Landon Donovan
๐ค SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
I genuinely don't. What I care about, and I've seen this in my experience with the national team for how long was it? I don't know how long it was, 15 years or something. What I've experienced is when you're an American coach, You care about your legacy. It's where you live. It's where you've grown up. You're going to be forever attached to that country. Win or lose.
I genuinely don't. What I care about, and I've seen this in my experience with the national team for how long was it? I don't know how long it was, 15 years or something. What I've experienced is when you're an American coach, You care about your legacy. It's where you live. It's where you've grown up. You're going to be forever attached to that country. Win or lose.
I genuinely don't. What I care about, and I've seen this in my experience with the national team for how long was it? I don't know how long it was, 15 years or something. What I've experienced is when you're an American coach, You care about your legacy. It's where you live. It's where you've grown up. You're going to be forever attached to that country. Win or lose.
Some of the foreign coaches that we've had they don't really care if their legacy is tarnished in America. They're not American. It's not, the buy-in isn't the same. And that's, that's no disrespect to any of the individuals. That's just a, that's a cultural thing. You're going to care. You're going to care more about how your country people feel about you versus not.
Some of the foreign coaches that we've had they don't really care if their legacy is tarnished in America. They're not American. It's not, the buy-in isn't the same. And that's, that's no disrespect to any of the individuals. That's just a, that's a cultural thing. You're going to care. You're going to care more about how your country people feel about you versus not.
Some of the foreign coaches that we've had they don't really care if their legacy is tarnished in America. They're not American. It's not, the buy-in isn't the same. And that's, that's no disrespect to any of the individuals. That's just a, that's a cultural thing. You're going to care. You're going to care more about how your country people feel about you versus not.
And I have seen, I have seen managers for the U S men's national team, particularly foreign managers, uh, they use it as a, as a stepping stone. They use it as an opportunity to get another job. They use it as a payday, right? And money's real. It's important. That's I'm not, I'm not suggesting it. What I'm saying is us soccer has the ability to pay and it's high profile.
And I have seen, I have seen managers for the U S men's national team, particularly foreign managers, uh, they use it as a, as a stepping stone. They use it as an opportunity to get another job. They use it as a payday, right? And money's real. It's important. That's I'm not, I'm not suggesting it. What I'm saying is us soccer has the ability to pay and it's high profile.
And I have seen, I have seen managers for the U S men's national team, particularly foreign managers, uh, they use it as a, as a stepping stone. They use it as an opportunity to get another job. They use it as a payday, right? And money's real. It's important. That's I'm not, I'm not suggesting it. What I'm saying is us soccer has the ability to pay and it's high profile.
And I think that that's different than when you get a, a manager like Bruce Serena, like a Bob Bradley, who all they've ever done is dream about coaching the national team, right? That's a huge difference. And that's, The buy-in is just, it's not the same. You know, it's not the same.
And I think that that's different than when you get a, a manager like Bruce Serena, like a Bob Bradley, who all they've ever done is dream about coaching the national team, right? That's a huge difference. And that's, The buy-in is just, it's not the same. You know, it's not the same.
And I think that that's different than when you get a, a manager like Bruce Serena, like a Bob Bradley, who all they've ever done is dream about coaching the national team, right? That's a huge difference. And that's, The buy-in is just, it's not the same. You know, it's not the same.
We've even had, you know, Juergen Klinsmann, and this will be hugely controversial, so I'm going off script and telling you, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of blowback from this. The fact of the matter was, he tried to say, I don't know if the American player is good enough. So I'm going to scour the globe. And he did for American players abroad who had the U.S.
We've even had, you know, Juergen Klinsmann, and this will be hugely controversial, so I'm going off script and telling you, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of blowback from this. The fact of the matter was, he tried to say, I don't know if the American player is good enough. So I'm going to scour the globe. And he did for American players abroad who had the U.S.
We've even had, you know, Juergen Klinsmann, and this will be hugely controversial, so I'm going off script and telling you, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of blowback from this. The fact of the matter was, he tried to say, I don't know if the American player is good enough. So I'm going to scour the globe. And he did for American players abroad who had the U.S.
passport or the potential to get a U.S. passport. That backfired beyond belief. You and I were a part of that team. There were people in there, like I just said about the manager, who were like, I'm not good enough to get in the Mexican national team. I'm not good enough to get in another national team. Sure, I'll take a cup of coffee with the US.
passport or the potential to get a U.S. passport. That backfired beyond belief. You and I were a part of that team. There were people in there, like I just said about the manager, who were like, I'm not good enough to get in the Mexican national team. I'm not good enough to get in another national team. Sure, I'll take a cup of coffee with the US.
passport or the potential to get a U.S. passport. That backfired beyond belief. You and I were a part of that team. There were people in there, like I just said about the manager, who were like, I'm not good enough to get in the Mexican national team. I'm not good enough to get in another national team. Sure, I'll take a cup of coffee with the US.
Now, that produced players like Jermaine Jones, who was awesome, who cared, who'd run through a wall for you. John Brooks, Fabian Johnson. Yeah, 100%. So out of that experiment of God knows how many players, We got a couple of really good ones who cared about their country, who cared about winning. But for the most part, it was the same thing.
Now, that produced players like Jermaine Jones, who was awesome, who cared, who'd run through a wall for you. John Brooks, Fabian Johnson. Yeah, 100%. So out of that experiment of God knows how many players, We got a couple of really good ones who cared about their country, who cared about winning. But for the most part, it was the same thing.