Landon Donovan slams Klinsmann's decision to drop Dempsey

Landon Donovan has criticised embattled United States gaffer Jurgen Klinsmann's decision to drop Clint Dempsey from the national team.

The U.S. welcomes St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday before a trip to face Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, and although they're not the most prestigious opponents, Donovan believes it's a mistake to omit Dempsey.

"If I'm the manager, I want Clint to be part of what we're doing - period, end of story," Donovan said to Seth Vertelney of Goal.com. "Maybe if it's a friendly game that's different and you can start to look at other players but in a World Cup qualifier, there's no room for error."

The LA Galaxy and U.S. record goalscorer has every right to be concerned, as Team USA has recorded five losses in its last six matches, including games against supposed lesser sides Panama and Jamaica.

"This round of qualifying on paper isn't as difficult as the final round of qualifying but there are only six games. If you throw away a game or two games you might not even advance to the next round.

"I didn't agree with (Dempsey being left out). I think most of the US soccer community didn't agree with it. But it is what it is."

The former Bayer Leverkusen man has recently been training with the LA Galaxy as he builds up his fitness for an appearance in a Rest of the World XI for a Unicef charity match organised by former teammate David Beckham.

Despite this, and being just 33 years old, he doesn't feel a desire to return to the playing field.

"It would be fun to go out on the field and play but I realise that those days are over now. I think I can be more impactful and helpful in other ways, but it doesn't mean that when I watch the games I don't get excited or I don't wish that I was out there playing.

"It took a while to get to that place too - I didn't touch a ball for probably eight months or so but now it's been fun to have some pickup games, to train again and get back into the game."

Here are the squads for the Unicef friendly:

GB and Ireland

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson

Captain: David Beckham

David Seaman, David James, Sol Campbell, John Terry, Phil Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Darren Fletcher, Trevor Sinclair, Gary McAllister, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Michael Owen, Alan Smith, Peter Crouch

Rest of the World

Manager: Carlo Ancelotti

Captain: Zinedine Zidane

Edwin van der Saar, Raimond van der Gouw, Cafu, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Couto, Mikael Silvestre, Maxwell, Luis Figo, Robert Pires, Christian Karembeu, Ji-sung Park, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Vieira, Michael Ballack, Ronaldinho, Dwight Yorke, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Patrick Kluivert, Landon Donovan