3.29.13
ASN Morning Read: Landon Donovan in Spring
The once and future Los Angeles Galaxy attacker talks to the media about disappearing and coming back; Robbie Rogers continues his new life; Will Packwood continues his amazing recovery.
BY
Jesse Yomtov
Posted
March 29, 2013
8:40 AM
Remember Landon Donovan? Yeah, well he finally talked at length about his desire to get back into the national team picture. Donovan targets the June qualifiers for his return. He’s kept in touch with Klinsmann, but knows he’s not just going to be handed a spot in the wake of his sabbatical. “I am itching to represent my country again and to be a part of it, but I also understand very clearly that some decisions I have made are going to make that a difficult task." He also got a little soap-boxy, but raised a valid point: "Unfortunately in this society and probably many other societies we have a sort of stigma that being in a difficult mental place is not acceptable and we should pull ourselves up by the boot-straps and fight through it."
The New York Times has a fantastic profile of Robbie Rogers, who revealed last month that he is gay. “I’m a Catholic, I’m a conservative, I’m a footballer and I’m gay,” Rogers said. “Imagine living all that time with just a crimp in your stomach. I kept thinking, I hope I don’t do something that makes people wonder, ‘is Robbie gay?’” The now-at-ease 25-year-old shows a great sense of humor throughout the article. “Technically, the first person was some girl I met at a bar,” he said, laughing. “I told her I was gay, and she still tried to hook up with me. It was weird.” The Guardian also talks with Rogers.
Stuart Holden is joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan until April 24, looking to get game time. Holden played in Bolton’s two FA Cup matches in January and one league match in February, but hasn’t seen time in any of the last four league matches. Said Sheffield Wednesday’s manager Dave Jones: “He just wants to get going again, that is the most important thing to him... He’s quality on the ball, he’s got an eye for a goal and if hadn’t had the injuries he’s had then we wouldn’t have been able to get him.”
After breaking his leg in January, Will Packwood is set to ditch the crutches and start the next step of his rehab. He’s not sure when he’ll return, but the U-20 World Cup in June is pretty much out of the question. “The bone is still technically fractured,” Packwood said. “It’s coming together well but I can’t be jumping around on it for a little while.” He got to go to the new England national team center—St. George’s Park—as part of his rehab, so that’s pretty cool.
Ever wonder how players get readjusted from the long trips to international fixtures? Sacha Kljestan fills us in:
