United State of America’s coach Jurgen Klinsmann has defended his controversial omission of all time highest goal scorer London Donovan out of his final 23 man squad to the world cup in Brazil. The German said that the player was simply not good enough for a spot in the team to the tournament in Brazil.
His surprise exclusion sends shock across so many sectors as team-mates and soccer pundits have given their opinion over the issue. The former German player and coach trim down his squad from 30 to 23 who will open their account against Ghana on June 16 next month said he consulted with his back up staff and feels it is the right time to announce the squad and selection were fear and clear.
Klinsmann was quoted saying “The other strikers we see that inch ahead of him,” and “We feel those guys are a little step ahead of Landon in certain areas. That’s why we made that decision.” Klinsmann a winner of the world cup in Italia 90 believes Donovan’s game has retrogress as a result of age and can no longer go one-on-one attacks and charging into oppositions penalty box, though admitted experience is with Donovann but certainly lost some of his spark and physical presence.
Klinsmann said further that “He has done an amazing job the last ten days he was here,” Klinsmann said. “He has done everything right. It has been not easy. These are very close decisions. It’s not a decision against a player, in this case Landon. It’s a decision for another player. We coaches had the feeling over the last few days. We had an inkling a little bit. We sensed it was the right time now.”
Donovan’s teammate and goalkeeper of the team said “The senior players certainly love him and appreciate him. It’s hard when you get such tough news.” Fellow teammate and midfielder Micheal Bradley said “It’s certainly one that catches everybody by surprise,” and “To see him hurting and upset that now he’s not going to have another chance to go to the World Cup is certainly hard.”
Donovan who has 57 international goals and won’t have the chance of a fourth World Cup appearance has taken the selection and disappointment professionally according to Kinsmann who said “He took it highly professionally, “and “If it’s a striker, the first one that I call will be Landon Donovan,” Klinsmann said. “He took it highly professionally,” Klinsmann said. “Amazing composure obviously big disappointment. That’s expected. He said he doesn’t kind of understand it. He thinks he should be in the 23. “I tried to lay out a couple reasons. They are technical. I’m not going into them. I told him I hope he stands by us and if we call him that he will be ready to come back to us. He expressed his disappointment in a professional way and I admire that a lot.”