Landon Donovan

There needed to be people on planes, at restaurants in Milan, at restaurants in London, buying bottles of red wine for sporting directors saying, listen- I understand you have priorities. Let me tell you about my priorities. My job's on the gold cup in 2025 is my priority. Now I know there's going to be a bunch of things in between there that you're going to say are hurdles.

I'm saying those are nothing to me. I need to have my best team. I need to give the manager that I'm paying how much? $6 million. The manager that I'm paying $6 million to, I have an obligation to get him his best team. On the field. Now, that might not mean anything to you, but it means the world to me, and that's more important. So how do we figure this out? That's dialogue.

I'm saying those are nothing to me. I need to have my best team. I need to give the manager that I'm paying how much? $6 million. The manager that I'm paying $6 million to, I have an obligation to get him his best team. On the field. Now, that might not mean anything to you, but it means the world to me, and that's more important. So how do we figure this out? That's dialogue.

I'm saying those are nothing to me. I need to have my best team. I need to give the manager that I'm paying how much? $6 million. The manager that I'm paying $6 million to, I have an obligation to get him his best team. On the field. Now, that might not mean anything to you, but it means the world to me, and that's more important. So how do we figure this out? That's dialogue.

And I don't necessarily know that that dialogue has been had with sporting directors. And by the way, if it has, then it just shows that U.S. soccer... has no gravitas and no power. Because if those conversations were had with sporting directors in Europe, then those sporting directors basically said, who is this? I don't have time for this call. I'll speak to you never. And hung up the phone.

And I don't necessarily know that that dialogue has been had with sporting directors. And by the way, if it has, then it just shows that U.S. soccer... has no gravitas and no power. Because if those conversations were had with sporting directors in Europe, then those sporting directors basically said, who is this? I don't have time for this call. I'll speak to you never. And hung up the phone.

And I don't necessarily know that that dialogue has been had with sporting directors. And by the way, if it has, then it just shows that U.S. soccer... has no gravitas and no power. Because if those conversations were had with sporting directors in Europe, then those sporting directors basically said, who is this? I don't have time for this call. I'll speak to you never. And hung up the phone.

Yeah, so this is a problem. This is a massive, massive problem for where we are.

Yeah, so this is a problem. This is a massive, massive problem for where we are.

Yeah, so this is a problem. This is a massive, massive problem for where we are.

Yeah. Paul, I think there's a lot. I mean, there's a lot to this. And I think that this is just scratching the surface. And as you said, unfortunately, when... When these are big moments, big conversation, these are big boy adult conversations. And I just think we, we don't hear oftentimes from, you know, from these players publicly, you know? Yeah, you're right.

Yeah. Paul, I think there's a lot. I mean, there's a lot to this. And I think that this is just scratching the surface. And as you said, unfortunately, when... When these are big moments, big conversation, these are big boy adult conversations. And I just think we, we don't hear oftentimes from, you know, from these players publicly, you know? Yeah, you're right.

Yeah. Paul, I think there's a lot. I mean, there's a lot to this. And I think that this is just scratching the surface. And as you said, unfortunately, when... When these are big moments, big conversation, these are big boy adult conversations. And I just think we, we don't hear oftentimes from, you know, from these players publicly, you know? Yeah, you're right.

And I think that's, I think that's a, it's a miss. It's a miss, you know, particularly, particularly when, when you're supposed to be a leader and be counted on. And we don't hear from you. Obviously, they're a choice not to speak. But it ends up having to be speculated about. That's right. And oftentimes, some of that speculation in our case isn't actually speculation. We know. We have...

And I think that's, I think that's a, it's a miss. It's a miss, you know, particularly, particularly when, when you're supposed to be a leader and be counted on. And we don't hear from you. Obviously, they're a choice not to speak. But it ends up having to be speculated about. That's right. And oftentimes, some of that speculation in our case isn't actually speculation. We know. We have...

And I think that's, I think that's a, it's a miss. It's a miss, you know, particularly, particularly when, when you're supposed to be a leader and be counted on. And we don't hear from you. Obviously, they're a choice not to speak. But it ends up having to be speculated about. That's right. And oftentimes, some of that speculation in our case isn't actually speculation. We know. We have...

We have a lot of friends and we're going to have to talk about it because this is what everybody wants to hear.

We have a lot of friends and we're going to have to talk about it because this is what everybody wants to hear.

We have a lot of friends and we're going to have to talk about it because this is what everybody wants to hear.

Well, I mean, you say you believe what Marissa Pochettino is saying. Look, I suppose we have to take it at face value until proven otherwise. When he has his full complement of players, will he look at a guy who's been in and say, I trust you, and look at a player who on paper is better and plays at a bigger club, and will he sit that player down and go, look, I I don't trust that you're all in.