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Landon Donovan : Home is where the Heart is.

Postalemirates Written by Postalemirates, Friday March 13 2009
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Donovan - It's all gone pear shaped.

He was supposed to be the one! Not just anyone, he was our beacon of hope, the knight in shinning armor. In a country blinded to the plight of the beautiful game, Landon Donovan was the one-eyed man. He was our king. The much heralded American soccer wonder kid was tipped to be the country’s first soccer superstar after German club Bayer Leverkusen whisked him abroad at the tender age of 16. The moment of joy had arrived for Donovan and American soccer fanatics. For Landon Donovan, it was all Peter, Paul and Mary choruses:


So kiss me and smile for me

Tell me that you’ll wait for me

Hold me like you’ll never let me go

I’m leaving on a jet plane

I don't know when i'll be back again

 

A decade later, he’s back in his home state of California ego bruised from his third unsuccessful spell abroad. How did it all go awry? How did America’s bright young talent, groomed in the art of the beautiful game, fail to live up to expectations? If practice, talent and a massive slice of luck is the recipe for sporting success, Landy Cakes was definitely the poster boy.


Ex Bayer Leverkusen sporting director cum general manager Michael Reschke spotted the raw talent at a European youth tournament and promptly signed him to a six yr contract. He moved to Germany in the winter of 1999 and began plying his trade in the reserves. At the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, he dazzled audiences with his performance and took home the Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament). Back in Germany with no first team appearance, several American soccer pundits began to question the powers at Bayer Leverkusen; how could the club allow the world’s best teenager rot in the reserves? Donovan’s feet became ever so twitchy, he wanted out. He claimed the sole reason he sought a move was a lack of first team opportunities at Leverkusen. Quite admirably one might say, but the fact is that Donovan’s ego had been stoked – he perceived he was much better than he actually was. In 2000, the year Donovan became a professional player at Leverkusen and began his ego trip, the club was within a nose hair of winning its first ever League crown and thus rarely employed youth players during the season. Although Donovan was a young talented player, he was competing for a spot in the midfield which included the likes of Michael Ballack, Ze Roberto, Emerson and Bernd Schneider better, more experienced players.


During the following season, Leverkusen went through a coaching change. German footballing legend Berti Vogts replaced Christoph Daum. If Daum had any ill feelings towards Donovan, the appointment of a new coach meant a clean slate, but Donovan failed to impress and faster than he could say “Ich hasse Leverkusen” (I hate Leverkusen), he was back in America, California to be precise,  on a two year loan at MLS club San Jose earthquakes.


And as they say, the rest is history.


Back in familiar pastures rubbing shoulders with the elite of American soccer, he flourished at San Jose scoring 32 goals in 87 appearances while raking in tons of trophies including 2 MLS cups, a U.S. Open Cup, the 2003 MLS Cup MVP and 3 United States National team player of the year award. It seemed time in the MLS had given Donovan a new lease of life and thus once again tried his luck at Leverkusen. He returned to Germany in January 2005 and after two starts in seven games coupled with a rather abject display against Liverpool in the Champions League, he opted out of his contract in March. The writing was on the wall; Donovan couldn’t cut it in Europe. He returned back home to whistles and angry fans who questioned his ambitions and criticized him – rightfully so - for leaving the rigors of Europe soccer for the sanctuary of American soccer.


A few months ago, Donovan decided to play his cards once again in Europe as Bayern Munich manager Jurgen Klinsmann took him on loan. He was a few cards short of a full deck as his loan stint proved unsuccessful. As Landon Donovan – or Landy Cakes as he’s affectionately known – gears up for his 8th MLS season, all eyes are on the golden child to lead the L.A. Galaxy to a playoff spot – something golden balls (David Beckham) failed to do. Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s safe to assume the iron curtain has finally been drawn on Landon Donovan’s European exploits.


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5 comments


0 up down 0
vianneyvianney, over 2 years ago said:

la oportunidad de landon´para ir al extranjero fue satisfactoria ya que regreso siendo uno de los mejores jugadores de la MLS i love you

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Fart GiftFart Gift, over 2 years ago said:

Landon might of been bribed to stay in the MLS. Ever thought about that? The MLS would of lost its most marketable player outside of Beckham who is a "trader" to the fullest extent of its definition. The MLS is regarded as one of the most succesful leagues in the world due to its massive growth in such a short period of time. Which other league would have the balls to launch a team with a logo featuring the union flag from the revolutionary war "don't tread on me". Seattle is sold out till the end of June and out-pacing baseball attendance -- the league is popularizing quickly.

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PostalemiratesPostalemirates, over 2 years ago said:

True. The U.S. has regressed since the 2002 World Cup, yet i don't thik Clint Dempsey is the one to lead the U.S. to glory. At Fulham, Dempsey is very inconsistent and i reckon it wouldn't be harsh to call him below par this season. Eddie Johnson is shit at Cardiff, Jozy Altidore just moved on loan to a Spanish league B club (Xerez) and Freddy Adu - well i'll stop there. If the U.S. is looking for a hero or a playmaker, Michael Bradley at Gladbach (German Bundesliga) is the one to look at. he has been spectacular for Gladbach is is on the shortlist for Bundesliga young player of the season. If he can save Gladbach from impending relegation, his stock will rise very rapidly and i expect more people will take notice.

0 up down 0
KenKen, over 2 years ago said:

The best moment was right after the 2002 World Cup, where we had just finished watching the untapped potential of Landon and DeMarcus Beasley fly up and down the field. But it never came to pass. They never grew from that moment on the world stage, in fact stepping backwards thru the next couple of years and the 06 World Cup flame out. The media wanted it to be Donovan, and then when it wasn't, well all the stories had already been run into the ground. Then came Freddie Adu, the next great wunderkind, and they ran the stories into the ground again. By the time the rappin' redneck from East Texas, Clint Dempsey, showed up, all the stories had already been tried. But here is the kicker. It might be Dempsey. He's got the flair, he's playing in the top league in the world, and he's as media-friendly as they come. In the run up to WC2010, I hope the press is willing to take one more look.

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PostalemiratesPostalemirates, over 2 years ago said:

pardon the Peter, paul and Mary lyrics, i couldn't resist it.