What expectations should we have for the USA?

What to expect?

So the US is headed into another World Cup. As they have in recent years, they come out of CONCACAF having secured their place in the World Cup relatively comfortably, but this time, something is new.  This is not the “We have to get out of the first round” Bora Mulitinovic side that was borne of hosting the 1994 World Cup, nor is it the Sampson-Arena-Bradley “We are what we are, let’s do the best we can” sides.

No, this time, we went out and paid handsomely for Jurgen Klinsmann of Germany fame, with the specific goal of being more than just “what we are.” It was a transition that had to come at some point, and credit has to go to the Federation for being proactive about it rather than waiting for the average American player to improve to a level where the transition would be relatively easy. No, Sunil Gulati went out and pushed the envelope with this decision.

Raise the Bar

It has been pretty clear for some time that the US mens’ soccer program has been making progress, albeit incremental progress, for years. The 2002 and 2010 editions certainly exceeded expectations, including fantastic results against big teams such as England, Portugal, Mexico and amazing moments against teams like South Korea and Algeria. Even the 2006 edition had a phenomenal match against the eventual champions, Italy, and was more of a run of poor performance rather than a lack of talent.

But with the population of the US, their history in sports in general – including the Olympics, and the overall competitive nature of those crazy Yanks, there has long been a sense that things could and should be better. Maybe a misunderstanding of the lack of depth that the Americans have feeds into that perception, but at the end of the day, if we can have success in random Olympic sports, why can’t we have success in football?

But the huge question is how? And if we think we know how, then how far do we expect them to go, and how soon?

Klinsmann came in for this World Cup cycle, and made it clear that he was here to chance the status quo. A whole new slate of coaches up and down the US soccer program gave him a free hand to have influence all along the development stream. But how soon would that bear fruit?

On top of that, he went aggressively for anyone who might qualify to play for the US, especially in Germany. In a way, it made sense. It takes 6 to ten years to really influence the development of a soccer nation, and to really make an impact, we’re probably talking 15 to 20 (starting with kids in the 5 to ten year old range to teach simple technique and molding them until they are 20 to 25). So that was mathematically impossible, at least to show results for the 2014 World Cup.

Third, he began his process, teaching his philosophy.

The results of the first effort won’t be known for some time, and trying to read into results from those teams at this point requires more insight into the future than I possess. The initial results of the second effort were not good, although if you saw it as a chance early on for him to seek out any possible diamonds in the rough, and use what he knew (Germany football) to compare to the bottom half of the US player pool, it probably was effective at giving him some baseline information.

The results of the third, though, were quite apparent and mostly positive. The US, after struggling on the road at Honduras, ended up tearing through qualifying to top the group, and on that run, saw the team break a little out of their usual two-defensive-midfielders, defend and counter-attack against good teams mold. It included a friendly win at the Azteca – no small feat that, although it was hardly best of the US v best of El Tri.

Which leads us to preparation for the World Cup in Brazil, which included two very intriguing story lines.

Qualifying v. competing in the tournament proper

Every US coach since Mulitinovic has had to focus first on qualifying out of CONCACAF, then on preparing for the competition in the World Cup itself. Two very different types of play. In CONCACAF, you have anywhere from one to three quality opponents – usually Mexico and often Costa Rica, and sometimes a third from the group of Honduras and the like. Most of the time, few of those players have the kind of size and quality that you have in playing in the World Cup, even from the top teams. This leads to a faster, more skilled team designed to break down the Guatemalas and El Salvadors.

Steve Sampson recognized it, but between the transition of MLS hindering the development of certain players, and the whole issue with a certain team captain, he walked into a firing squad in France. Certainly starting against Germany was a tough row to hoe.

Arena got it right once, and did a good job overall the second time, but in this writer’s opinion, the veteran leadership simply wasn’t the same in 06 as it was in 02 and you got a drop in form in the first match that cost them a lot. Oh, and a converted midfielder (without the size and strength of Tony Sanneh) at left fullback against one of the best European teams at the time – recipe for failure. The nice thing, from this writer’s perspective, was the difference in response from the ’98 failure to the ’06 flop – it was more of a “we are better than this, and let’s get to work” rather than the ugliness that was post-98.

Bradley had the amazing run in the Confederations Cup to bolster his side, but he still had to make some transitions that obviously paid off against what was perceived as a very tough opening match, clearly highlighting the point about CONCACAF v. let’s say, England.

Klinsmann, on the other hand, has kept a lot of his team together, even to the extent of including a converted midfielder at left fullback. But a lot of his team, especially the young and quite inexperienced defense, is what he used to get through qualifying – one that was less reliant on defend and counter and oftentimes was more attacking in philosophy.

With one key exception…

Donovan

This has been discussed to death, and for good reason. The most decorated and statistically relevant player in US history, Landon Donovan, was left of the plane for Brazil even though he obviously still is a competitive player and likely one of the best 15 players the US has.

After reading and discussing, this writer is of the opinion that it came down to two things. First, mentality. Donovan is talented, no doubt, but he isn’t the hard, aggressive, competitive player that, say, Michael Bradley or Clint Dempsey is. And that apparently is a huge part of the kind of camp that Klinsmann wants. Personally, it is hard for me to balance that with what Donovan did to win the Algeria game – if that doesn’t personify the “never say die” mentality, I don’t know what does – but again, I am trying to understand and explain what I can about Klinsmann, not justify it.

Second, I think he wants to make sure that it is clear that his captain, Dempsey, has no ghost in the room in terms of “the most decorated player in US history” who might be pacing himself in terms of level of play because he is on the wrong side of 30.

But bottom line, he clearly is saying that he needs the players he feels are able to best help this team right now. It is a pretty bold statement, and may not be the best bet. Frankly, I can see a need for a player like a rested Donovan in the third game against Germany (talk about a chance at redemption). But it is the decision Klinsmann has made.

Conclusion

So with all of that being said by way of landscape – and that is a lot of ground to cover – we come to the question we started with, “how are we to judge Klinsmann in this World Cup?” Without going into much detail, let me say that the “if we don’t get out of the group, it is a failure” is out the window. Simply look at the opponents to know that. The US has never had a tougher task to get out of the group. So what is it? For me, this side should be good enough to win a “must win” game against Ghana. So that is step one.

Next, make the most of it. Play well against Portugal and Germany, and if they make the plays to win it (a free from Ronaldo or some-such), so be it. But make them earn it. Leave everything on the field, and ideally, by trying to play – not by trying to bunker and steal on the counter. Especially against Portugal. If we beat Ghana, tie Portugal and need a tie to advance, bunker until the cows come home against Germany. But that is situational. Ultimately, play well, play like you belong, and if you lose, lose because the other team was better, not because you made a stupid mistake. Lose because they have the best player in the world, not because we brought someone less experienced than Landon Donovan.

Ultimately, if you don’t advance, have it be because the opponents were better, not because you brought youth rather than Landon Donovan.

The Emergence of a Footballing Nation - USA v. Portugal, June 5, 2002

So it was my first World Cup. It is June, 2002 and the last US World Cup effort was an embarrassment. Not an embarrassment like the disappointment of 2006 where we were better than we showed, but worst team in the tournament, lost to Iran embarrassment.

And now we were on our way to play the Golden Generation of Portugal. Luis Figo of Real Madrid fame, and the like.

So what expectations did I have?

Then again, I was AT THE WORLD CUP! And I was wearing my heart on my sleeve no matter what, standing in Sam’s Army, surrounded by like-minded supporters – some of which I knew, some not, but all brothers and sisters in arms and we were going to give it our all.

Thing was, the group I was going with had a few people in tenuous contact with the team itself, and word the morning of the match was shocking – no Claudio Reyna, no Clint Mathis. So for comparison, no Bradley, no Altidore. Going against a dark horse to win it all. I think they were ranked No. 4 in the world at the time.

Gulp!

But then again, then as now, the US wasn’t a feared juggernaut, so we were going to be underdogs to begin with. So either way, it was going to be a gut-check time no matter which way you sliced it. The advantage, though, was of those who stood and cheered for the USA, a very large majority of us were here, in-country. The percentage of supporters who didn’t make the trip is never what you want, but there weren’t the hangers-on, the johnny-come-latelys (because they didn’t really exist just yet).

This is a band of brothers/sisters that had deep belief in the team and each other, borne from a long, treacherous qualifying campaign and supporting the US in the sport of soccer.

As we are in transit to Korea, we see Saudi Arabia get killed by Germany. Ouch. As we are one of the last groups to play, it seems everyone is breaking the nervousness with their first match and it just pours on the pressure on us.

Getting on the bus to the stadium, I have “One Little Victory” by Rush in my ear. “A certain measure of innocence – a willingness to appear naïve. A certain degree of imagination, a measure of make-believe.” Why not us? Why not now?

And that has been the general mindset of US supporters anyway – “Figo who?” and “We’d rather have Clint Mathis than Figo” chants, and others like it, were all over the place. Of course, a lot of it was hopeful/dreaming/throw-caution-to-the-wind and maybe even tongue in cheek, but there was a true kernel of belief underlying it all. After all, we beat England at Belo Horizonte back in the day, we beat Colombia in ’94 – anything can happen.

The thing of it was, though, I truly, deeply, terribly believed that US soccer would one day explode with an amazing result and shock the world – probably more than I believed in anything else in the material world.

I just didn’t think that I’d be 20 rows from it when it happened, and that was going to happen on June 5, 2002 in Suwon, Korea.

The nervous energy is flowing now as we enter the stadium. I am kicking myself for not bringing a drum as I was used to doing for Dallas Burn matches.  But we’re with others that we know – some from Dallas, some from other US games we’ve met at qualifiers and friendlies – and the camaraderie is strong.

The national anthem, the unfurling of the Flag of Greatness. We’re all on our feet, singing at the top of our lungs.

But still, any hope is the hope of blind faith. But that ember is still there, waiting, burning quietly.

Wait, what? Landon Donovan, the wonderkid, is starting? Bruce Arena had been feeding him minutes and everyone could see he had talent, but is he really ready to START? Against PORTUGAL? And DeMarcus Beasley? Really? The beginnings of my faith in coaches starts here, by the way. More later.

The game starts. We’re pressing high, Portugal is responding well early. The back and forth is crazy. We’re talking the first moments of the match – most of which is played in our defensive half.

And then it happens. The series begins with a foul on McBride (contrary to Bruce Arena’s “First foul, first shot, first goal” speech) for a free kick in the middle of the field. A shot in by Earnie Stewart is touched out of bounds for a corner, right in front of the US supporters section.

Earnie puts the ball down for the corner with emphasis – using both hands, with determination. It seemed a little melodramatic at the time, but then again, it was very much a “let’s do this” feeling at the moment.

The corner comes in – McBride fights off a player to get a header towards goal and the initial anticipation wanes just a moment, but the ball isn’t clear – the heart is still high in the throat. A save is made, but not controlled – where is the bounce going to go?!?!?!?

And then, John O’Brien takes the clearest, cleanest, most important finish of his career, and we explode!

Not only are we in the game, but we are LEADING! In the FOURTH MINUTE! Wow, it is early, so it is going to be a LONG game, but better to lead than not, eh? If we were pouring everything we had into the game before, now we are searching for our deepest part of the well because the ember has some oxygen to burn – we really do have a chance to get a result!

The next 25 minutes are back and forth, with Portugal trying to get back in it. It isn’t crazed just yet because we really do have a lot of game to play. But the pressure is building with every moment they don’t score. The chances keep coming for the US, including a chance by Eddie Pope that goes just wide.

And then the craziness takes another, more serious turn.

That same Landon Donovan plays the ball in from the US right side, and it is a mess at the back – an OWN GOAL! The US has scored again!?!?!?!?

I can’t breath, I have lost my voice, I can barely see straight – we really, actually, could WIN! The craziness, the frenzy in the section is fantastic now.

Then again, there still is 60 minutes of soccer to play. That is a LOT of time – lots can happen in that time. No way we can take the foot off the gas now.

A scary moment – Beto goes into the US penalty area, and the whistle blows. Wait, what? What is going on? It is in the other end of the field, hard to see. But Portugal is walking away from the goal with their heads down, and Beto is shown a yellow. Simulation. Wow – big call there….

And then before we can really wrap our heads around that, Tony Sanneh – who? Yeah, Tony Sanneh gets free along the right side of the US attack, and he plays in a gorgeous ball that Brian McBride cleanly, elegantly slams home with a diving header – after splitting two Portugal defenders. It is the 36^th minute and the US is beating Portugal 3-0!?!?!?!?!?

I truly, deeply  lose my mind at this point. I am running up and down the stairs in amazement. I mean, not only the goals, but the glory and beauty of that last goal is just overwhelming.

As I get to the top of the section (and of 50+ rows, I was around row 20 to start with – so you get how out of my mind I was), I run into a friend of mine from Dallas that I didn’t know was making the trip. That clinched it – this was too good to be true, yet here we were. He was my reality check that this wasn’t a dream.

Oh. My.Goodness.

And by the time I got to my seat, I had gained enough composure to realize that our work had just begun. Now we were going to have to be the support, the belief that the team could finish this off. The heaving lifting had begun.

And it was soon after that moment that Beto finally did get on the scoreboard, finishing a bit of a mess in front of goal that put the score at 3-1. They had their goal and now some belief of their own.

Halftime. A chance to regroup. Beto’s goal made it all the more dangerous of a second half, so the challenge was clear. A little bit of celebration, but mostly it was “we have a LONG way to go, and now it is real work, serious work, work that matters.” This wasn’t an intellectual exercise, no longer child’s-play, a fun little dream to play with in our mind. This is a real chance to DO SOMETHING.

The second half, really, is a blur of blind support. Frankly, the own goal by Agoos didn’t even register – we were nervous about the way the game was going to go from the beginning of the second half, and that goal only gave a tangible feel to the pit in our stomach. The thing of it was, it was late enough that we did feel like it was do-able.

As the minutes ticked by, and the night got darker and darker, the belief was building as they missed chance after chance.

And then, it was over – the game was won! The lack of belief was still in the air, but the reality sunk in moment by moment as the celebrations ramped up – we had done it!

And in the stands, it was a sense of accomplishment like you wouldn’t believe. Here we were, halfway around the world, and the puny US soccer team not only had shocked the great Portuguese, but they had done so with thousands in the stands cheering them on – well. It was true, blue football support, recognizable anywhere in the world for what it was. When our team needed a voice in the stands, they had it in their most important hour.

The rest of the tournament was to come, but now it was a completely different tournament than the one we feared – now it was one of “how far can we go?” We weren’t the worst team in France anymore – now we were the team that felled the mighty Portuguese, with host Korea and a quality (but recently defeated) Poland to go. Certainly the Portuguese were now going to win out – they had to. So if we can get ties the rest of the way, a very doable goal, we just might advance!

But so much soccer was to happen before we really could think about that. The thought of facing 80,000 screaming Koreans (and boy, it absolutely was that) was sobering enough, but for the most part, tonight was a night to celebrate. We will think about the Koreans tomorrow – tonight, we had slayed the dragon and we had done so in impressive fashion. It was the emergence of a true soccer nation – and the culmination of the dream that began when the US was awarded the 1994 World Cup, through the embarrassment of that tournament that the team advanced, but we had no real supporters culture to speak of, to now standing tall in a foreign land, against one of the world’s footballing giants, and come out victorious.

I leave you with a link of the youtube highlights from that match, and a tease that the story of the match against Korea is around the corner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rX1bbTaJ40

Implausible Dreams - June 2014

I'm not giving in to security under pressure
I'm not missing out on the promise of adventure
I'm not giving up on implausible dreams

Implausible Dreams is my personal webpage, originally posted in 2002. It has gone through a few changes since then, but the basics remain - sharing my passions. Right now, the main focus is FC Dallas and the 2014 World Cup.

As such, here is my latest on FC Dallas - The Red Book.

Also, the biggest news about the World Cup for US soccer fans is Landon Donovan's exclusion from the roster. I think I may have figured out a few reasons why, followed by Digging Deeper Into Donovan Decision.

It is interesting how things come full circle. When I started this webpage, it was to channel my passion for the US going to the 2002 World Cup. Now, we are seeing the end of that arc, at least for Landon Donovan. What new Implausible Dreams lay in store for us now?

Look for more articles about the US national team as we go forward, along with regular updates to The Red Book.

Previous version of my Implausible Dreams overview.

Digging Deeper into the Donovan Decision

It has been days, and still the decision to not include Landon Donovan in the US National team going to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup is a talking point.

As I have talked with fans and players alike, and read more than a few articles - some rather fire-breathing - I must admit I am more confused than when the discussion began, but I do know a few things more than when I wrote my first article - enough that I felt it worth another piece.

Before I go into that, though, I want to say that I have no direct knowledge of Landon Donovan or Jurgen Klinsmann, or anyone involved with the current US National Team program, so everything you see here is me doing as you probably are - sifting through various facts and details that are not continuous and contiguous. In fact, the quotes below are from the ESPN "Inside: US Soccer's March to Brazil" and therefore are not directly in context of "Why was Donovan left off the team."

I am going to break these into two groups of themes. The first group will continue where I left off in my previous article - possible reasons for Klinsmann's decision. The second group will touch on the concerns I am left with after evaluating the first group.

But I want to highlight something - I learned a long time ago not to make concrete judgments about a coach, certainly not without being in the middle of the practices and training sessions, and with the coaching background that professional coaches have, and with an intimate knowledge of the players themselves.

That comes from seeing things at the local level in Dallas (six different head coaches over nineteen seasons) and from the Korea and Germany World Cups, as well as various other matches in the US. Time and again, things impacted the way the teams played that there simply was no way to see from the outside. This may very well be another one of those times.

The Arguments For The Decision

Not a lot has changed in the public reasons for leaving Donovan off the roster, but certainly the vitriol has risen. Throw in Donovan scoring MLS goals 135 and 136 - breaking the record for most goals by a player in league history - and you have a cauldron of discussion all across the Twitterverse, Facebook and the internet.

But we do seem to have more details fleshed out for what I break into three different reasons why Donovan may have been left off the roster.

Grit?

It is probably unfair, but Donovan has been dogged by complaints that he hasn't shown consistent, professional grit - specifically, he hasn't taken on the challenge of European football and found a way to stick. I have always felt that this is unfair in large part because what it takes to make it to be a professional athlete is amazing - the physical work, the skill work, the mentality. It takes monumental grit to get to where Donovan has been in MLS and for the US.

But in this moment, the past doesn't matter. What matters is does (the player in question) have the (specific variable) to help the US National Team succeed in the toughest group in the 2014 FIFA World Cup?

And in this situation, does Donovan have the grit to keep pace with Jermaine Jones, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey?

"We have to know what it means to compete at the highest level," Bradley said in the aforementioned ESPN piece. "We have to be a group that is ready to stick together and fight like a bunch of warriors together for 90 minutes."

"I've always been taken by athletes who aren't necessarily the best, the most skillful, the most talented players, but the ones who know what it means to compete and fight."

Chemistry?

I can't even say I know anything about this topic other than I know it is an open question. Considering the waves of support Donovan has been getting, from all over the place including public statements from players like Bradley and goalkeeper Tim Howard, I am tempted to say this is the least likely of the three, but there is enough there that I feel it must be mentioned.

"When we get to Brazil, those three games, the biggest thing is going to be our togetherness," Tim Howard said, again from the ESPN piece. "All the rest of it, we will have done. We will have done all the running, our lungs will be filled, we'll have the strength. Its going to be the togetherness."

Burn Out?

This is another topic that there really is no way to know from the outside, but is Landon Donovan able to play at a high level, consistently? He took a sabbatical for a reason, and clearly credit should be given to him for recognizing that and going and doing it. And you have to admit, he looked rather strong Sunday night. But one quote struck me the most from the ESPN piece, and this is probably the one that is most on point and most germane to the conversation. Of all the quotes, this one is clearly in context.

"Jurgen has made it clear to me that he needs me to be consistent and performing, "Donovan said. "Sometimes its a little difficult for me. I can't train 12 straight days in a row and have 12 straight great days in a row. Physically, its not possible. My body breaks down, I'm getting older."

"I want to make sure that when I get to camp in May that I'm performing at my absolute best."

And that is probably the ultimate question - was he?

Arguments Against

But I am left with some lingering questions. Ultimately, while the reasons above may give why he isn't a first choice starter, I - and I think most who question the decision - can't seem to shake the feeling that he still has a lot more to bring to the team than players who are less experienced, less well-rounded, less skilled or less athletic. I am not going to name names, but I think we all know different players that those terms could apply to.

And here is where I get uneasy, because when you look at the successes of the US national team in the World Cup, so much of it leans on depth, where being able to play a fresh player is the difference between getting out of a group or not.

My most vivid moment of me learning "I know not what the coach should do" was the USA-Portugal match in 2002. I happened into some information before the game - that Claudio Reyna, Earnie Stewart and Clint Mathis were not going to be available for the game. I was floored. We were scared enough of the Golden Generation of Portugal as it was - don't take away our No. 10 and two of the best players on the roster too!

But then, the game that awoke a soccer nation happened, with a certain Landon Donovan playing an integral role. This was the youthful, inexperienced, but supremely talented kid that coach Bruce Arena had force fed minutes throughout the post-qualification process. It seemed almost every match in preparation for Korea included significant time for Donovan, and it paid off in spades. Of course, it wasn't just Donovan that day, but he surely was a big part.

So on one hand, I want to give Klinsmann the benefit of the doubt as so often, it has been made clear to me that coaching professional soccer is a high art and no amount of research will make Monday Morning Centerbacking effective. I know I had a lot of doubts about the young Landon Donovan as Arena kept giving him game after game after game in the lead up to 2002.

But I can't help think that after we have played Ghana, and gotten a result, that in the next two games - massive matches against the Nos. 2 and 3 teams in the world - being able to start Donovan would bring more to the table than to start someone who currently has zero World Cup experience, someone who doesn't bring the range of skill or athleticism or experience playing alongside Dempsey, Bradley, etc.

Personally, I don't think it was Donovan over the youthful players. I *think* it was other players that Klinsmann believes will be a better part of the overall unit, come off the bench strong when asked to, not start and still be ready to go 100% when his name is called, whether it is because of a perception of a drop in form of Donovan, or whether it is the up and down nature of his ability over the last years, or ultimately is it this - a perception that Donovan wants to be the lead dog, isn't any more, and like many many many other former greats, isn't able to make that transition that other players in the US kit have to a smaller role.

And only time will tell whether Klinsmann got it right. I do maintain my somewhat blind faith in a coaching staff that is that professional, has that experience, including World Cup experience. I am sure he has sounded out some in his his leadership cadre and gotten their take on whether Donovan should be in the 23, and has more than just personal reasons for keeping one of the greatest players to ever wear the US kit out of this World Cup.

But after more than a few days to marinate on this, I can't shake a feeling of unease that maybe we over-emphasized certain issues at the expense of the overall equation - that the World Cup is a grind of epic proportions, and in this World Cup, the US faces a tougher group than they have ever faced, and a player of Donovan's ability and experience can be managed into a situation where he is a motivated, energized part of a collective heartbeat that can get the all important results against Portugal or Germany, or if the US finds a way to advance, against its opponent in the Round of 16.

And if not, is that a reflection of Donovan, or Klinsmann?

Landon Donovan

After reflection, more on Landon Donovan

So we are less than 24 hours since the surprise absence of Landon Donovan from the roster for the US National Team going to the World Cup in Brazil, but the internet has been all abuzz about it and it seems some thoughts have been fleshed out. How abuzz? My college football Twitter list has been buried in it.

We know he still has talent, skill and athleticism, as well as a wealth of experience. Many are arguing that surely, he is an asset to any World Cup squad. And that is all very true.

Others have pointed out the up-and-down nature of his game over the last few years and asked if he is motivated enough to go through the grind that is a World Cup tournament, especially one as difficult as the group stage the US is facing - Germany, Portugal and the US nemesis the last few World Cups, Ghana.

But a LOT of the emotion that is coming to support Landon seems to be,"But he DESERVES it."

And here is where I think we can draw some distinctions.

US fans, we absolutely, totally, and completely owe him our thanks. A thousand times over. From the greatness of Suwon to the game against Algeria, and so many times in between, he provided something that the US needed to raise itself from the bowels of the international soccer world. Without him, we do not upset Portugal in the 2002 World Cup, or beat Mexico that same tournament. We maybe don't qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Or 2010. And the amazing moments in South Africa in 2010 - against Slovenia, and Algeria - do not happen without his unique skill set.

And frankly, that doesn't touch on hundreds of other games in between that also added to the credibility of the USA as a soccer nation.

But this isn't about thanks. That is what a farewell tour is for. Go see him play for the Los Angeles Galaxy and make him a sign if you want to thank him (and seriously, go do that. I am not being snarky or sarcastic when I say that - he deserves to see that). This is about the World Cup, a grind of a tournament like no other.

The USA has never faced a more athletic, skilled, talented, or experienced group of teams in the World Cup. FIFA rankings - Germany, 2; Portugal 3; Ghana technically 38th, but we know they are better than that, having made the Round of 16 in 2006 and the Quarterfinals in 2010. So the US is going to need its very best players performing at their very best, and the group as a whole performing as a cohesive unit to even have a reasonable showing, let alone get out of the group.

And where does Landon Donovan fit in that?

Considering his last three years, not real cleanly. His talent, his skill, his athleticism and his experience is not to be denied. But is he ready to go through the grind - and not just go through it, but lead and succeed?

This is where I think Jurgen Klinsmann is headed with his exclusion of Donovan. That a player with that level of experience will be expected to lead from the front, and if Donovan isn't ready to pick up the baton and run with it, maybe it isn't best for the group that he be there?

Personally, I don't know. I am like many - an outsider trying to make sense of it all. But from this particular cheap seat, I see a player who is tired, who has done his bit for King and Country, and as such deserves our respect and thanks, but who simply isn't ready to go back into the meat grinder that is a World Cup tournament.

So thank you, Landon Donovan, for a thousand things you have done to improve this soccer nation. Know that every step of success the USA has going forward is heavily influenced by your efforts, your passion, your personality. We are better for it.

But that does not equate to a spot on the World Cup roster, harsh as that might seem. You see, you did it - you helped us grow up. Being one of the 23 best players from your country is no longer good enough to make the World Cup roster. We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. 

Go HERE for Part II as this story just doesn't seem to want to go away...

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Thanks for joining me here at Implausible Dreams. Continue reading about soccer at The Red Book.