So, this wasn't exactly the ceremonial return that MLS and David Beckham were hoping for. Becks made his grand return home to Los Angeles last night in a friendly against his other part-time team, AC Milan. The game ended tied at 2, but Becks was the story. Most of the lead-up for Beckham's return focused on his relationship with Landon Donovan, especially after the release of Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment. Donovan and Beckham worked well in their victory over the New York Red Bulls last week, but the fans' reaction to Beckham wasn't a story... until last night.
Beckham was booed vociferously by the most loyal Galaxy supporters. Signs calling Beckham a fraud and wishing he wouldn't return can't be what MLS and Beckham were hoping for in his first home game after the Milan loan spell. Furthermore, Beckham actually confronted some of the negative fans in a corner of the stadium. Roll the footage:
After the great run American soccer has had this summer, maybe fans have decided that we don't need the David Beckham's of the world here anymore. US Soccer is certainly on the upswing with their Confederations Cup success. Does MLS even need Becks anymore? Judging by the reaction last night, perhaps not.
Will Becks be forgiven? I'm not so sure. Becks isn't being booed because of on-field performance, or an incident with the law, he did something much worse in the eyes of these fans: turned his back on his team and soccer in the US.
To an extent, Beckham's plight is understandable. He came to MLS in the twilight of his career, wanting to take advantage of a great situation both personally and professionally. Would you turn down $250 Million to play professionally in LA? However, things changed when Fabio Capello wanted him back in the fold for the England squad leading up to World Cup 2010. Becks felt he had to be playing against top-level competition to earn his place in the England team for one last World Cup. Working out the loan deal with Milan should have been a win-win for all involved.
However, the Galaxy supporters are right to feel abandoned. Beckham was supposed to save the Galaxy and MLS and he has been a disappointment on and off the pitch. Leaving his team to run back to Europe is a peculiar way to build a league and help the game in America. What is painful for MLS and the Galaxy fans is Beckham's constant desire for European football at the expense of the league and the team.
Ultimately, Beckham and his people have handled the situation poorly. The constant rumors persist that he will ditch MLS and return to Milan, or elsewhere in Europe permanently. Donovan's diss and Wahl's criticism aren't helping his image in America either. So to help the situation, Beckham decided to pick fights with his team's most passionate fans. Beckham claims that he is still committed to MLS in the long-term, but right now he is only committed to one thing - David Beckham.
2 comments:
Was that Becks channeling his inner Brock Lesnar? Maybe that can be the main event at UFC 113.
No one cares about Beckham or the MLS. Right on par with the WNBA
- White Tazz
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