Happy Times & Not So Happy Ones For U.S. Men

Landon Donovan’s Gold Cup

Landon Donovan knew he wanted back on the U.S. Men’s National Team. He also knew he had to earn his way back on the field. The road back went through the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
One might have wondered if the player, considered by many as the best U.S. soccer player of all time, would react to this challenge.
No worries. He responded very well.
In fact, when he helped hoist the trophy after beating Panama for the Gold Cup championship, he was named the tournament’s Gold Ball. He was the tournament’s leading scorer and was also named the Most Valuable Player.
He scored five goals in six games, and assisted on seven others. He has now played in six Gold Cup competitions, and before this year, he had never previously won the Golden Ball.
He brought his A game to the challenge, and his contributions were not overlooked by his coach, Jurgen Klinsmann.
“I think we are all very pleased with the way he’s playing and the way he’s making a point that he’s hungry to come back into our picture and obviously going forward toward the World Cup qualifiers,” said Klinsmann.
Happy times for Donovan, and a smile on the face of h[show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’]is coach.

Holden’s Injury A Heartbreaker

Stuart Holden celebrated his team’s Gold Cup championship. He started the final against Panama, but was on the bench when the final whistle blew.
No one knew for sure, but it appeared that the knee injury he suffered midway through the first half was serious. Holden probably knew. He’d experienced that pain before.
As it turns out, the injury was a torn ACL in the right knee. Days later he had his third major surgery in the last two years.
He was using the Gold Cup to regain a foothold on a spot on the national team. He was regaining form, going game to game. First as a second-half substitute, then gaining more and more playing time.
He had missed most of two years coming back from injuries suffered while playing in England with the Bolton Wanders. At no time did he every lose the support of his professional club as he tried to come back and faced the setbacks that came one after another.
When he took the field on championship day, surely he felt he was back. It all went away in a second.
From the hospital after his latest operation he vowed that he would return again. Less than a year away from the World Cup in Brazil. One doesn’t doubt the will, but one wonders if there is enough time.
Not a happy time for anyone.

Clint Comes Home

Clint Dempsey left Furman University early to begin a professional career. For the Texan from Nacogdoches, it began in Boston playing for the New England Revolution.
That lasted three seasons and 71 games before Fulham called from across the pond and offered MLS a $4 million transfer fee for Dempsey. That gig lasted six seasons. He became the team’s top scorer. He was the first American to score 10 goals in a EPL season in 2011.
In 2012 the Fulham fans voted player of the season for the second consecutive season, he had become the first American to score 50 EPL goals in his pro career.
Happy times, but at the end of the season Fulham transferred Dempsey to the Tottenham Hotspur. His three-year contract, for a reported £6 million made him the highest paided American U.S. soccer player of all time.
But Tottenham wasn’t Fulham. The Hotspur were not doing all that well, and times weren’t as happy as they used to be. Rather than risk a transfer to an EPL team outside of London, Dempsey decided it was time to bring his family home.
Home this time was Seattle, Wash. The ticket was a $9 million transfer for MLS. A four-year contract, and more than enough money to be able to buy the #2 jersey off the back of Sounders’ DeAndre Yedlin.
Happy times were here again for Clint!

From Outhouse To Penthouse

The final round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying did not start out well for Jurgen Klinsmann’s team. The draw, with three of the first four games on the road, was difficult. The team opened with a 2-1 loss in Honduras. A cloud of gloom settled around the U.S. supporters, many ready to book their flights to Brazil next summer.
Then came the Sporting News article that questioned whether Klinsmann had been a success or failure with the U.S. team. Unnamed sources told of dissention in the U.S. camp, and players questioning Klinsmann’s methods.
Klinsmann did not run from questions. He did not dodge the doubters. He continued to do what he thought would work, knowing that a win would help ease the controversy that surrounded his team.
That win came in a snow storm 1-0 over Costa Rica. Now riding an unprecedented 12-game winning streak, the U.S. team is experiencing happy times. Happy times for Klinsmann too.