Our Everton correspondent Ed Bottomley has kindly given us permission to reproduce articles from his blog at dixies60.com.
Landon Donovan: A Superior American
by Ed Bottomley
It started in the smog-filled queue of cars outside the Taco Bell drive-thru somewhere in suburban Detroit – an area as flat and grey as a politburo suit. My mum was over visiting and she’d been nursing a chip on her shoulder about the US for decades.
After rattling off a list of problems that she had with Detroit – and the US in general – she wrapped her argument off with a final claim:
“They think they are so superior at everything.”
That sentence, uttered by my mum, seeps into the cracks that cover the beautiful game. It’s thought by Moyes and his boys as they walk under the 'This is Anfield' sign – its on the tip of sharp tongues in the US – flicking invective David Beckham’s way. It’s also how a lot of people felt when Landon Donovan came to Merseyside. He hadn’t made the grade in Germany, word spread that he was a Californian Graeme Hick – a flat track bully. How wrong we were. Donovan hit the ground running as soon as he got here but Saturday’s game against Man Utd was one of his quieter moments. He will have again been impressed by Goodison, and by our results this month. Many doubted us after the beginning to our season; victories against Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City, and Sporting Lisbon represent a renewal of vows for these fans.
When Sepp Blatter talks people listen. Partly because he is the head of FIFA. Mainly because his mouth is a purveyor of fine tripe. In terms of moronic soundbites he is an unholy mix of the Duke of Edinburgh and Russell Brand – committing verbal pratfalls with every breath. His latest proclamation was that John Terry would be “applauded” in Latin countries for having a mistress. Gab Marcotti rightfully savaged Blatter, but the old FIFA duffer may have stumbled over something. Unlike many other countries, we do have a problem with mistresses. Everton fans have already fallen in love with Landon Donovan and we cannot comprehend having to share him with someone else.
We’re so used to monotone grunts in football, but Landon had us at hello, he had us with his gummy smile and his player of the month award, and hopefully we have captured his heart too. It has all the promise of a long term relationship, he is everything Evertonians want in a player – fiercely committed, skilled, intelligent – and hopefully we are everything he could want – singing him to success.
Welcome to Hotel Everton, Landon. You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave.
Read more from Ed at www.dixies60.com
