Poll: Landon Donovan Heading To The EPL?

By The Gaffer on July 23, 2008 (3 years ago)

Sky Sports is reporting that U.S. star player Landon Donovan has expressed an interest in playing in the Premier League. Take the following poll and let us know how you think he would fair.

28 Responses

  1. bryan in sf
    bryan in sf
    July 23, 2008 at 11:06 am | | Reply


    Don was kind of embarassing when he was in the Bundesliga; he was given the start for Leverkusen on loan from Dortmund, he told the media in a normally reticent country that his team would absolutely win the next CL match (American optimism, right?). He was subbed out at the 40th minute and Leverkusen lost badly.

  2. marighand
    marighand
    July 23, 2008 at 11:19 am | | Reply


    He didn’t fit well in Germany. He lifestyle, weather, language, food, etc. While many things in England aren’t that much better I think he’ll fit in well with their elitist attitude and of course speaking the language doesn’t hurt. He is relatively more mature too. I think depending on the situation he’ll make waves. I’ll pay to see how he handles his first hard tackle from a monster like Michael Essien.

  3. Kat Kid
    Kat Kid
    July 23, 2008 at 11:30 am | | Reply


    I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that Fulham has expressed interest?

  4. eplnfl
    eplnfl
    July 23, 2008 at 11:53 am | | Reply


    Donovan’s game is not well suited for the EPL. Besides, a California guy will not find any beach to his liking near Newcastle in January!

  5. randy
    randy
    July 23, 2008 at 12:18 pm | | Reply


    He’s a bit more mature now, so I think he could help a team in the EPL.

    His versatility – he can play up front, on either wing on in the midfield – and pace makes him a solid pickup.

  6. Matt
    Matt
    July 23, 2008 at 1:02 pm | | Reply


    He’s shit for Galaxy, never mind in the Prem.

  7. Todd
    Todd
    July 23, 2008 at 1:17 pm | | Reply


    deep down i really hope he does because the hatred he gets is so cliche. but i just dont know what is a realistic expectation. does he have to go and have a greater impact than dempsey? or mcbride? until you can be seen as a good player, and not just a good american player, it will be tough

  8. Kartik
    Kartik
    July 23, 2008 at 1:19 pm | | Reply


    Why not jump off the MLS ship. If I were in a league that kept losing critical matches to the second division in my country/region, I’d do the same.

    Congrats to Montreal for making the Champions League and congrats to TFC for showing a bunch of Coca Cola Championship players cannot beat a good USL side, even if they dominate MLS!

  9. Kartik
    Kartik
    July 23, 2008 at 1:27 pm | | Reply


    Look if Donovan cannot succeed overseas no American can. He’s by far the best current American field player. It’s not even close. I wouldn’t put anyone within range of him. The results for the US are only respectable because of him. When he’s not around the national team is even hard pressed to beat the likes of Barbados and South Africa. We’ve seen a major decline in top of the pool talent for the US since 2002 but Landon is one player Yanks like myself can continue to get excited about.

    How bad is the US starting XI outside of Donovan right now? Take away Landon and Canada I guarantee you has a better starting XI. (DeRo, DeGuzman, Stalteri, Gerba, Friend, and Hutchinson are all better than the 2nd best American field player right now)Too bad Mo Johnston didn’t find that out until playing some of those guys in the Canadian cup and getting whacked by USL sides with home grown players!

  10. Hank
    Hank
    July 23, 2008 at 1:28 pm | | Reply


    Wow, there sure are a lot of Landon Donovan haters out there. :)

    It’d be interesting to see, but would a premiership side really sign him considering his previous experience in Germany?

  11. Ringo
    Ringo
    July 23, 2008 at 1:46 pm | | Reply


    He might get the odd game for Swansea City.

  12. dcm
    dcm
    July 23, 2008 at 2:54 pm | | Reply


    the best players always get hated the most. it comes with being popular.

  13. Adam
    Adam
    July 23, 2008 at 5:17 pm | | Reply


    Maybe he’ll pee on the field at Stamford Bridge. That’s the only upside I see.

  14. tyduffy
    tyduffy
    July 23, 2008 at 6:01 pm | | Reply


    He’s 5’8″ (listed) and 140lbs soaking wet. He will get manhandled by center halfs in England.

  15. T
    T
    July 23, 2008 at 6:07 pm | | Reply


    He’s American, and we all know American players have the tendency to-if the get they ball at midfield-run and dribble all the way down to the 18-yard box only to trip and stumble over the ball and lose it to the nearest defender. (see: Eddie Johnson)

  16. eplnfl
    eplnfl
    July 23, 2008 at 6:40 pm | | Reply


    Donovan is not afraid to mix things up and try to break free up the middle. That is to his credit.

    Donovan is certainly skilled enough to compete in the EPL. Kartik is correct that the USMNT seems to be without scoring punch without him. Although I must point that is more based on the last few friendly internationals which I do not know if the USA took all that seriously.

    I think the real question is if LA is big enough for both Beckham and him. It isn’t! For a while Donovan was the face of the MLS, but not anymore. Beckham has taken away a lot of the commercial money that went to Donovan in the past. Blanco makes extra cash from the growing Spanish language market. If he wants big money then the EPL is his only option. As is everything else when you boil it down it’s about $$$$.

  17. Kevin
    Kevin
    July 23, 2008 at 7:20 pm | | Reply


    no the game is too physical for the little man. He would better suit the Italian game as a poacher on the counter-attack minded offense

  18. Sam
    Sam
    July 23, 2008 at 7:30 pm | | Reply


    He’s not that good.

  19. Kartik
    Kartik
    July 23, 2008 at 7:42 pm | | Reply


    ” If he wants big money then the EPL is his only option. ”

    No, he can go to Spain or Italy

    ” He’s American, and we all know American players have the tendency to-if the get they ball at midfield-run and dribble all the way down to the 18-yard box only to trip and stumble over the ball and lose it to the nearest defender.”

    True. But he’s more technically skilled than the other guys we’ve had. The truth most Americans are awful with their first touch and have absolutely no tactical sense. I think having both of those things is why Donovan is head and shoulders above our other field players.

    ” He’s not that good.”

    I hope you are wrong because if he’s not that good but yet is twice the player of any other active American, we aren’t even sniffing World Cup qualification this time.

    ” He’s 5?8? (listed) and 140lbs soaking wet. He will get manhandled by center halfs in England.”

    He’s more technical than most of the players in England, so while size may be a slight issue, he’s not like Freddy Adu, Clint Dempsey or DaMarcus Beasley who can just be shoved off the ball and then are so scared to keep the ball at their feet they totally disappear. Landon is a mature 26, not an immature 19 like Freddy or an over his head 25 like Dempsey or Beasley.

  20. patrick
    patrick
    July 23, 2008 at 8:16 pm | | Reply


    In early June, there was word that West Ham was after him. Curbs will have a look see in Toronto Thursday. WHU needs a Benyoun type player back.. Landon would be cheap by EPL standards, and could ease the return on Dyer. Plus London is a nice place to start.

    Thing is, If he did move to West Ham, I would put money on him being in Curbs doghouse in months.

  21. landon d. knuckle kisses
    landon d. knuckle kisses
    July 23, 2008 at 9:29 pm | | Reply


    come on guys, the best american field player??, lets not forget senior jozy altidore.

  22. CALIF GOONER
    CALIF GOONER
    July 23, 2008 at 9:32 pm | | Reply


    Landon could play in the EPL for sure.
    If any talk actually gets out that he is interested
    in moving to England… I am sure a bottom of the table team will come and inquire his services….
    But I think the American who could make the biggest splash in the EPL is Michael Bradely – he scored 16 goals in the Dutch League for Heerenveen last season and is only 21…. He will be in the EPL soon..

  23. Kartik
    Kartik
    July 23, 2008 at 9:49 pm | | Reply


    I’m all for Jozy as he’s a local kid from the next town over from me, but seriously how can you compare a guy who has scored one full international goal and looked totally out of his depth in his first experience at the U-23 level in the Olympic qualifiers better than Donovan? If the US made the World Cup and it started today, Altidore would not be one of the 23 men on the squad and if he were it would be more for the future than based on his current capabilities.

  24. Simon Burke
    Simon Burke
    July 24, 2008 at 10:39 am | | Reply


    Problem with Landon is attitude. He is excellent in MLS I think but there he is a big fish in a mediocre pond. In Germany he flopped and came back here and was more interested in his personal life than a career (and thats his choice) but if thats been his choice I just cant see him getting the head right to take on England. There are certainly worse players in the Prem than him and personally I like his style of play but his size will make it difficult for him to compete in the Prem I think. Who’d have him? There is no point going to Hull and Stoke and of course there is always Fulham but i am not sure a decent club would actually come in for him because of his size. Up front he’d struggle. Out wide he may be better.

  25. Kartik
    Kartik
    July 24, 2008 at 11:21 am | | Reply


    Yeah agreed. If he goes to Europe he needs to be playing on the wing.

  26. Mookie
    Mookie
    July 27, 2008 at 9:21 pm | | Reply


    Landycakes misses too many easy chances, I don’t care if he is the MLS goal scoring machine.

    He would get steamrolled in the EPL.

  27. unknown
    unknown
    August 4, 2008 at 3:48 am | | Reply


    Anyone who thinks Landon isn’t a good player is an idiot and doesn’t know shit. He is better than many players in the EPL, and will soon prove it.

  28. Fulham fan
    Fulham fan
    June 26, 2009 at 12:42 pm | | Reply


    Landon might be a good fit at Fulham. They have been open to American players in the past and have done well. McBride and Dempsey have both done well there. I could see him playing an attacking midfielder role. The one improvement in his game in the last 2 yrs is he is much more unselfish and tactically smart than in the past. And also if you watch Confed Cup games closely you will see he is the only player that constantly tracks back the entire game. He has earned my respect now, though I wasnt a fan in the past.

    Go Fulham!

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