Jurgen Klinsmann reacts to Landon Donovan's return, but doesn't address USMNT status
Once Landon Donovan decided to end his retirement and return to the LA Galaxy, Jurgen Klinsmann was going to be put on the spot and asked to comment. It was just a matter of when. Well, that time came on Monday in a Facebook Live Q&A.
"I'm not surprised to see a lot of questions about Landon Donovan," Klinsmann said. "I think it's pretty cool that Landon is back on the field. He just wants to give it another shot.
"So obviously he's been gone for quite a while, coming back is not going to be easy for him, but with the experience of Bruce Arena at the Galaxy I'm sure that they're going to time him the right way and build him the right way towards the playoffs."
Unsurprisingly, Klinsmann did not address Donovan's status with the United States national team.
Beyond that, Donovan is now 34 years old and hasn't played a competitive match in two years, so it's tough to imagine him being good enough for the national team anytime soon, or maybe ever again. Donovan isn't even committed to playing beyond this season, for now just saying that he wants to help the Galaxy this season. With only four U.S. matches between now and the end of the season, which is in two months, Donovan proving he's good enough, fit enough and then sustaining it to impress any manager would be difficult. With a manager who already doesn't favor him, it's near impossible.
Klinsmann has little reason to think of Donovan as a potential U.S. player right now. He wouldn't think of anyone else who hasn't played for the team in more 27 months, and hasn't played professionally in 21 months, as a national team caliber player. So why would he address Donovan's return through the lens of him being called up again? He wouldn't, and he didn't.
MORE FROM FOX SOCCER
