RESPECT THE DECISION

The Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has said that the players and the fans should respect the decision taken by the US international Landon Donovan if he indeed retires from the game. The 30-year-old LA Galaxy player is thought to have played his last game of his career in the MLS cup final against Houston Dynamo.

He helped his team managed to win the second MLS title in successive seasons, but he has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he is burned-out after having played a lot of football in the last few years. Landon Donovan has been playing non-stop football for the last few years due to his loan spells with Everton FC.

He has been not only been part of the LA Galaxy team in the MLS, but also the Everton team in the Premier league for more than two months. This was in addition to the life as an international footballer with the United States national team. The player recently suggested that he was even contemplating the prospect of playing in the 2014 FIFA World Cup with the national team. The United States national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann also recently said that he respects the decision taken by the player whether it be continuing to play or retiring from the game.

The thing we have to realize when we look at Landon is not only has he exceeded expectations, he’s crushed them. I think his legacy will be talked about as one of the best and rightfully so. He’ll go down in history as not only a legend but one of our top-two players [in U.S. history]. At the moment it’s all hypothetical. A lot of it sounds like [just] talk. There hasn’t been an [actual] decision yet,” said the Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, who is also an American international.