Landon Donovan says he'll be involved with the United States team longer than any coach, including Jurgen Klinsmann.

Donovan and Klinsmann have had a strained relationship following his four-month sabbatical and the manager left him off his World Cup roster last year.

"Now I see sort of the big picture of it and I know I'm going to be around a lot longer in U.S. soccer than any one coach will be," Donovan said. "I can see the big picture and I'm happy to move past it, but it was obviously not an easy time in my life."

Klinsmann has pushed for the United States' best players to go abroad to the best leagues, but Donovan doesn't necessarily agree.

"For me it's a case-by-case basis. So what's right for one isn't right for the other," he said.

"As a general statement I think it is better for kids growing up here to be involved in our system, in Major League Soccer. You're going to have more of an opportunity.

"So a kid who is signed by the LA Galaxy -- a guy like Gyasi Zardes who has played for the Galaxy, who grew up in our system and is playing for the national team now -- is going to be supported and pushed unlike they would be in Europe."