Los Angeles Galaxy head coach/general manager Bruce Arena keeps talking about building blocks as he tries to resurrect the once-proud club.
He got a first-hand look at one of his biggest ones with the much-anticipated arrival of Landon Donovan at practice on Tuesday.
The veteran forward, about to enter his fifth season with Los Angeles, participated in his first training session following his return from Bayern Munich, where he had been on loan since January.
Aside from what one player joked was a "bad haircut" -- "Never get a haircut in Germany," Donovan joked later -- he looked fit and said he was thrilled to be home.
"I'm very excited to be back," Donovan said. "I certainly appreciate having teammates that you're familiar with, comfortable with and enjoy being around."
His teammates, in turn, were ecstatic to see him again.
"I'm thrilled to get the opportunity to be partnered up with him again," said striker Alan Gordon, who had career highs in goals (five) and assists (seven) last season. "A lot of guys on the team are new and didn't know Landon, but I can tell the young guys are excited to see him here. It's good to have him back.
"He takes a lot of pressure off of a lot of people. He's somebody we've been missing."
Donovan, who turned 27 a week ago, played in 12 games (including seven friendlies) with Bayern Munich and scored four goals. He said he returns to the Galaxy, who begin the MLS regular season March 22 against D.C. United at The Home Depot Center, "clearly a better player."
"I feel more confident," the 5-foot-8, 158-pounder said. "Having played with those guys (in Munich) it's hard not to get better playing at that level every day."
Donovan also returns to the Galaxy with a new role. Arena wouldn't make it official that Donovan will take the captain's armband from David Beckham, who is remaining with AC Milan on loan agreement until the end of the Serie A season in late May, but Arena is counting on Donovan to provide much of the leadership for a team that includes at least a dozen new faces and eight new starters, not including Beckham, from last year's regular-season finale against FC Dallas.
"That decision has not been finalized, but I would say you're pretty warm," Arena said when asked if Donovan will assume the captain's role. "You're getting hot, actually.
"This time we expect him to not only do what he does on the field but be the leader of this team, to do things off the field necessary to make us a good team on the field. We were absolutely thrilled to see Landon on the field today. Sometimes you don't appreciate what Landon offers, and he demonstrated all of the qualities we strongly believe he has.
"This is a great day for the Galaxy to have him here."
Donovan said his stay in Europe answered a couple of nagging questions, the most important of which was whether or not he could play at that level. He said he quickly discovered he could. He also admitted he had one disappointment, that he did not start for one of the biggest teams in Europe.
"I think I'm most valuable in that situation," he said. "It's always hard to come into a game and make an impact. I have a lot more appreciation for being a substitute and know what it's like fighting for playing time. But I still got a lot of chances to play, so I'm very grateful for that.
"The tendency is to think it's a failure because things didn't work out in Germany, but it was a great experience. I really enjoyed being there, actually. The players were very nice, the city, the people ... I have a newfound respect for that country as a whole.
"I'm excited to be here. I genuinely want to help every guy here get better and help this team get better."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
