Beckham

[Neish]

Does anyone else think the LA Galaxy are treating David Beckham so unfairly? I mean the guy has revolutionised soccer in the U.S.A(just like he said he would) and now they won't let him move to Milan. Its not as if they spent millions on promoting him and how would Poor David know that playing in a lower league like the MSL would lessen dent his chances to play with England.




Incase you can't tell I'm being sarcastic(f*ck the whinging little b*tch)

[pineapple stu]

I mean the guy has revolutionised soccer in the U.S.A(just like he said he would)
Has he? Read an article in When Saturday Comes recently which said that the head of MLS, who was linked with a takeover at Arsenal, was coming under pressure because of the Beckham signing, and that they'd twisted rules to let him sign, and he hadn't lived up to expectations at all. Galaxy finished bottom of their league and the team were cancelling matches to play high-profile friendlies. Not sure his signing has been as rosy as everyone makes out. (I stand to be corrected obviously).

[Neish]

Has he? Read an article in When Saturday Comes recently which said that the head of MLS, who was linked with a takeover at Arsenal, was coming under pressure because of the Beckham signing, and that they'd twisted rules to let him sign, and he hadn't lived up to expectations at all. Galaxy finished bottom of their league and the team were cancelling matches to play high-profile friendlies. Not sure his signing has been as rosy as everyone makes out. (I stand to be corrected obviously).

Read the bottom of my original post

[Dodge]

wow, thats a new level on missing sarcasm I didn't even know existed, never mind could be reached

[pineapple stu]

Sorry bout that; dcfcsteve jumped in at my computer. :o

Still, think the belief out there is that he has revolutionsed football in America. Let's go off topic and discuss that, while ignoring my previous post. :)

[brianw82]

To be fair to him though, on a footballing level, he hasn't looked out of place at all in that Milan side.

[Dodge]

The slower tempo would suit him. He wasn't great last night (first time I've seen him) and whenthe pace increased he looked knackered.

He's still good enough to do a job for a lot of teams.

[stojkovic]

To be fair to him though, on a footballing level, he hasn't looked out of place at all in that Milan side.

Thats because the average age of the Milan side is about 46 :D

Beckham is a circus, full stop.

A rich one, but a circus nonetheless.

[old git]

Does anyone else think the LA Galaxy are treating David Beckham so unfairly? I mean the guy has revolutionised soccer in the U.S.A(just like he said he would) and now they won't let him move to Milan. Its not as if they spent millions on promoting him and how would Poor David know that playing in a lower league like the MSL would lessen dent his chances to play with England.




Incase you can't tell I'm being sarcastic(f*ck the whinging little b*tch)

he signed a mega bucks deal to join la galaxy as he thought his england career was finished .. terrible move in my view but me thinks he only saw the dollars $$$. now he is back in england team he wants to move to italy... :confused: why should la galaxy let him go !! also milan did not even come close to meeting the transfer price galaxy were looking ... to many are able to walk away from contracts these days .. if beckham wants to join milan so badly let him buy out his contract .. i'm sure he could afford it :D

[pineapple stu]

wow, thats a new level on missing sarcasm I didn't even know existed, never mind could be reached
Thank God for old git. :p

[Dodge]

but its not a full stop. He's also a decent footballer, amongst that circus. Not the world beater some make him out to be, but not a chump either

[old git]

but its not a full stop. He's also a decent footballer, amongst that circus. Not the world beater some make him out to be, but not a chump either

so why join la galaxy then :confused::confused::D show me the money honey ..$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Dodge]

because it was the best offer he had at the time. Now he's got a better offer. Not too hard to understand

[stojkovic]

Why didnt he play for a smaller club or drop down a league and finish his career that way like say Denis Irwin, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Robbie Fowler etc.

Answer...show biz baby.

108 caps is an insult to Bobby Moore.

Stats in the Sunday Times showed that Moore played something like 1200 minutes more than Becks. Moore would have played 90 mins in the majority of his games where as Becks did so in only 55 games.

60-70 caps would have been sufficient for a player of his talent.

Milan only want him to sell jerseys in Asia, so did Madrid. Sad but true.

[old git]

because it was the best offer he had at the time. Now he's got a better offer. Not too hard to understand

best offer at the time ... what has changed since then beckham has hardly kicked a ball in the states .. plays a couple of half decent games for england and milan & suddenly milan cannot do without him... :confused: they need the revenue on shirt sales / sponsers etc .. after kaka left them in the s**t by not signing for city.. milan were delighted to take 100 million but tried to be to smart leaving decision to kaka !! ... find it extremly hard to understand why now milan want him so badly yet only offer 5 million as transfer fee.. :ball:

[Dodge]

Why didnt he play for a smaller club or drop down a league and finish his career that way like say Denis Irwin, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Robbie Fowler etc.

Do you think any of them would've turned down the move to Galaxy for that money? Get real...

[DeLorean]

Do you think any of them would've turned down the move to Galaxy for that money? Get real...

Ya especially Fowler££

If Becks is so interested in the money why doesn't he just forget about Milan and head back to his lucrative contract?

[pineapple stu]

Because Milan are persumably offering a nice bit of cash too, and it's with a much better team. Best of both worlds, as far as I can see.

[osarusan]

I think Beckham thought his career was basically over after Real Madrid, and took a huge retirement package in LA. Now he has realised he still has something to offer at a high level, and wants to play at that level while he can.

Milan being a centre of fashion won't do any harm to his family either.

[Dodge]

Actually now that I think of it, isn't Fowler in the Australian league?

[DeLorean]

Because Milan are persumably offering a nice bit of cash too, and it's with a much better team. Best of both worlds, as far as I can see.

Right, I wouldn't have thought he'd be gettin anything near the same money at Milan but didn't know really.

[gustavo]

Why didnt he play for a smaller club or drop down a league and finish his career that way like say Denis Irwin, Roy Keane, Paul Ince, Robbie Fowler etc.

Answer...show biz baby.

108 caps is an insult to Bobby Moore.

Stats in the Sunday Times showed that Moore played something like 1200 minutes more than Becks. Moore would have played 90 mins in the majority of his games where as Becks did so in only 55 games.

60-70 caps would have been sufficient for a player of his talent.

Milan only want him to sell jerseys in Asia, so did Madrid. Sad but true.
He was one of Reals best players for most his 4 years there , Been one of Milans best players since his arrival too ,

Figo has said he wouldn't move down to a lower club to finish his career but I suppose he's about the showbiz too :rolleyes:

If a player isn't talented they won't get picked simple as that .

[Razors left peg]

Right, I wouldn't have thought he'd be gettin anything near the same money at Milan but didn't know really.

I heard speculation last week on Sky Sports News that as part of the contract offer from Milan he gets 50% of all his image rights and 50% of the the profits from any friendly he plays in

[stojkovic]

If a player isn't talented they won't get picked simple as that .

Depends on who picks the team - the manager or the owner.

[Neish]

If a player isn't talented they won't get picked simple as that .

You've obviously not been to Finn Park much over the last two years

[Pike B]

I never understood why opposing teams don't just pressure him more. If you give Joe Montana time and space he'll throw a touchdown pass, but get in his face and you nullify him completly. I would rate Beckham as a good player.A great set piece taker. No more.

[Metrostars]

Being in the US, I watch a lot of MLS games in the summer and quite frankly he and his team were shyte the last two years. Plays the games with a sulky look on his face as if to say wtf am I doing here with these jokers. Others on his team played much better than him and Landon Donovan even game up the captaincy so it could be Beckham's. The reasons why he wants to stay with Milan is (1) he likes the limelight and he doesnt get enough of that in the US because footie is not a bog enough sport and (2) he wants to get to 126 caps and Capello probably won't pick him if he says with LA.

In any case, why should LA be obliged to sell their player? So much for Beckham's comments when he first came to the US about helping build the sport etc. He's a phony and a fraud.

[Closed Account 2]

He could do a job for Man City

[Colbert Report]

This is a total slap in the face to supporters in the MLS. He is the star player of the league and everyone wants to go see him play when he comes to town. He's never played in Toronto, for example, and they sold a tonne of season tickets based on him being there.

The guy is a joker and should refund the money he's been paid so far. He's a crap player on a crap team in a crap league.

[OwlsFan]

John Giles being his normal curmudgeon self having a go at one of today's overpaid stars like Beckham:

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/john-giles/worlds-apart-1643572.html

[tetsujin1979]

John Giles being his normal curmudgeon self having a go at one of today's overpaid stars like Beckham:

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/john-giles/worlds-apart-1643572.html
the only mention of his wages is in the phrase "As I've always said, Beckham is a nice presentable lad and he's absolutely coining it - more power to him, he's very good at that."
If anything, that article is having a go at Beckham for claiming he would bring football to the masses in the States, and now he's decided to go to AC Milan instead

[Metrostars]

Donovan rips Beckham:


It was 24 hours after he'd learned of Beckham's desire to move to Milan, and instead of enjoying a Thursday off from practice, he was miserable. The Galaxy's awful season hadn't ended yet, but all the talk was about Beckham's possible departure. Donovan himself was convinced that Captain Galaxy had vanished in spirit weeks earlier. "My sense is that David's clearly frustrated, that he's unhappy and, honestly, that he thinks it's a joke," said Donovan, who was about to clinch the MLS goal-scoring title. "I also kind of feel [he has taken the team] for granted. I don't see dedication or commitment to this team, and that's troubling."

The longer Donovan had been around Beckham, the more he'd asked himself, Who is this guy? Why is he so secretive? Donovan had tried to have a conversation with Beckham the day before, but he'd gotten nowhere. "So you're going to Milan?" Donovan had asked.

"We'll see," Beckham replied. "I've got to stay fit somehow during the off-season."

"It's a nice city, right?"

"Some people say it is, but I don't know."

And that was it. Their lockers were side-by-side, but they might as well have been a million miles apart.

No, Donovan decided, Beckham communicated far more clearly with his actions than with his words. Donovan still couldn't fathom why Beckham had stayed in England for nearly three days after a national-team game the previous week, had refrained from traveling to Houston to support his teammates in the most important game of the year. It didn't matter that he was suspended, Donovan thought, didn't matter that he'd been given permission by the Galaxy to stay away. He was the captain of the team.

"All that we care about at a minimum is that he committed himself to us," Donovan said. "As time has gone on, that has not proven to be the case in many ways -- on the field, off the field. Does the fact that he earns that much money come into it? Yeah. If someone's paying you more than anybody in the league, more than double anybody in the league, the least we expect is that you show up to every game, whether you're suspended or not. Show up and train hard. Show up and play hard. Maybe he's not a leader, maybe he's not a captain. Fair enough. But at a minimum you should bust your ass every day. That hasn't happened. And I don't think that's too much for us to expect. Especially when he's brought all this on us."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/06/29/beckham.book/index.html

[sadloserkid]

Being in the US, I watch a lot of MLS games in the summer and quite frankly he and his team were shyte the last two years. Plays the games with a sulky look on his face as if to say wtf am I doing here with these jokers.

Got a chance to catch up with the Beckham circus myself in Minnesota a coupla summers ago when he was utterly, utterly destroyed and completely nullified by Minnesota Thunder's hardworking never-was Jeremiah Bass. He only showed any sort of urgency when trotting over to take corners where his delivery was frankly risible for the most part anyway.

That said there was a scurry of excited Minnesotan's rushing towards the corners with camera flashing every time. Whole families stood around grinning in their new LA Galaxy Beckham shirts. I was one of about 30 odd people in a Thunder shirt. They were selling Galaxy but not Thunder shirts at the ground.

All in all it was a big day out and probably worth a few quid for the Thunder but as it was marketed wholly as a David Backham event and not a football one I doubt it made much difference to football in the Twin Cities in the long run.

[EastTerracer]

I saw him play here in New York last Summer and expect to see him play again next Thursday for his "comeback" game. He looked like someone totally frustrated at the standard of the players he had to play with and against. On the ball (when he did bother to get it) he was clearly the most talented player on the pitch but the LA Galaxy were a struggling team and he was never going to make them champions on his own (or even with Landon Donovan). I think he lost all motivation when he saw how uncompetitive the MLS is.

Donovan is a big fish in the MLS but whenever I've seen him play I haven't been too impressed (even during the Confederations Cup). The fact that he failed to make his mark in the Bundesliga is very telling about his true level.

Beckham has been hugely over-rated at times during his career but I think he showed at Milan that he can still be a very useful player. When he went back to a really competive league played at a good standard you could see how much more motivated he was.

[EastTerracer]

I was in Giants Stadiumlat night to see Beckham's comeback game for La Galaxy. Despite what you might read in some of the US reports he had a decent game (expecially considering he hadn't played for a month). He played very deep but collected the ball constantly from his defenders and linked up play well (Gilesie would describe it as a proper midfield role). He was taken off late in the game when he looked obviously tired (the same thing happened in most of his Milan games).

Despite my previous reservations Landon Donovan did have a good game and took his goal very well. Still don't see him lighting up a European league though.

According to the New York Times Beckham ".....will have to give a better showing than he did Thursday night. Stuck in the middle of the field, Beckham went largely unnoticed. He often lagged behind the play and seldom ventured wide to deliver the trademark crosses that made his reputation."

Reminds me of the New York Cosmos executive back in the day who commented on Franz Beckenbauer (one of the game's great defenders) by saying "Tell the Kraut to get his ass up front. We don't pay a million for a guy to hang around in defence"

[joema]

I watched the game online. Obviously not the same as being there, so maybe the East Terracer's view is to be taken more seriously than mine!

I thought Beckham was quite poor, tbh. Gave a few careless passes away. One or two nice long-range balls though! Didn't play on the wing, so I wouldn't worry about him only putting a couple of crosses from play into the box though...as The New York Times complained.

Donovan was very impressive though! 3 great goals from the Galaxy, as well.

[OwlsFan]

What's the story about him having some bust up with a fan? Heard it mentioned on Sky but didn't see it.

[Neish]

What's the story about him having some bust up with a fan? Heard it mentioned on Sky but didn't see it.

O-c720nNtgI

[OwlsFan]

Thanks. Much ado about nothing.

[Docboy]

Yep, real brave of Beckham asking your man down knowing full well the confrontation would never be allowed happen. Don't blame the fans for giving him stick.

[Neish]

Yep, real brave of Beckham asking your man down knowing full well the confrontation would never be allowed happen. Don't blame the fans for giving him stick.

He deserves all he gets, going to the MLS saying he was going there to help devlop and promote the game in the USA then he f*cks off half way though a season, and when he does come back he is talking about playing in the Englsih Premiership again.

[gustavo]

He deserves all he gets, going to the MLS saying he was going there to help devlop and promote the game in the USA then he f*cks off half way though a season, and when he does come back he is talking about playing in the Englsih Premiership again.

He didn't leave half way through the season and indeed when he was loaned out like Donovan it was with the permission of the club

[DeLorean]

I guess he thought the game was up when he was dropped at Madrid and he decided to cash in. Things changed dramatically and he decided to chase what was right for him instead of honouring his commitment. They're not the most honourable decisions that he has made but I don't blame him too much either.

[bellavistaman]

ive great time for beckham, would go as far to say im a massive fan with the ball at his feet hes a footballing genius on the field he conducts himself superbly IMO, fit as a fiddle his body fat is meant to be lower now than ever before, must credit him for that!! Would love it if he went back to england again

[Metrostars]

He didn't leave half way through the season and indeed when he was loaned out like Donovan it was with the permission of the club

First Beckham decides to move to LA for the money and to supposedly promote the game in the US. Then he goes on loan to Milan because he wants his 125 caps and Capello tells him he won't pick him unless he is in Europe. Once he gets to Milan he says he want to stay permanently only for LA to refuse to sell him to Milan unless they got their investment back. Now that he is back in LA, he is singing a different tune, saying how he always wanted to honour his contract. Not what he said a few months ago: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid958992159?bctid=10131268001


Also Donovan made sure he was back for the start of the MLS season unlike Beckham.

I can't blame the Galaxy fans for being ****ed off at him for his lack of commitment last year and the whole move to Milan mess this year. Just because they're American soccer fans doesn't mean they're stupid.

[bellavistaman]

Just because they're American soccer fans doesn't mean they're stupid.

Really??!!:D

[gustavo]

Really??!!:D

Why would they be any less knowledgable than you ?:confused:

[Lionel Ritchie]

First Beckham decides to move to LA for the money and to supposedly promote the game in the US. Then he goes on loan to Milan because he wants his 125 caps and Capello tells him he won't pick him unless he is in Europe. Once he gets to Milan he says he want to stay permanently only for LA to refuse to sell him to Milan unless they got their investment back. Now that he is back in LA, he is singing a different tune, saying how he always wanted to honour his contract. Not what he said a few months ago: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid958992159?bctid=10131268001


Also Donovan made sure he was back for the start of the MLS season unlike Beckham.

I can't blame the Galaxy fans for being ****ed off at him for his lack of commitment last year and the whole move to Milan mess this year. Just because they're American soccer fans doesn't mean they're stupid.

Bang on!

Any developments about his intention to speak to Donovan about criticising him publicly? Thought it was a bit typical that Beckham was ticked at being criticised but could offer nothing by way of rebuttal or refute.

[endabob1]

Bang on!

Any developments about his intention to speak to Donovan about criticising him publicly? Thought it was a bit typical that Beckham was ticked at being criticised but could offer nothing by way of rebuttal or refute.

Beckham dealt with it all behind closed doors the way it should be done, I thought he handled the situation very well, criticising a teammate in the press is not on, Donovan wasn't man enough to say it to his face he'd rather do it via the media.
Beckham is no angel but he is an excellent pro, he's made the most of his talent & he went on loan to Milan with the full consent of LA galaxy. That the loan deal overlapped with the start of the MLS season is something that should have been dealt with in house, this whole story has developed because of donovans public outburst.
He's made no secret of the importance to him of playing for England but it's Capello who is saying he should be playing in europe, not Beckham.
Beckham has said "in the future"
http://news.oneindia.in/2009/07/14/beckhamhints-at-dramatic-return-to-premierleague.html

[Lionel Ritchie]

Beckham dealt with it all behind closed doors the way it should be done, .....Donovan wasn't man enough to say it to his face he'd rather do it via the media.
As a general principal I agree that these things should be handled out of the public glare. However -unless someone asks Donovan we've no way of knowing whether or not Donovan hadn't pulled Beckham up on his attitude or commitment privately some time before venting his frustration in public about having to carry a show pony who's commitment to the cause is evidently a cause for worry.


I thought he (Beckham) handled the situation very well. He went to the press himself pussin' about his professionalism being called into question Bob. No refute. Not a word of rebuttal out of him. He didn't challenge a single word of what Donovan said for truth or accuracy.


..... this whole story has developed because of donovans public outburst. ...maybe he felt Beckham needed it explained to him in the only language he understands -front page tabloid font size 120.


He's made no secret of the importance to him of playing for England but it's Capello who is saying he should be playing in europe, not Beckham.
[/url] So now it's Capellos fault? Beckham knew the score when he moved to the States. He was effectively dropping a division and stepping off the main stage of a footballers career to start up a sideshow with the wife in Hollywood. Tough luck. Life's full of choices.