Beckham Interest Confirmed By Galaxy

[fonz]

Interesting news article on Beckham coming to play for L.A. Do you think its possible? I highly doubt it.

Yahoo Story

[FiddySicks]

Ive heard this for some time now from my neighbor who is part of the LA Galaxy Riot Squad. Apparently Beckham loves Southern California and is willing to even take that big pay cut to come here. I know if he signs ill definately be at his first game.

[IceCap]

This would be great for MLS.

[KevinMcD]

This would be great for MLS.

That would be great for US Soccer period. I don't think this will happen, he will retire after a year or two of playing in Spain.

[Fred T. Jane]

He should sign with them. He'd fit in perfectly, being a player with more reputation than substance...

Yes, I'm looking at you Landon!

[NJTank]

I saw him in the World Cup and it occurred to me this guy is the most overrated player in the history of soccer and I dont know much about soccer. If he was truly great England would have won something.

[xxjdm66]

I saw him in the World Cup and it occurred to me this guy is the most overrated player in the history of soccer and I dont know much about soccer. If he was truly great England would have won something.

I think he's in his sunset years and if he does come to MLS it will only be good in the short term. He can afford the pay cut, because Adidas will probably pony up with endorsements.

[Shumway]

Regardless of if he's overrated or not, he could easily be a top player in the MLS. The talent between the World Cup and the MLS is vastly different. I don't pay attention to soccer, but it'd be huge for the MLS and US Soccer in general if Beckham came overl

[dfwabel]

During the summer, it was supposed to be Red Bull NY, because of their new ownership. I will believe it when it occurs. The winter transfer period is no good for MLS as they are not playing. He can run great set plays, but there is a reason why a 31 year old cannot play internationally...he's done!

I think it is not good for a league with AEG owning 4 teams (LA, Houston, DC United, and Chicago) and Hunt Sports with 2 (Columbus and FC Dallas), it seems like collusion to bring one player to one specific team. Why doen't Chivas bring him to their team (USA or Mexico)? There has been new ownership, supposedly Red Bull paid AEG $100 million for the team, naming rights, and 50% stadium ownership. That is a lot of cash for no say, then having to deal with an increased salary cap.

[budbowl77]

Beckham had said before playing in the United States was intriging. I'd like to see him come to the USA. actually, i wouldnt have minded if he had played for Spurs.

[Brendan]

I saw him in the World Cup and it occurred to me this guy is the most overrated player in the history of soccer and I dont know much about soccer. If he was truly great England would have won something.

well canada never won anything with Wayne Gretzky playing for them. does that mean he is overated?

[CZzyzx41]

Hmmm Hercules and Landon up front, Cobi and Beckham in midfield and Albright as an attacking defender? I think this could definitely be a great short-term work for the Galaxy. Still having older guys like LD, Cobi and Hartman on the team I'd like to see more youth instead of another aged player but c'mon...even if David is overrated he's still better than many of the players in the MLS and it'll be great for US Soccer. The types of players we'd like to see transfer to the US never will. Or at least not for a LONG time of steady improvement from the league. There's just too much money in Europe.

[RichardWitham]

If beckham comes here, i would hope he'd wait until san jose comes back into the league, since we were unfairly removed. and landon sucks, and has ever since he went back to germany to play.

[whitedawg22]

Franco with the Seahawks.

Ewing with the Sonics.

O.J. with the Niners.

Jordan with the Wizards.

Unitas with the Chargers.

Hakeem with the Raptors.

Joe Willie with the Rams.

...Beckham with the Galaxy?

[gosioux76]

I saw him in the World Cup and it occurred to me this guy is the most overrated player in the history of soccer and I dont know much about soccer. If he was truly great England would have won something.

Tank, I think you misinterpret the hype surrounding David Beckham. Players in the U.S. that have received such global attention -- Michael Jordan, for example -- were hyped largely because they were giants of the game, on and off the field.

While Beckham is certainly a top-shelf player who's had a quality career, I don't think there's anybody in the soccer community who would list him among the all-time greats. But the hype that surrounds him has almost nothing to do with his talent on the field. His fame is due mostly to his status as a pop culture icon.

Think of him as a icon who also happens to play soccer.

But Tank's impression of Beckham -- that his hype implies he's some sort of superstar athlete -- is likely shared by the majority of U.S. sports fans, a large share of whom are soccer-illiterate. Beckham could receive a rude awakening should he make the trek across the pond.

[Bleujayone]

I seem to recall back in the days of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Pele signing with the New York Cosmos. Pele was already in the twilight of his career and yet people came by the bus load to see the man in action (albeit of the short term). They sold out Giants Stadium and even won a championship in 1977. The problem was that despite the leagues best efforts, it was at times very poorly managed, had a revolving door of teams coming and going, and had a different atmosphere towards soccer than it does today.

If done right, MLS could really market Beckham and springboard the league's popularity so that even when he does retire, there will still be a stronger market for their brand of the sport.

[officeglenn]

Don't forget that Becks also has a soccer academy in southern California, and he has said that will be his "life" after he's done playing soccer. Based on that alone, I think there is a distinct possibility of him playing for the Galaxy near the end of his career.

[Brian in Boston]

Don't forget that Becks also has a soccer academy in southern California...

In fact, said academy operates on the grounds of the Home Depot Center - home to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Still, that alone isn't a guarantee that he'll suit-up for the MLS side. After all, even if overseeing the academies will be his "life" after his playing career has ended, bear in mind that there is a David Beckham Academy in East London, as well. Meaning, Beckham wouldn't have to leave England to run the academies.

That said, don't forget that Beckham's partner in the development of The David Beckham Academies is the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) - investor/operators of Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy. AEG would certainly love to have Beckham take the pitch for the Galaxy as a means of boosting the profile of a sport - and league - that the company has a great deal of time, money and effort invested in. AEG will certainly be whispering in Beckham's ear about the good he could do for the continued growth of soccer in the United States - as well as the goldmine of endorsement opportunities available to both Becks and Posh in the entertainment capital of the world - if he should consent to sign with the Galaxy.

Bottom line? I would say that there is a better than even chance that David Beckham will close out his playing career in the kit of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

[gosioux76]

I seem to recall back in the days of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Pele signing with the New York Cosmos. Pele was already in the twilight of his career and yet people came by the bus load to see the man in action (albeit of the short term). They sold out Giants Stadium and even won a championship in 1977. The problem was that despite the leagues best efforts, it was at times very poorly managed, had a revolving door of teams coming and going, and had a different atmosphere towards soccer than it does today.

If done right, MLS could really market Beckham and springboard the league's popularity so that even when he does retire, there will still be a stronger market for their brand of the sport.

I wouldn't go so far as to make the comparison between Pele coming to the Cosmos and Beckham coming to the Galaxy. Even in the twilight of his career, Pele was the face of soccer and was still one of the best players in the world. Soccer fans knew that Pele was going to put on a show.

If any U.S. soccer fans are expecting a similar experience when David Beckham suits up for the Galaxy, they're going to be sorely disappointed. Certainly, Beckham -- by name only -- will attract a large number of new fans. But, I predict there's going to be a lot of new fans who may have heard of Beckham before that will be surprised when they find out he isn't some Michael Jordan-like superstar.

Sure, having a big-name superstar will attract necessary attention to the MLS. But if that superstar doesn't live up to the hype, then it's just a set-up for disaster.

[harperdc]

ESPN Soccernet's Phil Holland has a take on this very subject.

Beckham running the midfield, either distributing out from the center or standing near the right edge of the box and sending cross after cross in, would immediately become pretty dangerous in the MLS. Yes he's showing signs of age (he's never had much speed to begin with, and being over 30 hasn't exactly helped) but he's got enough class to still be effective in MLS for three years or so.

don't forget that he lead (or was right up there) in assists in La Liga last year. He's never been a goal scorer, never been a dominating, tackling midfielder...he's been a provider. His best years at United were when he would get down the wing and send a cross in for Van Horseyface - let him do that for Galaxy and he'd be playing as well as he ever has.

yes, it's not comparable to Pele, but still, what was hyped for Beckham at the world cup were his free kicks - even if he did send 90% of them in a direction not called "the target." World cup opponents are much more difficult than the MLS, so he could wind up with 5 goals or more from free kicks in an MLS season.

It would only be Galaxy or New York - and the nod would probably go to the Galaxy because of the tie to the academy. He won't return to England - Arsene Wenger denies up and down that he's interested, and Becks has said he'd never play in England for anybody but Man U., and we all know Fergie's never going to take him back - and, even though Celtic are interested...come on, he'd only go on the draw to play in the Champion's League more and he's not effective enough anymore to be a force in European games.

He has no future at Madrid - Capello hasn't said as much, but Becks hasn't started much this year and hasn't really even figured off the bench - but somehow I doubt he'd move in January. Moving in May after the season is over makes the most sense. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's wearing Galaxy yellow and green come 2007.