Ok, so that elephant in the room

By: Melissa | November 11th, 2007

I’m in limbo right now on a story I’d like to post so I guess I’ll go ahead and talk about THAT GUY. There are countless articles and rants on the internets and a kazillion speculations (my favorite so far being the fan’s contract; a list of demands he must meet before playing for SJ again) and I certainly announced my own emotionally ridden opinions a few days ago on theoffside LA blog. Okay… personal gripes aside, I am going to try to calmly and intelligently argue why I do not want Landon Donovan to return to San Jose in 2008. Deep breath… here we go.

First of all, we have to keep in mind that it doesn’t matter San Ho has pretty much always had a professional soccer team – even before Major League Soccer existed. In 2008, San Jose is an MLS expansion team meaning its a brand spanking new club thats still figuring out how to get off the ground and besides Doyle and Yallop, the senior management of this organization is basically filled with people who used to work in Major League Baseball. I’m not dissing MLB or the Oakland A’s, but I’m just highlighting the fact that this is in no way the same club that existed in 2005. Soooo, as an expansion team, Yallop’s choices are already going to be full of players other MLS teams can afford to lose — sure, some established players, out of loyalty or sentimentalism, may request a trade, but ultimately, the 2008 Quakes squad is going to look more like the Bad News Bears than the well oiled, two time MLS champs, unbeaten at home in 2005, machine we maybe kind of sort of remember (back in the day… you know?).

So I think the main question here is this: why would any club, with this kind of craptastic season to look forward to, want to turn down a member of our national team? Yes, the nats are the best the USA have to offer and Donovan has made that roster consistently for… well… what seems like forever, but what I absofreakin’ do not want to see happen is an entire squad built around the skills of one player. For God’s sake, do not bring Donovan here when, basically, all he has around him is a mediocre squad filled with second stringers and new hires. Number one, I’m sure every US soccer fan can agree that Mr. Honda player of the year(s) must stay competitive and dare say challenge himself and no matter how much I diss the Beckham machine, Becks is still an excellent footballer whose work ethic and determination can only inspire Landycakes in a good way. Number two, as a HUGE fan of Preki’s teamwork attitude that turned the 2007 Chivas USA into formidable MLS contenders, I want nothing more than to see Yallop transform his group of ragamuffins into a real competitive “total football” team (echoes of 2001 perhaps… but I will always love a good underdog story). I am willing to accept the Quake’s possible fate at the bottom of the (single) table for a year or three in order to see this happen. Also, I’d like for Doyle to hang onto the DP slot at least through 2008 because I’d rather see him woo in a top quality player to compliment a somewhat streamlined team over a player to save a sinking ship.

After reading a few interviews with Donovan, I get the impression that he doesn’t want to leave LA and I do hope he stays since at this point, he really is one of the faces of The Galaxy (The Cannon as well). I think its hard for us up north because we want to come out winners again to make up for all the crap we dealt with these last few years. All I’m saying here is this: be patient. Lets get through the drafts, put our squad together, and sink a little teeny bit before we start winning – and trust – win we shall.

OMG, was that a pep talk? I’m a little embarrassed.