At the top of the U.S. Soccer web page on Thursday, announcing the team’s final World Cup roster, was a strip ad featuring one of the very few players known to America’s casual soccer fans. But Landon Donovan was no longer on the roster, cut by Jurgen Klinsmann in a move that had gradually become more of a possibility in the past couple of weeks.
“I just see some other players slightly ahead of him,” Klinsmann said. “He did everything right. He was always positive. His disappointment is huge, I totally understand that. He took it very professional because he is an outstanding professional player and he knows that I have the highest respect for him. I have to make the decisions, what is good today, for this group going into Brazil, and there, I just think that the other guys right now are a little bit ahead of him.”
Donovan, 32, has played in the last three World Cups, scoring five goals for the Americans — including the dramatic winner against Algeria in South Africa four years ago. He has scored 57 goals — the most all-time for the national team — in 156 matches. But his relationship with Klinsmann was strained during their stay together at Bayern Munich and then again during Donovan’s self-imposed exile at the start of the qualifying cycle.
Those looking for hints about Klinsmann’s relationship with Donovan might consider a tweet that was posted and then deleted from the account of Klinsmann’s son, Jonathan, after the roster was announced: “HAHAHAHAHAHAH DONAVAN HAHAHAHAA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE UNTIL PHONE NOTIFIED ME HAHA”
This was the biggest U.S. roster cut since Steve Sampson dropped John Harkes before the 1998 World Cup in France.
After an unimpressive start to the MLS season, Donovan appeared a bit more vulnerable. But when Klinsmann kept saying that Donovan had to prove himself in camp, many experts thought the coach was bluffing.
Donovan wasn’t one of them. He compared his situation to the one he faced in 2002, when he was no certainty to make the team. “In 2006 and 2010 I knew for the most part, unless I was awful, that I was going to make the team,” Donovan said recently.
There were warning signs. Klinsmann came to view Donovan as a pure forward, rather than a midfield winger. Even having lost a half step, Donovan was always at his most dangerous and creative trailing the play or shooting down the sideline. He certainly was no target forward, and Klinsmann tends to employ only one forward. Jozy Altidore is a much better fit for that sort of formation.
The development of Graham Zusi of Sporting Kansas City at Donovan’s favorite wing spot also made him more expendable.
Still, there was plenty of room on this 23-man roster to find a place for Donovan, if Klinsmann wanted his veteran presence. Players such as Julian Green, Timmy Chandler and DeAndre Yedlin may not play the same position, but they could have been cut to make room.
The Donovan move is bound to be seriously second-guessed if the U.S. fails to produce much offense in Brazil, and trails Ghana by a goal late in the opener. This is more proof that Klinsmann marches to his own music. The coach has a new contract and plenty of job security, and is empowered to make these tough decisions.
On Facebook Thursday night, Donovan posted a message to his fans that read: “It has been an honor and privilege to have represented the US National Team in three World Cups. I was looking forward to playing in Brazil and, as you can imagine, I am very disappointed with today’s decision. Regardless, I will be cheering on my friends and teammates this summer, and I remain committed to helping grow soccer in the US in the years to come. Thanks for all your support, Landon.”
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