CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Keane and Giovani dos Santos are eager to begin their new partnership with the recently unretired Landon Donovan.
Donovan returned to training on Friday a day after coming out of retirement and rejoining the LA Galaxy. The session was Dos Santos’ first practice with the Galaxy legend and Keane’s first training session alongside his former teammate since the buildup to the 2014 MLS Cup.
Although Donovan has not played in nearly two years, Keane expects his old strike partner to get back to gear sooner rather than later.
“Listen, it’s only going to be a matter of time before we see [his talent],” Keane told reporters on Friday. “We obviously don’t know where he is in terms of fitness. It’s going to take him a few weeks to get him into the swing of things, but we have people who can help him do that. It’s nice to have him back. If he can help the team as he’s done in the past, it’s going to be a plus for the LA Galaxy.
“People are always going to be thinking that he’s going to come in and set the world alight by scoring in every game and score every goal. Everyone has to be patient.”
Training with Donovan may have been old hat to Keane, but Dos Santos was truly excited about the prospect of playing alongside a player who he had many battles with during his time with the Mexican national team.
“For me, it’s a dream come true to play with the best player in the history of the United States and the history of this club,” Dos Santos said. “To be able to play alongside Landon for me is going to be an honor. Hopefully, he can bring a lot to this club.”
The prospect of Donovan and dos Santos playing together is an exiting one for Galaxy fans given the both players’ success for club and country. Two of the greatest talents to come out of the CONCACAF region, both players are renowned for their ability to tear teams apart on the counter attack.
Meanwhile, Keane and Donovan formed one of the league’s great duos from 2011 to 2014. During their time together, the pair scored a combined 83 regular season goals, helping the Galaxy win three MLS Cup titles in the process.
Although Donovan’s form may take some time to return, Keane is ready to rekindle their partnership and lead the Galaxy to another title.
“My expectations are the same as they’ve always been, and that’s to win a championship. It’s the same. Landon is a winner, and it’ll be the same for him,” Keane said. “He’s here to help the team, and as long as he can do that, he’s going to be a big asset to this group.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog atLAGalaxy.com/Insiderand contact him atLAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
