Photo by Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports
By RYAN TOLMICH
Scottish club Hibernian are looking to use the knowledge of an LA Galaxy legend in an effort to gain a better understanding of one of the club’s brightest prospects.
Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs is planning on seeking the advice of Landon Donovan regarding a potential move for Galaxy striker Jack McBean, who recently had a trial with the Scottish side in December.
McBean, who scored five goals in 26 games for the USL Pro’s LA Galaxy II in 2014, became the Galaxy’s youngest ever signing when he joined the club as a 16-year-old in April 2011.
“Jack has come in and we’ll assess him over the next few days and take things from there,” Stubbs told the Edinburgh Evening News. “His name was one that was put to us, not by Landon, but I’ll be speaking to him. I haven’t spoken to him for a bit but I have his number and we’ll see what he thinks. Hopefully he’ll give him a good reference and tell us the things we want to hear about him.”
Stubbs and Donovan date back to the latter’s pair of loan stints at Everton and the Hibernian manager believes that the former Galaxy star will be a solid asset when it comest to getting honest assessments of American talent.
“Landon was a great guy, not just as a football player but a person, a brilliant guy and I’d respect his judgment,” Stubbs said. “He’s not a bad contact to have, especially with the players over in America at this moment. It’s good to have contacts all around the world when you need a favor, people whose opinions and thoughts you respect.”
In December, McBean trialed with Charlton Athletic and Hibernian, following a pair of post-season trials in 2013 with Wolverhampton Wolves and Blackburn Rovers. McBean has UK citizenship through his Scottish-born father.
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What do you think of Hibernian’s use of Donovan as an adviser? How would McBean fare should he move to the club?
Share your thoughts below.
Why would they talk to him? Donovan must be advising Hibernian on Cambodia and its climate for their next preseason camp.
ReMember when Dempsey recommended Eddie Johnson to Fulham?
Remember when Friedel recommended Howard to Manchester United? Oh wait…
I wonder what LD’s rating on “Writing Reference Letters” is?
Isn’t this the kind of thing that happens a hundred times a day around the soccer world? Just a manager gathering info about a potential transfer. A slow news day indeed…
Read between the lines…Donovan is coming out of retirement to play for LAG II. This will be followed by another farewell tour and commentators telling us that LD really deserves to win another trophy.
But yes, the article made it seem like this is a new (paid) job for Donovan.
No LD is going to play for Hibernian and help out his great buddy Stubbs..
Yeah, that was my reaction. This is truly not a story, and the headline is an exaggeration.
Sounds like someone has a crush. Go ahead Alan don’t be nervous call him.
“I haven’t spoken to him for a bit but I have his number and we’ll see what he thinks. “
Not much of a story here. Stubbs knows Landon and is considering signing McBean so he is planning to ask LD about McBean before deciding whether to sign him. At the end of the day, we’re talking about a guy moving from LAG II to a scottish second division side.
LoL
Enjoyed your honest self assessment.
The headline makes a bigger deal than it is I think. More like…. hey, lets give Landon a ring and see what he thinks of the lad. Sure….. why not? A trial can only tell you so much. Due diligence never hurts. Character, work ethic, how is he as a team mate. How fast does he learn… all questions difficult to answer in a short trial. I’d call too.
HAHAHAHAHAHAH DONOVAN HAHAHAHAA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE UNTIL MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME.
Y’all are falling down on the job.
Ooooook. That was random.
He’s obviously answering some direct questions, but this seems kind of silly. The article portrays Stubbs’ comments on McBean as though Donovan is the only person he’ll get a reference from, and it seems like it’ll be a make or break endorsement. So now if they don’t sign the kid, LD gets the Brad Friedel look from Tim Howard’s first edition?
One of the clubs brightest prospects, McBean, must have had an innocuous trial, and couldn’t have impressed the scouts much, if this much hangs on Landon’s assessment of him.
If McBean is signed, Stubbs gets the credit or blame for making the decision, so why do I feel like he’s trying to hedge here?
I’m confused. I should avoid trying to analyze stuff right after I wake up.
Wow! Maybe you are confused. Your impression of the article is totally different than mine. That’s cool, though. However, I think you are trying to read between the lines too much. I simply took Stubbs’ words at face value. To me, it’s simple — he knows Donovan, has his number, wants to have a little chat about McBean, and that moving forward it’s nice to have people like Donovan as a contact or reference point. Nothing more; nothing less. I don’t get the impression that his words will make or break a deal for McBean. Stubbs is out in the open but it’s not uncommon for current and former players to be consulted about someone. Especially when’s the a connection to the inquiring party — i.e. Stubbs.
It’s not hedging, it’s chicken s#!t.
Stubbs is putting Landon in a really tough spot here for the reasons you listed.
“I think he should move to Phnom Penh Crown of the C-League after taking a sabbatical.”
Hibs are actually in the Scottish second division at the moment, alongside Hearts and Rangers. Everyone assumed Rangers would just win three straight promotions and come back into the SPL but they are 15 points behind Hearts at the moment so looks like they’ll have to wait another year before resuming the Old Firm.
Scottish clubs punched above their weight for some time but now Scottish football is just sad. The national team, on the other hand, looks better than it has in some time.
Slow news day at Hibernian if this qualifies as news
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, avoid knee-shredding injuries in the SPL by staying away