component of the equation.

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  30. JMac, as far as I know Donovan still has option years on his deal, which is why I wrote that MLS needs to make it as easy as possible for him to leave. That doesn’t mean letting him walk for free, but it does mean being reasonable on the transfer fee they look for.

    As for why Beckham returning at mid-season will be a disaster, are there people who really like that idea? He doesn’t want to play here anymore. Having him comeback for a half season seems pretty pointless. Not saying he won’t try hard, but there is going to be a backlash if Beckham stays at Milan and then shows up at mid-season when it is clear he will leave after the 2009 season. I just don’t see the point, but that’s just my opinion.

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  31. Dear Landon Donovan:

    Please enjoy your year at MLS and do not get hurt. Please adivse your agent to seek interest from teams in Spain. The climate, speed and style of play, and language all suit you. Please pick a mid-table team which allow you get get ample playing time with the first team.

    Regards,

    Matt

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  32. As soon as Donovan and Beckham are gone the Galaxy can actually concentrate on putting together a real team.

    A real lower-tier team like the rest of MLS has. Putting world class players to play next to USL imports doesn’t work. Its all about the quality of the team not the quality of two of its players.

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  33. Is he out of contract after 2009? Will MLS’ transfer fee price be too high and scare off bidders? These are crucial questions.

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  34. @ Will

    It’s not about the money. For Donovan it should be about the level of competition and the respect. I’m sure he would have taken a pay cut to play regularly for BM.

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  35. A team in Europe has to want him, has to buy him, has to pay him, and has to play him – regardless of what any of us say “should” happen in his career. But I agree he has nothing more to prove in MLS – he actually hasnt had much to prove for the past several years.

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  36. He will be a diamond wherever he ends up after this season. We’ll need him to be at the peak of his career at World Cup 2010 if the U.S. is to do well.

    Buck Feckham.

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  37. I think if the salary cap is raised in a new collective bargaining agreement, the Galaxy might be able to make him an offer worth staying.

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  38. I agree. He needs to go overseas after this season. I think he looked a lot better over there than earlier attempts. He should go to Germany or Spain after the MLS Season and be ready to go for the summer of 2010.

    Ives–could you write more on why you think Beckham coming back in July will be a disaster for the Galaxy? I think its better than not having him. Beckham always seemed to give a lot of effort when in L.A. It would be great if they could make the playoffs and make a run as Beckham’s farewell…

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  39. Lets hope LD’s next foray into Europe will not be in the Bundesliga. I would like to see him with a lower table English or Spanish first division club, so he can play regularly.

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  40. I thought he looked decent in the relatively few minutes he was given. He will easily fit in and contribute in any number of Euro clubs. I could definitely see a mid-table EPL club or maybe a fringe top team in La Liga.

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