Landon Donovan is getting the itch to get back on the soccer field – in a coaching capacity, that is.
The LA Galaxy and US national team legend touched on a variety of subjects in a lengthy interview with Goal.com’s Seth Vertelney that was published on Thursday, speaking about his adjustment to retired life, his interest in coaching, his thoughts on Jurgen Klinsmann’s decision to leave Clint Dempsey off the USMNT’s latest roster and putting to bed any rumors that he might come out of retirement as a player.
Donovan’s thoughts on Dempsey’s exclusion from the US roster for their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against St. Vincent & The Grenadines and at Trinidad & Tobago were particularly interesting.
“Only Jurgen really knows that or maybe Clint but if I’m the manager, I want Clint to be part of what we’re doing – period, end of story,” he said. “Maybe if it’s a friendly game that’s different and you can start to look at other players but in a World Cup qualifier, there’s no room for error. This round of qualifying on paper isn’t as difficult as the final round of qualifying but there are only six games. If you throw away a game or two games you might not even advance to the next round.
“I didn’t agree with it. I think most of the US soccer community didn’t agree with it. But it is what it is. Clint accepted it and did a good job at least publicly of dealing with it, but I would still want him on my team. If I’m a guy in that camp, I’m saying ‘I want Clint on this team.’”
For Goal.com's full interview with Donovan, click here.
