Willkommen Back!

How important is Landon Donovan to America’s success in Germany? The phrase “As Donovan goes, so goes the U.S.” has become a mantra among fans and media alike.

Legitimate or not, the notion the U.S. attack lives and dies under the hand of Donovan seems to have been borne out through qualifying. And one has a difficult time imagining scenarios for World Cup goals that don’t involve his influence. You have to wonder though: have we pinned our hopes to the right man?

Much has been made of Donovan’s escape from the Bundesliga, and I had promised myself not to rehash the juicy details of his “return” to the MLS. For those that may have missed it, however, a short recounting seems necessary: his girlfriend made him come home.

This may seem harsh, but let me draw a parallel. Imagine you are in a bar with any number of your closest friends. Your phone rings. It’s your girlfriend. You leave. Will they applaud your exit? Admire you for “choosing your own path”? Or will a blizzard of insults, jokes at your expense, and shoulder punches rain down on you like the Salmon of Capistrano?

And Landon Donovan didn’t leave a bar, he left the Bundesliga. Left a league with an average attendance of over 39,000 rabid fans per game, and the highest goals per game of any major European league. Along the way, he has sited the weather and the German playing style as reasons contributing to his departure; this is akin to complaining that the bar your drinking in doesn’t serve white zinfandel and refuses to accept Canadian money.

All of this is water under the bridge, however, if we assume that the MLS is just as fertile a ground on which to grow international superstars. Indeed, the quality of play in the league has climbed to a level where an exceptional player can fully expect to meet competition capable of maintaining his ability. Annually, players make the jump to more prestigious leagues and arrive capable of making an impact. The name Brian McBride comes to mind. DaMarcus Beasley certainly registers. Tim Howard, errr, nevermind. But the point is that MLS can produce and/or maintain impact players. remains: is he as useful to Brazil as he is to his club side?

Ronaldinho is a special player, and special players demand accommodation. Barcelona have surrounded Ronaldinho with a cast of remarkably professional and sturdy international veterans. The calming influence of players such as Edmilson, Mark van Bommel, and Rafael Marquez is a perfect foil for the frenetic energy of Ronaldinho. Brazil are short, very short, on calming influences. Cafu is noteworthy, but he is lost in a team that values entertainment as highly as results. Ronaldinho, coupled with dynamic players Kaka, Robinho, Roberto Carlos, and Ze Roberto, may make for too sweet a cocktail.

In Donovan’s case, however, the point might be lost. By his own admission, Donovan is “comfortable”, “happy”, and “content”; traits that make for a nice retirement, but not necessarily mark a player readying himself for the most important sporting event this nation participates in.

If I were Donovan, “comfortable” is just the way I’d describe having to compete for a first-team spot against someone named Herculez Gomez. Indeed, if Donovan were to play from a lawn chair in the first half of a Galaxy match, Steve Sampson would recommend that he be provided with iced-tea for the second. Ask Van Nistelrooy, or Owen, or Campbell if they spent the last 4 years in “comfort”. Ask any Chelsea regular how “comfortable” they are, whether it be in a stadium or on the training ground.

And so I’m taking a wait and see approach before I marry my hopes to Landon Donovan. He is, when engaged, an extraordinarily dangerous attacker capable of terrorizing defenses. The proof will be in a pudding flavored with traditional Czech and Italian spices, and it ain’t no comfort food.