Landon Donovan and what could have been; not such a pretty picture

Quick 411 for background: Everton manager David Moyes may attempt to work out a loan agreement for the Grade A U.S. prime beef of attackers. He wouldn’t be available until January 1, which means the all-time U.S. leading scorer couldn’t help injury-depleted Everton during the busy holiday season. But Donovan could assist the team during multiple spring competitions, and he could provide some breathing room as the Toffees seek to dodge the relegation reaper. Everton is currently 15th in the EPL table, just three spots from the drop zone.

I’ve written several times that I don’t understand the degree of piss and vinegar squirted in Donovan's direction. Some fans got their shorts in a twist because he didn’t fancy staying in Europe all those years ago. So let me make my case like this:

Would it have been better for Donovan to stay put? You know, just stick it out "like a man," as so many seem to think he should have?

Because let me propose what Donovan might be today had he done what so many people (who will never walk a mile in his shoes, but who seem to think they know what’s best for his life) believe he should have:

He’d be Eddie Johnson. Or DaMarcus Beasley. Or Jovan Kirovski, for that matter. Or any one of a number of U.S. players who have languished unnecessarily on a foreign bench, watching their careers die a prolonged and painful death, and therefore never perhaps realizing their full potential.

Now, with Donovan having accomplished so much in domestic soccer, he’s in a place in his life where this move makes more sense. That just wasn’t the case when he was an unhappy teenager in Germany’s cold northern regions at Bayer Leverkusen.

From a performance standpoint, sitting all glum and hum-drum on a foreign team’s bench is useless as spit on a pump handle. Oh, I suppose it’s OK for a season or two for a youngster in need of professional seasoning. But after that, if you don’t play you don’t get better. Period. You’re never going to be a bold, confident, cocky goal-scoring buckaroo if you’re not even making the 18-man selection on Saturdays. And unhappy people are very likely to be under-achieving players.

So, yes, Donovan could have stubbornly chosen to ride out an unhappy situation, preferring the "glory" of collecting a paycheck from some Euro-snob’s delight. Instead, he chose the "ignominy" (in some eyes) of MLS. Except that it’s worked out brilliantly. Here, he destroys defenses, wins awards and basically keeps his skills so sharp that he’s clearly the best field player in a U.S. shirt.

But never mind all that. Clearly he should have remained in Europe – if only to please some of these knuckle-headed U.S. supporters.