The Official Site of Landon Donovan

Thu, Mar 18th 2010, 16:36

Landon returns to training

Listen to the entire interview below:

The LA Galaxy’s Landon Donovan said he’s thrilled to be home and looking forward to playing again with his teammates. His just-concluded 10-week tour of England went amazingly well, with one exception: driving. It was an eye-opener in Great Britain, to say the least.

“It’s kind of weird when you’re driving, then all of a sudden you see someone coming right at you,” Donovan said in his first interview with the media since his return to Southern California earlier this week. “It was actually interesting coming back here and driving for the first few times with people in the car and they were like, `What are you doing?’

“Hopefully I don’t have any problems.”

The 28-year-old looks fit and confident as he enters his sixth season with Los Angeles. The reigning MLS MVP is back following an impressive 10-week loan with the English Premier League’s Everton FC, for whom he played in 13 games, scored two goals and had three assists.

His performances went a long way in silencing those critics who had long doubted whether he could produce at the game’s highest level, not that having the last laugh was his intention all along.

“I don’t live under a rock — I’m not stupid,” he said. “I know things that people say. I also understand when people say those things they have their own issues and there’s nothing you can do about it.

“I’m not a revengeful person, a vindictive person. I think what was most important for me was to prove to myself I was capable of that. That was the most validating.”

Donovan, who previously had an unsuccessful loan stint with Bayern Munich following the 2008 MLS season, said he went to England with an open mind and was rewarded with unwavering support from Everton fans.

“I consciously didn’t have any expectations,” he said. “I didn’t want to. I wanted to take things as they came and make the most of it. I think if I had any expectations I would be let down.

“I kind of learned that in life. I went with an open mind, and what happens happens. It’s funny what happens when you do that.”

He said his confidence grew considerably as well.

“That’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Throughout the years I’ve had the opportunity to play in some big games in some big moments and do well. You get there and every week is a massive game. The ability to produce week after week gives you a lot of confidence, and playing against some of the best players in the world gives you a lot of confidence.”

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