Donovan enjoying Earthquakes' ride in playoffs

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Landon Donovan isn't sure he wants to go back to Europe when his current contract expires after Major League Soccer's 2004 season.

Donovan, 21, is among the top players on the U.S. national team and is the star of San Jose, which meets Chicago on Sunday in the MLS Cup.

But when he signed with Bayer Leverkusen as a 16-year-old, it led to an unhappy experience. During two seasons in Germany, he didn't get into a single game.

"It's easy for people sitting in beautiful San Diego, California, saying, 'You should go to Germany and play,"' Donovan said Friday. "Well, you go there and live for eight months and see the sun six days out of the year, and you tell me how it feels? It's easy for people to say that."

Donovan impressed many at last year's World Cup. He was the youngest player in the tournament to score two goals, and led the national team with seven goals in 15 games this year. He had another 12 goals for the Earthquakes during the regular season.

"When they talk about young players, Landon's name gets brought up," San Jose coach Frank Yallop said. "I go to England regularly, and they know Landon. They know all about him.

"I think from day one, we all knew about Landon's talents. You've seen a player grow into -- and I don't use this word very often -- a world-class player. I really believe that whatever Landon wants to do in soccer, he can go ahead and do it."

Donovan, the U.S. national team's player of the year for the past two years, likes playing in MLS. He obviously enjoys the team's success.

"If next year has similar games like the last two weeks, I don't know why anyone would want to leave," he said. "As far as fan support and just the feeling around the team, that's a dream. That's exactly why you play."

The Earthquakes made a remarkable comeback in the opening playoff series against Los Angeles, a two-games, total-goals encounter.

San Jose lost the first leg 2-0, then fell behind 2-0 in the second. But the Earthquakes rallied to take a 4-2 lead, with Donovan scoring one of the goals that helped force overtime. Donovan then fed Rodrigo Faria for the deciding goal.

In the second round, Donovan scored in overtime for a 3-2 win over Kansas City.

"I think the last few weeks of the season, and now in the playoffs, you've seen a player blossoming," Yallop said. "When it really matters, Landon's there for you."

While Donovan obviously would prefer that the Earthquakes control the game throughout against the Fire, he won't worry if San Jose falls behind.

"Anything's possible now," he said. "I think we've learned that in the last two games."