Landon Donovan's deal & loan - we've seen this before

Yesterday Landon Donovan signed a new four year deal with MLS, and simultaneously confirmed the rumors that he would soon be off to Everton on a loan deal:

"This is a very exciting day for me," Donovan said. "This has been a very ... I would say ... interesting decision for me. Very difficult at times. I think at the end of the day I did a lot of soul-searching, and this is the place I want to be.

"I'm excited for the next four years. This year has turned out the way I thought about this franchise. Candidly a year ago I wouldn't have made this decision. I believe in this team, I believe in the future and I'm proud to be a part of this team.

"I want to continue to be a part of this team."

I don't think it's a coincidence that Bruce Arena played a big role in the press conference yesterday. Without the Galaxy getting its collective management head out of its ass and hiring someone who knew how to run things in a professional manner, that press conference doesn't happen no matter how much Donovan enjoys playing in LA. Thank god everyone realized what a disaster it was to give freaking Beckham the keys to that club.

Anyway, this deal reminds me a lot of the one Brian McBride signed at the end of 2002. Everyone knew that McBride wanted to go abroad, but he'd just played a huge role in that year's World Cup team and MLS had an interest in keeping him around for a while. So, if I recall correctly, MLS upped his salary significantly, made the contract have the appearance of long term stability (which would have been beneficial to McBride if by chance his face would shatter again), immediately loaned him out to Everton, had him play one more season for the Crew until the World Cup buzz was well and truly over, and a year after signing the deal McBride had Blackburn and Fulham bidding for his services, and then he was gone.

It's not hard to see similarities in Donovan's European ambitions and McBride's beyond the same loaner club involved and the same American-friendly coach. McBride's transfer abroad was boosted by his successful spell at Everton where he scored 4 goals in 8 matches, but before that he'd has some fairly non-descript spell(s?) at Preston North End. If Donovan can enjoy a similar success with the Toffees, in an environment that has seen star American players flourish he'll lose the stigma he carries of "can't make it in Europe" and become a much more attractive transfer target. Similarly there's been a lot of talk about a buy-out clause in Donovan's contract that will make a move abroad easier than it might be otherwise - I suspect McBride's contract had the same sort of thing.

Like many others have pointed out, Donovan was a much younger, less mature player when he forced his way out of Germany and played an astounding four years on loan in MLS. This year he'll be much better equipped to deal with the challenges he'll face abroad, and his experience at Bayern Munch will only have helped.

That being said, I don't expect Donovan to move out of MLS until next winter's transfer window. MLS will very much want to put him on display following the World Cup (which would only be heightened by a good showing in South Africa), so I fully expect he'll play out the string for the Galaxy in 2010. After that, who knows? The primary wild card is that he really enjoys playing in LA, but it would seem that next winter would be a prime time for him to move on. Maybe late, late summer if a really big bid comes through.

And you know, Italy as a destination wouldn't surprise me. Not saying it'll happen, I'm just saying.

I only recently started reading Steve Davis's blog (I know, I know), and he's got some good stuff if you're so inclined to check it out. He's also got a piece up on ESPN wondering what happens if Donovan gets seriously injured. Personally, if I'm a fan of the USMNT, I'd rather him get acquainted with a faster paced game in the run up to the World Cup.

But I do have some major issues when Davis makes this statement:

Say what you want about the style and quality of soccer (er, football) in England. But who can doubt this: supporters there appreciate performance. Combine steady production with effort and the supporters on the British Isles will surely raise a glass to you. Unlike U.S. Soccer supporters, they aren’t overly caught up in big-picture issues of best case scenarios for player development and global regard and such.

Let’s say for argument’s sake that Donovan “tears this mutha up.” Let’s say the good fans in England nod their heads and concede that this Yank is pretty darn good. Let’s say they adopt him in the way they have adopted Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey (to an extent) and others, tipping their hat, perhaps a bit begrudgingly, and acknowledging their respect.

That might mean that Donovan would be the recipient of more respect in England than in his own homeland, where the man is a three-time MLS Cup winner, the all-time leading U.S. men’s national team scorer and a six-time U.S. Honda Player of the Year.

Sorry Steve, I think you're conflating supporters of a National Team, who are never, never happy, and always bitching, with club supporters who are loyal to a fault. Absent the troll/piss take, check out this thread in the BigSoccer Galaxy forum:

I look forward to next season, I just hope Landon is there to.
. . .
Great season by a great player... The best player in American history. I think sometimes Landon is actually underrated... He can be taken for granted. He's such an amazing player, I'm just glad he's wearing our uniform, not someone elses.
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As for Landon, no one has done more for the Galaxy since 2005 or the Men's National Team since 2002. Period, point-blank, end of story.

So, yeah, I think the idea that the English will be somehow more appreciative of Donovan is kind of BS. And besides, is there really any debate left about whether Donovan is the greatest outfield player the USA has ever seen? I think that was put to bed quite some time ago.

Besides, when you're the best player in your country, you have a target on your back, and fans of other clubs or the national team are always going to want to take a shot. But it seems to me more an indication of fear rather than a lack of respect.

Fake Sigi out.