What a night Landon Donovan had on Wednesday. Not only did Everton's loan star excel in a surprise 2-1 win for the Toffees against Chelsea, but the American was also involved in an incident that could have positive implications for his country.
Donovan and Chelsea left back, Ashley Cole, were involved in a (hard but fair) second-half challenge that left the England man with a broken ankle which, reports suggest, will keep him out for three months and could put his World Cup status in doubt.
While England deals with the loss of a key man, one of the USA's most important players is looking increasingly at home on the other side of the Atlantic and, following Donovan's best game to date for Everton, many believe his latest foray into European soccer should go beyond his current loan spell, which is due to end in the middle of March.
Count me among those who think Donovan should make the most of his peak years by staying in Europe. However, I wonder if Everton will pay the money MLS would want for one of the faces of its league. Indeed, unless it was part of an elaborate negotiation tactic, David Moyes' quote after the Chelsea game -- "I don't think we'll be able to keep him when his loan expires, unfortunately" -- suggests his days on Merseyside are numbered.
Therefore, if Goodison Park is not to be his new home, the question becomes whether another club will be prepared to stump up the cash to sign him. Of course, much will depend on what MLS would demand in terms of a transfer fee. Donovan recently signed a big-money contract extension and, although that deal is reported to have a release clause, its fee may be prohibitive to potential suitors.
Jozy Altidore's price when joining Villarreal was reported to be in the range of $8 million to $10 million, and I would think it would take a similar-sized check to secure Donovan's services on a full-time basis. January's transfer window indicated just how tight most purse strings are, but that's not to say there isn't a club out there, be it Everton or otherwise, that will not consider Donovan. Given his current form, especially if his second month is as impressive as his first, and he then has a good World Cup, one assumes there will be interested parties.
Well-played, young man
While I don't want to make a critique of Jozy Altidore a weekly occurrence on this page, it's only fair that the young striker gets the credit he is due, not only for his first goal in the Premier League, but also for the overall quality of his display for Hull against Manchester City.
Four days after giving John Terry all he could handle, Altidore allied his physical threat with a more confident approach while in possession to prove a constant menace to City's back line. He drew fouls on Kolo Toure and Dedryck Boyata that earned the central defensive duo yellow cards inside the game's opening 20 minutes, before reacting quickest to a clever knockdown by Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to stroke home a shot from 15 yards.
Having broken a scoring duck that had lasted into his 18th game in England's top flight, on Wednesday Altidore completed a game for the first time in the league this season. Although he couldn't stop Hull from falling to Blackburn, this was, nevertheless, a further sign that the 20-year-old is settling into life in England. Perhaps he, a loanee like Donovan, could make his temporary stay a more permanent arrangement.
That Altidore is stepping up his game is all the more commendable given what he has gone through in recent weeks following the devastating earthquake which hit Haiti. His thoughts on the tragedy, as well as the role he has played in helping a nation rebuild in its aftermath, are chronicled in a Daily Mail article.
A thing that made me go hmmm
How important is a captain? One of the knock-on debates from the John Terry affair has been a discussion regarding the importance of the role of a captain. In England, the position of national team skipper is considered vital. From Billy Wright, through Bobby Moore, Kevin Keegan, Bryan Robson and Gary Lineker, the man with the armband has been held in extra-special regard.
That trend has continued this century with David Beckham and, most recently, Terry, the chosen ones to lead out the Three Lions. Meanwhile, Italy, by contrast, takes a different view when it comes to picking a captain. There, the honor is bestowed on the player in the team with the most caps.
The U.S. currently aligns itself closer to the English model, with Carlos Bocanegra the captain of choice for Bob Bradley, despite having fewer caps than Landon Donovan, who is second in command. What makes Bocanegra a better choice? Is it experience in the job? Is he respected more than other candidates? Does he make better pregame speeches? Is he better at planning team nights out?! I have never been in the U.S. team's locker room so I have no idea what the criteria is for Bradley.
Personally, though, I think that the most fundamental thing a captain needs to be is a first-choice member of the team. Beyond that, of course, it is a given that he has to hold the respect of those around him. His playing position is not so important, although I do believe that defenders and central midfielders are, generally, a better choice as they tend to be more involved in the game for more of the time and are often in close proximity to the referee.
One thing I am not in favor of is having the best player as captain for the sake of it. In England, for example, many tipped Wayne Rooney to replace Terry. Given the already huge burden that will be placed on his shoulders this summer, it is right that Rooney's "only" job will be to score the goals that, millions hope, will bring World Cup glory to his (and their) country.