#usmnst

संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका की राष्ट्रीय फ़ुटबॉल टीम के खिलाड़ी संघ वह यूएस नेशनल सॉकर टीम प्लेयर्स एसोसिएशन यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स मेन्स नेशनल टीम के वर्तमान सदस्यों के लिए श्रम संगठन है, और राष्ट्रीय टीम के पूर्व छात्रों के लिए एक सदस्यता संगठन है। प्लेयर्स एसोसिएशन की स्थापना 1996 में यूएस नेशनल टीम के सदस्यों द्वारा यूनाइटेड स्टेट्स सॉकर फेडरेशन के साथ सामूहिक सौदेबाजी में उनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए…

To preface this I'm a new Soccer fan. I've learned to appreciate the game, watching great players make sensational plays. The heighten tension in a nil-nil game with time running out for your team to pull of the victory. I got hooked last World Cup watching the US team come back from behind to beat Ghana.  Landon Donovan was a key piece to that team. 

That won't be the the case this year.  

USMNT manager Jurgen Klinsmann's Donovan, America's all-time leading scorer, off the roster.  Donovan was the most experienced player at camp, amassing 12 WC appearances.  It was a very controversial move to say the least.  I can understand why Klinsmann left Donovan off the roster. Age, production, and  the rise of  younger players were all legitimate factors in his decision. 

The US got a tough draw at this year's World Cup.  Ghana, Germany, and Portugal. That's murder's row if you ask me.  Over the weekend I caught up on the fantastic 30 for 30 documentary series following the USMNT on their path to the WC.  In one particular scene, you see the younger players in awe watching Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo. You can see the fear written across their face. They wanted no parts of him at all.  Shook.    

That is the one thing Donovan brings to this team: experience.  With the tough draw, I think you need all the experience you can get.  Leaving Donovan off this roster you lost a significant player who could (or could not) add a little something to this team. Maybe he could offer some advice to the young defensive men on the team. Maybe he could give some insight into Nigeria's defense from his experience last year.  I don't know what he could offer in terms of playing time but I know that I would love to have the old vet in the ear of my younger guys.