If you read the headline and thought "duh", my apologies; news is news, no matter how expected it might be. According to Paul Oberjuerge, Bruce Arena has let it slip that Landon Donovan will be in the Confederations Cup squad (duh again), but won't be playing in the Gold Cup.
Makes sense, of course, and I'm not sure it ever crossed my mind that Donovan would be playing Copa de Oro futbol. I subconsciously assumed that the sure-to-be JV team that Bradley puts out in the regional tournament would not include the all-time goal scoring leader, especially in light of the crowded Nats schedule this summer.
Perhaps I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know, and safe-assumptions are called such for a reason; but this is confirmation (I think), and therefore noteworthy, if not earth-shaking.
Bradley, as Arena did before him, relies on Donovan so much that it often appears to be a foregone conclusion that he will be called up for every meaningful match. The argument could be made that the Gold Cup really isn't meaningful this year; unlike 2007, when the full-strength team was necessary to ensure a Confed Cup berth and the kids were sent to Copa America in deference, the Gold Cup is clearly well down the priority list.
As it should be. As unfortunate as it is that fans are likely to see a young, experimental team at American venues around the country in July, that squad will still be important testing ground of depth and potential ahead of next year's World Cup.
Meanwhile, aside from the pesky business of World Cup qualifiers, the Confederations Cup gets top billing. Some lament the contrived nature of the tournament, and wonder how strong other participants sides might be; but the competition in South Africa will involve some of the world's best teams, and should be a strong test of the full-strength side's development. Showing well will not only raise confidence for the rest of the year and the remaining qualifiers, but it might also raise awareness of the team stateside for those not yet paying attention.
No Donovan at the Gold Cup? Expected and good. The choice of attacking players for the tournament should be interesting, and I'm excited to see some of the younger talent get a chance to shine. Bob, no retreads please.
Is this news to you? Expected and unsurprising? Either way, who do you see "taking" Donovan's place in the USMNT during the Gold Cup?
