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USMNT legend/scapegoat Landon Donovan isn't planning on a return to the playing field, but he would like to get back to the sideline. The 33-year-old has been retired from professional soccer for a year, and he tells Goal.com he's feeling the urge to become a coach.
Just in the last month I've talked a lot to my agent and my wife about starting to get the itch to coach. I'm not sure what that means and at what level but I've started to get that itch. I think what it evolves from is being able to help and being able to improve the game in a way. What all of us want to do when we get out of the game is we want to have the ability to go back and make an impact and help others. I didn't have anybody at 16, 17, 18, 19 that was telling me what to do or how to react or how to act in certain situations and I wish I would have had that. Having been through these experiences when you're on the outside usually you can see it a lot more clearly than when you're in it, and I want to have the ability to impact people in that way and to affect change in a positive way, and I think I have a lot to give in that way. So I'm going to start considering that path a lot more seriously and see where it ends up.
Donovan said he hasn't decided on what age group he might like to coach, but he has evolved his opinion and wouldn't mind working with senior team players. Sounds like someone is angling from an open gig in Atlanta.
Meet the tiny island nation the USMNT is going to obliterate on Friday [SBN]
The USMNT opens World Cup qualifying Friday night against St. Vincent and the Grenadines. You probably don't know a whole lot about this team, but we can tell you it is not an indie rock super group. U.S. fans should see a few new faces in action.
What's happening in The A?
It's official: The Braves have traded shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Los Angles Angels for Erick Aybar, cash, and prospects. Fans of the deal will say the Braves received a top-of-the-line pitching prospect and the team is building for the future. Everyone else will patiently wait for the Braves to develop that prospect so they can trade him away.