The time to judge the USMNT World Cup roster is not now

Yesterday’s news was a bombshell. About a week before he had to, United States men’s national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann decided to announce the final 23 players who will be heading to Brazil this summer.

Landon Donovan’s name was not on the list. Donovan’s omission sent some into a tizzy, sarcastic remarks included.

Bruce Arena: if there are 23 players on this team better than Landon Donovan, then we are going to win the World Cup

— Scott Smith (@JasonSSmith1) May 23, 2014

Still fuming over no Landon Donovan. #MISTAKE

— Dude Perfect (@DudePerfect) May 23, 2014

That's some BS. How can kids be one step ahead of Landon Donovan. Pissed bra. pic.twitter.com/5KU9IzuWh1

— Edgar Iniguez (@edgargetactive) May 23, 2014

Robbie Keane: If I Were Landon Donovan … I'd Be PISSED!!! [VIDEO] #newslocker http://t.co/lAZqsoJfYH

— newslocker Gossip (@yourgossipnews) May 23, 2014

So pissed that Landon Donovan isn't going to be in the World Cup. ESPECIALLY since i bought the $150 World Cup jersey with his name on it

Others, mostly people who write about the USMNT, were more measured and had some other fun details.

Watching these #USMNT players stumble over their words about Landon Donovan's exclusion shows how shocking this announcement truly is.

— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) May 23, 2014

Klinsmann says that he didn't discuss the selection process with the leaders of the #USMNT. Didn't want them involved in personnel decisions

— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) May 23, 2014

Not writing on Donovan. Wrote this a year ago and not sure what I would change: http://t.co/dmS7ALwY2c

— Matthew Tomaszewicz (@shinguardian) May 23, 2014

Klinsmann’s job hasn’t ever been to keep the status quo, though, and by including players without the name Donovan, the head coach has opened the door for some others to step into a leadership role on the national team. His decision was certainly one that takes intestinal fortitude.

American soccer fans, in the absence of global domination, have latched onto the “we’re so much better than we used to be” story over the past 5-10 years, though the team hasn’t taken any big steps forward in that time. Klinsmann’s job is to help them get there — to take them from good to great. The move to take younger players over Donovan has its risks, but it also squashes any doubt about complacency as an excuse should this team falter.

In this case, the assurance of stability was not as strong as the desire to change and move forward. I think it will make for fascinating viewing this summer.

Here’s Klinsmann talking about leaving Donovan off the roster.

 

And Klinsmann taking a little longer during a press conference

To make the move Klinsmann made on the roster takes guts. By Steindy, (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Established Leaders

It’s not like the team has no experience. Tim Howard, Michael Bradley, and Clint Dempsey are all proven veterans of the team. Bradley, in particular, seems to be poised to have an outstanding World Cup this year. Howard wasn’t pleased with the Landon Donovan exclusion, calling the former national team captain one of the team’s best players.

No Landon Donovan? This is what Tim Howard had to say Monday: "If Landon is on the field he is one of our top one or two players." #USMNT

— Joe Lago (@joelago) May 22, 2014

Any way you slice, it, players like the polarizing Kyle Beckerman, the inconsistent Jozy Altidore or even **shudder** Jermaine Jones will have to play some kind of key role. Maybe Aron Johannsson or Julien Green get opportunities and do something cool.

Does this team really have that kind of depth?

While an easy argument to make is that not a lot of players on the roster are better than Donovan, there is something to be said for this team’s depth. In looking at the roster, there are a number of players who can play varying roles and in various formations. Klinsmann prefers players who are testing themselves in top European leagues, and his choices reflect that.

There is no question that Donovan’s absence will leave both a psychological and emotional gap for this team. That being said, I don’t think Klinsmann would be making this decision if he didn’t think that the other players on the team could fill that gap and then some. They have a little more than three weeks to figure it out.

It’s easy to have an instant opinion on this move, but let’s wait until the actual World Cup to judge this team, and Klinsmann’s move. Other teams have come in with more hype and fallen on their faces (1998, 2006). Maybe this year’s team could be the antithesis of that.

‘Bout to find out!

Maybe I’m mistaking depth for general world-class mediocrity… . I guess we’ll see come the World Cup. For now, I’m going to choose to see the glass half-full. For all you LA Galaxy fans who are upset, turn that frown upside down. Your best player is back and he’s probably going to be kind of motivated.

Also, people get hurt. Don’t forget that Donovan might be an injury away from being right back in the mix. In an event like the World Cup that is always steeped in drama, and for a player who has made his home in Los Angeles, that would truly be the Hollywood ending.

Speaking of Hollywood and Landon Donovan’s team, TMZ Sports caught up with Robbie Keane, who said he’d be pissed off if he were in Landon’s shoes.

Robbie Keane — If I Were Landon Donovan … I’D BE PISSED!!!

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