American ace Landon Donovan has spoken at length about his hopes and ambitions at Bayern Munich now that his loan spell has formally begun.
The 26-year-old has officially arrived in Munich on loan from LA Galaxy until March 15, but in a recent interview with FC Bayern's official website he suggested that he is aiming to stay beyond that.
"I'm pleased and very excited to be here," Donovan enthused. "My goal is to become part of the team as quickly as possible. I'm confident it'll work out. It was made very easy for me here at Bayern back in November. I was welcomed with open arms.“
When asked whether he'd like to stay beyond the terms of his original loan spell, he said: "Yes, I'd definitely like to stay for longer.“
Donovan, who was once on the books at Bayer Leverkusen in his youth, also commented on what he perceives to be the differences between the Bundesliga and Major League Soccer.
"The people in Germany have much greater passion for football. Football's in their blood, as it has such a long history in Germany, but we've only had the MLS for 13 years.
"Bundesliga matches are obviously very high quality, every player at a club like Bayern has class, which is different to America. The playing styles are different too. You get more one-on-one situations in the Bundesliga, the players are technically strong and good on the ball - the MLS is faster and more physical."
Fcbayern.de also pressed Donovan on how he feels about competing with Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski for a place in the team and how he rates his chances.
"Training with them back in November was a dream come true. Training with such classy players makes you a better player yourself. I can learn lots from them. At the same time, I do believe I can bring qualities of my own to the team. I'm a different type of player compared to Luca, Miro and Lukas. I do a lot of work off the ball and at a high pace.“
Finally, Donovan was keen to stress that he has matured as a player since his first stint in Germany between 2001 and 2005.
"I've grown up, especially mentally. I'm more experienced and mentally stronger, and I know what to expect here. Back then in Leverkusen, I wasn't ready for Germany and the Bundesliga. I thought for many months about the decision to come back, and spoke to lots of people. I know I'm ready for it now."
Derek Wanner, Goal.com
The 26-year-old has officially arrived in Munich on loan from LA Galaxy until March 15, but in a recent interview with FC Bayern's official website he suggested that he is aiming to stay beyond that.
"I'm pleased and very excited to be here," Donovan enthused. "My goal is to become part of the team as quickly as possible. I'm confident it'll work out. It was made very easy for me here at Bayern back in November. I was welcomed with open arms.“
When asked whether he'd like to stay beyond the terms of his original loan spell, he said: "Yes, I'd definitely like to stay for longer.“
Donovan, who was once on the books at Bayer Leverkusen in his youth, also commented on what he perceives to be the differences between the Bundesliga and Major League Soccer.
"The people in Germany have much greater passion for football. Football's in their blood, as it has such a long history in Germany, but we've only had the MLS for 13 years.
"Bundesliga matches are obviously very high quality, every player at a club like Bayern has class, which is different to America. The playing styles are different too. You get more one-on-one situations in the Bundesliga, the players are technically strong and good on the ball - the MLS is faster and more physical."
Fcbayern.de also pressed Donovan on how he feels about competing with Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski for a place in the team and how he rates his chances.
"Training with them back in November was a dream come true. Training with such classy players makes you a better player yourself. I can learn lots from them. At the same time, I do believe I can bring qualities of my own to the team. I'm a different type of player compared to Luca, Miro and Lukas. I do a lot of work off the ball and at a high pace.“
Finally, Donovan was keen to stress that he has matured as a player since his first stint in Germany between 2001 and 2005.
"I've grown up, especially mentally. I'm more experienced and mentally stronger, and I know what to expect here. Back then in Leverkusen, I wasn't ready for Germany and the Bundesliga. I thought for many months about the decision to come back, and spoke to lots of people. I know I'm ready for it now."
Derek Wanner, Goal.com