Tuesday's Column: Landon Donovan (& Playoff Update)
In my weekly column in the Daily Breeze and Daily News I made the case for Galaxy playmaker Landon Donovan (as if one needed to be made, but Donovan is surprisingly unpopular with some fans).
Read it here.
There were a couple of points not in the column for space reasons worth noting.
With the depleted Galaxy squad suffering through a plethora of injuries this season, I asked Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas about what some in the press box had wondered this year, namely whether Donovan's $900,000 annual salary might be better spent on four or so $200,000 a year players.
His response:
"The business man in me is always looking at your ROI - return on investment - and I think Landon Donovan is certainly worth every penny. I think if you were to ask any coach or GM in the league whether they would like to have Landon Donovan even at the numbers we're talking about they would say 'yes.' It makes sense, not just from a soccer perspective, but from a business perspective, because he is one of the most popular and greatest figures in our game."
Donovan, whose contract with MLS expires at the end of 2009, according to Lalas, was asked whether he'd consider another stab at playing in Europe and where:
"If the opportunity is there I would definitely do it," he said. "It would be nice to go to England. ... Arsenal is fun to watch (and) I like Man U because there is a system in place and either you fit in or you don't."
Lalas believes Italy would suit Donovan's playing style, by the way.
Meanwhile, Galaxy beat writer Billy Witz observed today that the Galaxy's playoff destiny rests in their own hands after this weekend's games. Read his take here.
And MLS crunches all the playoff possibilities, permutations and other details here.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Count me among those who love Landon Donovan. Despite his flaws - we've all got 'em - he is the best American player ever.
Period.
Seeing where Donovan thinks he'd like to play in England just shows he is thinking with his ego and not his ability. A bench warmer in the Bundesliga does not find regular playing time with two of the biggest clubs in the EPL.