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Mid-Day Ticker: Donovan wins Everton award, Blatter faces challenger and more

DonovanGetty

By AVI CREDITOR

Landon Donovan has won over everyone from Everton's manager to teammates to the UK media since his loan spell in England began early last month.

Now he has won over Everton's fans as well.

Donovan was named Everton's Player of the Month, an award voted on by the Toffees' supporters.

In four Premier League appearances in January, Donovan scored one goal and assisted on another. His form carried over into February, as he put forth his best effort in Everton's 2-1 upset of table-leaders Chelsea on Feb. 10.

Donovan and Everton face another challenge Saturday, as they welcome Manchester United to Goodison Park.

Here are some other stories from Thursday:

BLATTER TO FACE OPPOSITION IN 2011

Sepp Blatter will be gunning for his fourth term as FIFA president when he is up for re-election in the summer of 2011, but this time he expects to face at least one challenger.

At an unannounced appearance in front of reporters at FIFA's headquarters, Blatter offered that he is prepared to run against "a candidate from Asia" whom he didn't name. Reports suggest that he could be referring to Asian Football Confederation chief Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Blatter has been FIFA's president since 1998, when he took over for Joao Havelange. He ran unopposed when he secured his third term.

TOGO DECISION DELAYED

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has delayed making its decision whether to overturn the ban levied on the Togo national team.

The ban, which stipulates that Togo cannot compete in the next two African Cup of Nations tournaments (2012, 2014), was appealed earlier this month.

By not having the ban overturned, Togo will not be included in Saturday's draw for the 2012 qualifying matches, which begin next September. However, if the ban is eventually lifted, the draw will be redone at a later date, according to the BBC.

PORTSMOUTH LOOKING TO SELL PLAYERS NOW

Portsmouth, in desperate need of money before a March 1 court date that will determine whether the club must shut down, has asked the Premier League if it can operate outside the transfer window and sell players now to raise funds.

The club needs approval from the Premier League, the English Football Association and FIFA before going ahead with any moves.

VIEIRA ACCEPTS SUSPENSION

Manchester City's Patrick Vieira has decided not to appeal the three-game suspension he received for kicking Stoke City's Glenn Whelan in the groin in their match earlier this week.

Vieira will miss Premier League games against Liverpool and Chelsea and an FA Cup replay against Stoke while he sits out.

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Think Donovan can keep his form for Everton? Would you like to see someone else in charge at FIFA? Surprised that Togo's verdict hasn't been decided yet? Should Portsmouth be able to make moves outside of the transfer window?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think this is bad news for Donvan – in the most recent game, after being player of the match in the prior game, the other players did not let him take any of the corner kicks or any of the free kicks. It also seemed that some of the other players were unwilling to pass to him. I expect that after getting this award he will be lucky to get any touches of the ball in tomorrow’s game. 🙂

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  2. Anyone know how the Everton Player of the Month voting was done? Was it purely unregistered internet voting like some clubs? I am a long time defender of LD and think he has done well so far at Everton, so I am not trying to rain on his parade here. I am curious though, as to whether his votes could be artificially inflated by Americans. Anyone know? I do think it is a good sign that Everton are having LD at a shirt signing. That’s not typical for a loaned player, that I know of, unless it is tied to being named player of the month.

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  3. Love to see Landon stay at Everton. Has an ideal situation. Good team, great league, coach in his corner, fan support, friendly media. Also, Everton has an articulate player who can be easily marketed. This is it. His time. MLS did right, inking him to a deal. Can’t let their marquee player go for free. Hopefully, the two can come to terms.

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  4. Here’s hoping Landon comes back to MLS. I’m selfish. I want to see him play in person as often as I can. Besides, he’ll be going downhill by the time the next WC rolls around, so it’s not as though we as a country stand much to gain from him developing over there. Let him go to Europe and rock out on loan every winter, then come back here and mentor young Americans and raise the level of play here every summer. The only way to raise the profile of MLS is for players who could succeed elsewhere to stay here by choice. That’s the message the rest of the world needs to hear. Again: I’m selfish.

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  5. Landon has shown he can play at any level and can play down to any level. You cant hide in the EPL, but in the MLS or the NATs no one will dare to go after him for not putting out. He needs to be challenged and not babied like he is here. We are not getting the best out of him. You think ole Bob goes after him for his def at times? I am sure they do at Everton.

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  6. Landon seems to do well at Everton because he’s not depended on as much to provide for most of the creativity and can focus on taking players on, providing service, and combining with different players.

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  7. I’m a big Pompey fan, but they can’t be allowed to sell outside the Transfer Windows. The team can get some deals in place for transfers once the summer window opens up again. Maybe some cash advances on those if the buying club would agree (i wouldn’t), but enough is enough.

    Pompey needs to go into Administration, take their drop and re-group next season. Maybe the club can get promoted in the next 2 or 3 years and start over with better financial regulations.

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  8. Where are all the Landon haters that said that he wouldn’t even score in the EPL on this loan spell?

    Blatter needed to go yesterday.

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  9. Great for Donovan and American fans. Not only did he win best player of the month for Everton, but did it in the Best league in the world! I’m very proud.

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  10. I don’t disagree that FIFA needs a new president. But, Mohammed Bin Hammam has a really long list of enemies both within and without FIFA. This is a man who was so reviled that last year the East Asian feds threatened to leave the AFC when he was running for reelection.

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  11. Nightmare scenario for MLS: Landon finally moves to Europe permenantly, Becks is exhausted at the end of the World Cup (all this possibly coming off or in the midst of labor dispute)…who the hell is on the ESPN commercials?

    If he goes, MLS and the owners are going to have to figure something out. The league would survive but marketability would be in deep trouble. Landon leaving may be good for the league in the long run, in that it may force some of these ownership groups that actually have money to spend it. Because without the reliance on a few big names, they’re going to need to become more active in the international market.

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  12. Landon has finally found a situtation where he fits a good team’s needs in the starting XI, the manager believes in him, and the fans like him. If the U.S. has a good World Cup, he may get offers from bigger names, but I hope he sees the good thing he has and, if he has the option to return to Everton, that he doesn’t leave only to risk sitting on the bench for a “bigger” club. So many superstars seem to leave good situtations, intentionally or not, and find themselves worse off even if they still wear a great shirt. If Landon lights it up for a full season with Everton, maybe he should take that chance. But not now.

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  13. Congratulations to Landon! I’m really happy for him.

    But I’m not surprised he is doing so well. I always knew he could play at the highest level. I just wish he could stay. Not because I think it would make him better (which it may), but because it’s so much fun to watch him play against a high level competition.

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  14. great! hahahahaha!

    it’s pretty obvious which country has a bigger bias against American footballers. it makes Frings’ handball that much harder to stomach.

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  15. Would love to see someone new in the FIFA chair. Not sure that it should be the Asia guy because he struggled with his last election there if I remember correctly. How about Beckenbaur or Platini (sp).

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  16. How do you figure that he “has accomplished all that he can over there” in a span of two months? Winning a championship in any league is a rare feat and is definitely not the measure of a successful player. There are many great footballers who have been on very successful teams who have never garnered a league championship.

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  17. Good work Lando.

    It’s time for somebody else at the head of FIFA… although I’m sure with all the bureaucratic crap that goes on there that the next guy won’t be much different. Probably just more biased to the continent he comes from.

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  18. Nah Nick, don’t think I am going that far.

    I just want to be able to see him ( them ) play.

    I figured out I have seen Landon play 6-7 times in the last 10 years (away from national team). Seattle was non MLS until this year.

    I have seen the rest of the US National team playing in Europe zero times…combined.

    Henry will be here soon enough. He will not play for the non-winners in Europe. Too much money to be made coming here.

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  19. LOL right… and he has a ton left to accomplish in MLS, right?

    He’s won the MLS Cup, been MVP, won the Golden Boot, and had a feud with the most recognizable footballer in the world… what else is there left to do in MLS????

    In Europe he’s playing for a Europa-level EPL team and has earned a well-deserved starting role that he realistically could use to muscle out a permanent deal.

    So what you’re saying is you want him playing consistent MLS games against inferior opponents and maybe some CONCACAF Champions League instead of:
    –a consistent starter in EPL games against arguably the best competition in the world, Europa League games, FA Cup, maybe some Carling Cup, etc.?

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  20. Good stuff LANDON! I knew he was gonna do well, hopefully Everton do buy him, if not extend the loan, then buy him during the summer,

    off topic but Jozy is looking to extend his stay at Hull and wants to sign with them at the season’s end,

    ESPN soccernet was reporting it

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  21. agreed we all want him playing in the MLS, but I also want Jozy, Onyewu, Davies, Henry, Messi, etc. in our league too.. don’t hear anybody demanding those guys back in the MLS. Let all of them play at the highest level they are comfortable at.

    i think a big time transfer fee and few years of EPL play would be the best for everybody.

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  22. ya.. weird that shirt defiantly says Timbers on it, not sure if it is referring to the Portland Timbers Soccer Club, but who knows.. maybe he is fan?

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  23. Absolutely. This is something to be proud of for sure. I don’t think many expected his time at Everton to go THIS well. Woohoo for him.

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  24. While I see merit in the argument for Landon staying in MLS, he is talented enough to play at the highest level. That is where he should be, playing with the world’s best, not stuck in MLS where he excels because he is playing against inferior competition.

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  25. As the only person who wants to see Landon play in the US ( in MLS ) let me just say he has accomplished all that he can over there. (not likely Everton is going to win EPL anytime soon, even with him )

    Time to come home.

    Get the CBA signed and see you in a few months.

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  26. Vieira should have been suspended for more than 3 matches. His actions were horrendous and could have caused severe injury to the Stoke player.

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  27. Yes, Landon! That’s an accomplishment anywhere, but perhaps nowhere more than England, where people were just looking for him to fail. And after his first month with the club! That’s just special.

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