An American soccer great had a strong message for Matt Crocker after news broke that he was leaving his post as U.S. Soccer’s sporting director two months before the start of the World Cup.
If you don’t want to be here, good riddance.
Landon Donovan, who suited up for the United States in three World Cups, lambasted the now-former sporting director and said he never felt like Crocker was fully invested in the job he held from 2023 until Tuesday.
Crocker left his role in order to take a similar one with Saudi Arabia.
“I always got the sense he wasn’t fully committed here and didn’t really care about soccer in this country,” Donovan said. “If he doesn’t want to be here, then we should be happy that he’s gone. I’m actually happy to get someone in that position that genuinely cares about the growth of soccer and is not just interested in making their next paycheck.”
U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker atteneds the international friendly soccer match between the United States and New Zealand, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in Cincinnati. AP Crocker was hired in 2023 after Earnie Stewart left to take over a sporting role with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
Crocker presided over the rehiring of Gregg Berhalter and then later brought in current head coach Mauricio Pochettino at the end of 2024 on the men’s side.
U.S. Soccer COO Dan Helfrich, assistant sporting director Oguchi Onyewu and women’s youth national team head of development Tracey Kevins will be part of the team that will share Crocker’s duties following his departure.
“Good riddance to him,” Donovan added. “Just so people can stay calm, long term this will be good. Short term, it’s OK. Nothing’s going to change ahead of the World Cup. There was nothing he was doing on a daily basis that was having any impact on anything meaningful.
“Nobody needs to worry about that. Dan Helfrich, Oguchi Onyewu and others will do plenty and do a fine job filling in for now, and nothing is going to be impacted for the World Cup.”
Interim Head Coach Landon Donovan of the San Diego Wave FC looks on during the second half against the Angel City FC at Snapdragon Stadium on August 24, 2024 in San Diego, California. Getty Images While Donovan attempted to project some calm, the news was a shock, with 59 days until the United States kicks off its first match of the tournament being held on American soil.
The U.S. Men’s National team is also coming off a disappointing showing during the March international window that saw the club lose a pair of friendly matches to Portugal and Belgium.
