Photograph Credit score: (c) GAK 1902
Leaping into a brand new league, in a brand new nation could also be a troublesome adjustment for a participant, however American defender Donovan Pines seems to be to have adjusted properly to his time within the Austrian Bundesliga.
Pines is within the midst of his first season with Grazer AK, one in every of two golf equipment from town of Graz in Austria. After becoming a member of GAK final August as a free agent signing, Pines has shortly change into a constant contributor within the squad, most not too long ago logging his sixteenth look in Sunday’s 2-2 league draw with Wolfsberger AC.
Pines mirrored on his time in Austria to this point because the second half of GAK’s season is again in full swing.
“Austria is an exquisite nation, Pines informed SBI in an interview. “The individuals are very good, it’s a brand new panorama and there’s simply so many issues to soak up all through this season. It’s been a variety of emotional ups-and-downs and naturally I’d need some extra wins, however to date it’s been a cool expertise.
“My teammates are wonderful, the group is wonderful,” he added. I’m tapping into studying German. I’m making an attempt to know the language and making an attempt to change into a pacesetter to assist us keep within the league, but additionally assist lead by instance and talk higher with the fellows. Up to now it’s been a extremely cool season, very intense, however hopefully we will do one thing particular and keep on this league and get a pair extra wins to finish the season.”
Pines got here up by DC United’s academy ranks earlier than ultimately progressing to the College of Maryland. He helped the Terrapins with the 2018 Nationwide Championship and proceeded to conclude his collegiate profession with 56 appearances, in addition to a number of Huge Ten and NCAA honors.
After totaling 93 appearances and scoring six objectives for DC United, Pines ultimately made the transfer to English third-tier facet Barnsley in January 2024. Accidents plagued the primary 4 months of Pines’ time in England, however he rebounded throughout the 2024-25 marketing campaign by netting three objectives in 27 appearances.
With MLS, League One, and Bundesliga expertise all underneath his belt, Pines has discovered one key similarity between all three leagues.
“I really feel like simply it’s the depth,” Pines mentioned. “Even in League One, you actually need to be in your sport every single day it’s a must to deliver it as a result of there’s a lot using with promotion and relegation. Every sport is a battle, every sport is a struggle, and on a regular basis you might have somebody preventing on your spot and you’ve got a membership making an attempt to ship you down the standings. Between the entire leagues, it’s definitely been tremendous aggressive.”
Pines wasn’t the one American participant at Barnsley throughout his 16-months at Oakwell, with former Chicago Fireplace homegrown Gabriel Slonina additionally becoming a member of him for 5 months. Slonina, who stays underneath contact with Premier League giants Chelsea, made 14 appearances for the membership earlier than an damage reduce his mortgage spell brief.
Though the pair didn’t spend ample time collectively, Pines has fond reminiscences of working with Slonina in England.
”He’s wonderful,” Pines mentioned about Slonina. “The best way he carries himself at his age could be very spectacular. I discovered so much from him and he discovered so much from me. He’s obtained a great character and is a humorous child, however he’s tremendous pushed, tremendous aggressive, and it was so superior to work collectively. We had a variety of good reminiscences and he performed some nice video games. We discovered from one another, we joked round, we roomed with one another, and simply actually loved our time collectively. It was additionally simply understanding our likes and dislikes and the way we will higher ourselves within the formation that we performed at Barnsley.
“I used to be simply actually completely satisfied that he was there,” Pines added. “We had been actually completely satisfied that the group introduced him in and get two People as a result of we had a pair American house owners at Barnsley. I want him all the perfect. I speak to him each from time to time to see how he’s doing at Chelsea and I can’t wait to see what he does in his subsequent step of his journey.”
One other participant with MLS and United States ties to Pines is LASK fullback/wingback George Bello. Bello is at present in his third season in Austria and is closing in on 100 appearances for LASK throughout all competitions.
Just like Pines, Bello got here up by the MLS ranks earlier than testing himself overseas with German outfit Arminia Bielefeld. Bello made 35 appearances for Bielefeld in Germany’s top-two tiers, however finally suffered back-to-back relegations earlier than shifting to Austria himself.
Coincidentally sufficient, Pines’ lone objective for GAK got here towards Bello and LASK again in December regardless of the membership struggling a 2-1 house loss. Pines has loved his relationship with Bello for the reason that duo linked up within the Bundesliga, admitting they root for each other’s continued success overseas.
“It’s been actually good,” Pines mentioned about being with Bello within the Bundesliga. “It was simply actually cool that we had been in a position to form of be one another once more, not solely after we had been at camp collectively, however on the scene the place we’re taking part in towards one another. “We root for one another and ensure we’re each doing all proper. Hopefully we’ll hang around quickly, possibly after the season, nevertheless it was actually good simply to see him, catch up and see how he was doing.
“He looks as if he’s loving LASK,” Pines added. “He’s obtained some good assists and obtained some objectives as nicely. I’m glad that George is at LASK and it’s actually cool to have the ability to speak with him earlier than the sport, after the sport.”
Previous to his transfer to England, Pines was in a position to mark a serious milestone off of his checklist. He made his U.S. males’s nationwide staff debut within the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, taking part in the ultimate 11 minutes of a 6-1 group stage victory over Martinique.
Pines later performed 75 minutes in a 1-0 win over Canada, changing the injured Walker Zimmerman and preventing by his personal damage himself. He would later watch because the USMNT lifted the Gold Cup trophy, downing Mexico 1-0 after further time within the match last.
Shut to 5 years since these two caps, Pines appeared again on a possibility of a lifetime to symbolize his nation.
“I used to be so lucky and tremendous grateful and blessed us to be part of the U.S. staff on the whole,” Pines mentioned.
“It was all the time my objective to push and be in that surroundings and be amongst so many humble and extremely proficient guys. They had been very educated, very clever about how they know the sport they usually had a lot humbleness in regards to the sport. We’ve to take these possibilities as finest as we will, so after I was known as in, I used to be ecstatic.
”Not many individuals knew I used to be truly injured on the time,” Pines added. “I had like a foot pressure and I didn’t know, I assumed it was a plantar fasciitis. I used to be taking part in by a little bit little bit of ache and all of us undergo it, nevertheless it was a bit extra distinctive. I feel Walker Zimmerman obtained damage, so I used to be not going to say no to getting my probability to play in a full sport towards Canada. It possibly wasn’t my finest efficiency, however I used to be glad we had been in a position to win, get a clear sheet, and go into the following spherical. It was a dream come true. Ultimately we had been in a position to win the entire thing so it was an unbelievable time and I’m very lucky to win the Gold Cup.”
Pines has continued to comply with the USMNT over the previous few years, watching the expansion of his former teammates and colleagues. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will get underway in North America in roughly 4 months’ time, offering the USMNT with a serious alternative to showcase their expertise to the world on house soil.
After beforehand representing the USMNT on house soil, Pines is hoping this system can benefit from the second of taking part in on the world’s greatest stage in their very own yard.
“I would like the U.S. to do as finest as potential,” Pines mentioned. “Pochettino looks as if he’s a terrific coach. He’s obtained a lot expertise and understanding and the fellows appear to be they love him, they belief him. A variety of the fellows have simply a lot favoritism towards him as a coach and as an individual and I do know that he’ll make the best choices on the proper time. He’s obtained so much to decide on of gamers to select from, however he’ll select the best group.
“I’m excited to see how they do,” he added. “I simply wish to see everybody achieve success and I would like us to go additional than the final one [World Cup]. I wish to see these guys simply thrive and put ahead all their arduous work that they’ve garnered all through their season as a result of this one is in the environment. Everybody’s going to be at these video games and there’s going to be a lot help for them. All you are able to do is simply put on your coronary heart out on that crest, simply consider in your self and pray that you just’ll hopefully get to the promised land.”
Seven years since signing his first MLS contract with DC United, Pines is a seasoned veteran within the sport. Now at 27-years-old, he’s taking part in usually for Grazer AK within the aggressive Bundesliga division and using out the dream he set out for himself as a younger participant.
Whereas the following chapter of his profession stays to be seen, Pines is absolutely hoping that he can assist the following era of gamers, much like how others paved the way in which for him.
“I feel I wish to see if I can get to that subsequent stage, whether or not that’s like in Germany or Italy,” Pines mentioned. If I can’t, that’s no downside as a result of I’m grateful for the place I’m at, however possibly that subsequent step could be going again to MLS. I all the time wish to see how I do towards the perfect expertise and the way I can enhance myself and my understanding in order that I can share these experiences for the following era.
“I feel after my profession, I wish to work on some tasks like ending my diploma, in addition to proudly owning a staff,” he added. “I’m praying that I can possibly get one other staff sooner or later. I’m making an attempt to see if I can develop that and help them as a lot as I can. however I feel additionally it’s about slowing it down. Perhaps performing some particular person coaching, teaching for a little bit bit, after which possibly make that subsequent step, even to an envoy position. I feel for me it’s about giving again to the neighborhood the place I’m from, but additionally offering an opportunity for these younger gamers to play in Europe to and fulfill their desires.”