29 June 2006
Huge in Japan
Grant Wahl, one of the best soccer writers in this country, has his take on US World Cup winners and losers. My favorite is his take on "loser" Landon Donovan:
Don't get me wrong: I recognize Donovan's talent. However, he is now dealing with something that all kinds of people deal with around a similar age, a sort of quarter-life crisis. Why? Because Donovan's whole soccer-playing life, he has without a doubt been praised for his great abilities, seen as the top of his class. Even his initial failure in Germany (when he was still in his teens) was acceptable, because he returned to MLS and continued to improve his game. However, his failure in Germany after the 2002 cup, which led to a return to "comfortable" California, caught up with him. His last few years in the MLS have not presented any real challenged - and thus growth opportunities - for him. I remember seeing interviews with him over the past few years - he always pointed out that MLS was right for him because it was comfortable, and he plays his best when he was comfortable.
To a certain extent I drank the Kool-Aid, but also in the back of my head was: who the hell would say that about their job? As in, "Yeah, I thought I was ready for that Fortune 500 firm, but I just wasn't comfortable there, too many deadlines, too much stress -- so I came back to work at my parents' grocery store, where I've helped cut costs over 20%, and now I really feel that I'm finally working in a comfortable place where my true qualities shine brightly." Yeah - but so what? You might be rocking a small-town grocery store, but are you really challenging yourself, really trying to hit your prime at a peak level?
So anyway Donovan - you'll definitely be on the team again 4 years. What role do you want to play? How do you want to be remembered in American soccer history? If you want to be remembered as someone who was always comfortable, stay in MLS and buy some high thread count sheets (so soft!). If you want to be a true world-class player, start getting there by playing in a world-class league.
¶ 12:12 PM
In the wake of his struggles against the Czech Republic and Ghana, MLS's best player will be viewed (for now) like a band that can't crack the American Top 40 but is huge in Japan. There's value in that, perhaps -- especially from the personal perspective of living in Los Angeles -- but no transcendence, nothing to sustain hopes of greatness. At 24, Donovan still has time, though. Will he reconsider his decision to leave Europe behind? Stay tuned.
Don't get me wrong: I recognize Donovan's talent. However, he is now dealing with something that all kinds of people deal with around a similar age, a sort of quarter-life crisis. Why? Because Donovan's whole soccer-playing life, he has without a doubt been praised for his great abilities, seen as the top of his class. Even his initial failure in Germany (when he was still in his teens) was acceptable, because he returned to MLS and continued to improve his game. However, his failure in Germany after the 2002 cup, which led to a return to "comfortable" California, caught up with him. His last few years in the MLS have not presented any real challenged - and thus growth opportunities - for him. I remember seeing interviews with him over the past few years - he always pointed out that MLS was right for him because it was comfortable, and he plays his best when he was comfortable.
To a certain extent I drank the Kool-Aid, but also in the back of my head was: who the hell would say that about their job? As in, "Yeah, I thought I was ready for that Fortune 500 firm, but I just wasn't comfortable there, too many deadlines, too much stress -- so I came back to work at my parents' grocery store, where I've helped cut costs over 20%, and now I really feel that I'm finally working in a comfortable place where my true qualities shine brightly." Yeah - but so what? You might be rocking a small-town grocery store, but are you really challenging yourself, really trying to hit your prime at a peak level?
So anyway Donovan - you'll definitely be on the team again 4 years. What role do you want to play? How do you want to be remembered in American soccer history? If you want to be remembered as someone who was always comfortable, stay in MLS and buy some high thread count sheets (so soft!). If you want to be a true world-class player, start getting there by playing in a world-class league.
¶ 12:12 PM
