USMNT legend Landon Donovan’s move to San Diego Wave and his subsequent NWSL debut has been a sensational storyline lately. Like he expected, Donovan got off to a rough start in San Diego, losing twice and drawing once. Meanwhile, former USWNT star Becky Sauerbrunn cast shadows over Donovan’s Wave stint, citing his inexperience in women’s soccer. However, the former LA Galaxy striker is quite unfazed amid minimal experience. He confidently said he wouldn’t hesitate to take a coaching role in the USMNT or the USWNT.

It’s not like Landon Donovan has got no coaching experience. One of the founders of the San Diego Loyal, he coached the team before moving to the NWSL. During a recent conversation, former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas asked the 42-year-old if he would be the USMNT or USWNT coach one day.

“Yeah, I would um that’s a long ways down the road but uh I do I really do enjoy coaching,” said Donovan in the recent episode of the State of the Union podcast.

He added, “If that opportunity comes, I would very much be open to it. If a different opportunity came at some point a few years down the road and I’m in a different place with my family, that’s also something I would consider.”

The former US striker iterated he prioritizes family now and feels at home coaching Alex Morgan and Co. in San Diego. Anyhow, Donovan has miles to go in the NWSL to prove naysayers such as Becky Sauerbrunn wrong. Meanwhile, the likes of Alexi Lalas fully support Landon Donovan in landing a coaching job, in one of the US teams.

Lalas goes bullish on lauding Landon Donovan’s playing career

“I don’t know a lot about Landon, but I don’t think he has that experience of living the women’s game, of the ups and downs that we’ve gone through, both as a sport, as a league in the NWSL, as players. I don’t know a lot about Landon, but I don’t think he has that experience of living the women’s game, of the ups and downs that we’ve gone through, both as a sport, as a league in the NWSL, as players,” Becky Sauerbrunn said in a recent interview.

Alexi Lalas, on the other hand, has subtly pipped the US Soccer to mull over hiring Donovan for one of its national teams. The former US defender said that he would “absolutely” have his name shortlisted for the US Soccer’s interview to hire a new coach for them. That’s surely some high praise for the coach, believing in taking the San Diego Wave from their winless games. 

Regarding his new coaching stint, the path is anything but rosy for the LA Galaxy legend. The Wave has been on a three-game winless streak since Donovan took over as head coach. It is also currently the NWSL’s 12th seed, plummeting further to the bottom half. It’s not common for a team to finish 1st in the league last season to plummet down to 12th. 

Anyhow, Donovan is ready to take any challenge. Otherwise, the fans in San Diego are in for a shocking season. So let’s be hopeful about the Wave.