Have at thee, varlets: Beckham wants to leave MLS

[Piotr Rasputin]

(Any excuse to quote Thor in a thread title . . .)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-beckham-contract5-2009feb05,0,1512048.story

Nothing too terribly shocking here. But I figured I'd beat Boom . . errr . . . soccer haters, to the punch.

 

[zebracoy]

Of all things about that story, the only thing that bothers me is "$6.5-million."

 

[lono]

It's because nobody here writes about him and he tries just as hard as the guys in the NFL ....

 

[Boom_70]

I might have gone with the more provocative "David We Hardly Knew Ya" but your title is not bad.

Too bad I was really looking forward to the 2009 season.

 

[Starman]

It's because nobody here writes about him and he tries just as hard as the guys in the NFL ....

Welllllll, not really. He's been taking MLS for a ride since day one.

Money for nothing, and your kicks for free. : :

 

[Hammer Pants]

I'd love to see the beautiful game take off in America, but I can't blame Beckham for wanting to stay in Europe. He won't be the first or last athlete to try pouting out of a contract.

 

[Boomer7]

I'd love to see the beautiful game take off in America, but I can't blame Beckham for wanting to stay in Europe. He won't be the first or last athlete to try pouting out of a contract.

It's not a matter of "pouting out of a contract"; players under contract are bought and sold all the time. It's a matter of Milan deciding just how much Beckham is worth to them.

 

[crusoes]

What is this Beckham you speak of? Or MLS, for that matter?

 

[Football_Bat]

Good riddance. This thing was only going to work if Beckham were healthy and eager to help showcase the Galaxy and MLS. Instead, he's been an afterthought. Let Milan throw good money after bad toward him instead.

 

[Boom_70]

I'd love to see the beautiful game take off in America, but I can't blame Beckham for wanting to stay in Europe. He won't be the first or last athlete to try pouting out of a contract.

It's not a matter of "pouting out of a contract"; players under contract are bought and sold all the time. It's a matter of Milan deciding just how much Beckham is worth to them.

When Manny Ramirez wanted out of Boston he was viewed as the anti- christ

 

[poindexter]

Galaxy Nation weeps today.

 

[writing irish]

And Chivas USA Nation laughs.

 

[Grimace]

Landon Donovan leaving to play for Bayern Munich is a bigger deal. Players come and go all the time.

But the shocking thing, and the part of the story getting underplayed, is that Beckham, at 33, is playing well enough to start for AC Milan. Think about it. He was supposedly washed up -- which is why he was going to the Galaxy. And now he's starting for one of the biggest clubs in one of the toughest leagues in the world. Add in his benching, and then resurrection, at Real Madrid and it's a hell of a story. This guy keeps coming back.

Looking at it objectively, you can't blame Beckham, or any player, for picking AC Milan over the Galaxy.

Now, the whole media blitz, publicitiy, etc.? Well, I blame a gullible media and gullible non-soccer public for buying all of that. MLS was already an established league and doing relatively well. Beckham was brought on board to sell T-Shirts and get people excited about the league. He served his purpose.

Now the league, which as any non-top tier league, needs money. So they get to sell this guy for big bucks and hang on to the profits. Win-win.

Only ignorant simpletons think this is any kind of reflection on the future of MLS, soccer, blah, blah, blah. Life goes on.

 

[ThomsonONE]

For MLS to sell him to Milan makes financial sense in the short term, but everyone that bought tickets to a Galaxy game will have been bait and switched. He ws promoted by the league as a superstar that you must come and see, now they are going to leave those fans holding an empty bag. Very bad for credibility and PR.

 

[poindexter]

I got an email from the Galaxy this morning saying they expect Donovan and Beckham back from loan in two weeks.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

For MLS to sell him to Milan makes financial sense in the short term, but everyone that bought tickets to a Galaxy game will have been bait and switched. He ws promoted by the league as a superstar that you must come and see, now they are going to leave those fans holding an empty bag. Very bad for credibility and PR.

How is a roster move a bait and switch? Were the Red Sox guilty of bait and switch when they traded Manny Ramirez?

 

[Pastor]

I got an email from the Galaxy this morning saying they expect Donovan and Beckham back from loan in two weeks.

Despite the recent rumblings, it wouldn't surprise me if Beckham did return. This is a way to placate the Milan support. Then, if Beckham returns to the US, the excuse is that an agreed upon price couldn't be reached.

I'm not even sure Milan would like to purchase him.

Donovan is an interesting case. I think he wants to give it a go. It just depends upon the asking price that MLS puts out there.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Beckham's contract is misleading. The bulk of it was paid by adidas, not the MLS, but in the long run, this is probably a good thing for MLS.

Beckham didn't provide the huge boost in sales that many predicted and on some level the league will probably be relieved not to have to pay him the salary.

I covered the MLS early in my career and I think it's a good product if you accept it for being what it is. It's a second-tier league for a sport that in this country is second-tier. That doesn't mean it's a bad product. As a parent with two young kids, I would take them to a MLS game in a second before I pay the kind of money it would take for baseball, football or basketball tickets.

I really don't think this hurts the league much, if at all. Keep in mind the MLS had expansion teams that were profitable in their first seasons in the league. As these smaller soccer-only stadiums keep opening, the league does better and better and they don't need someone like Beckham to sell tickets.

 

[Webster]

To the casual American sports fan, Beckham was/is the most famous soccer player in the world. But his game is not one of stepovers or blinding athleticism. He can take over moments of a game with set pieces or corners, but during the run of play, he's mostly a very hard worker who is a fantastic passer. A great complimenary player, but no Ronaldinho or Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi

I've made the argument before that, during his entire senior club career, he's never been the best player on his team. I think that still was true with the Galaxy.

As a result, he was bound to be a disappointment.

I think it admirable that he wants to play in one more WC for his country. He was probably England's best player in 2006.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Every time a top player comes to the US or the US has a good showing in the World Cup, people say "This is just what we need to make soccer popular in this country."

Pele couldn't do it. Beckham couldn't do it. Hosting the World Cup couldn't do it.

It can't be done.

I think the reason the MLS is successful (being around more than a decade is impressive, especially when you're not being financed by another league) is because it is accepting its limitations and they're not trying to fill football stadiums anymore.