Beckham Saga is not a One-Way Fiasco

By Zain Alvi | 6th July 2009

Beckham Saga is not a One-Way Fiasco | read this item

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los-angeles-galaxy Despite a composed 1-0 win for the LA Galaxy at home to the New England Revolution this weekend, soccer fans around the world (or at least in the US) are still in shock over the rift between two Galaxy stars who missed this weekend’s game. While superstar David Beckham is yet to return to the Galaxy this season, his estranged teammate Landon Donovan was rested following a busy period representing his country.

However, their absence was not enough to stop the speculation surrounding the Galaxy’s divided locker room once the two stars return in the coming days. The future maybe uncertain, but here at Premiership Talk, we can always discuss what has already happened. Therefore, let’s dedicate this article to analyzing Landon Donovan’s recent criticism of David Beckham as “selfish”.

Do I think Landon is right in claiming that Becks failed to justify his hype and the massive price tag? Yes – any rational individual will answer in the affirmative to that question. However, would I go as far as saying that Becks turned his back on U.S. soccer and was the only one to blame for Galaxy’s failure? No, definitely not! Sure, Beckham was guilty of being completely lost on the U.S. soccer circuit. But he certainly didn’t give up on the cause in betrayal.

When he arrived in Los Angeles, Becks had made quite a few major changes in his life off the pitch. He was excited to move in next to his great friend Tom Cruise while also looking forward to the opportunity for his children to receive American schooling. On the pitch too, he was determined to take soccer in the United States to a much higher level.

Initially, things looked very promising. Sold out arenas, a high demand for Beckham’s Galaxy jersey, and his new team’s image as a huge empire made him look like an extremely viable investment. Unfortunately, injuries pegged him back and when he most needed the support of U.S. soccer supporters during his recovery, these “fans” forgot that he was even in the league anymore. Furthermore, he was criticized for being the victim of injuries and it was a shame to see him become an object of hatred due to something he could not even control.

I am sure Beckham was not playing all the while that the Galaxy proved to be a massive failure. Obviously, under those circumstances, Beckham must have realized how badly the U.S. lacks an understanding of this tough sport. Perhaps it became clear to him that being the fifth ranked sport in the country, soccer was still an alien concept for a majority of his critics, who still evaluated him as merely a financial investment rather than comprehending his struggles.

In those circumstances, Beckham had two options. Either he could’ve continued playing half-heartedly at the Galaxy as an overpriced asset. Or he could have tried playing elsewhere to see if things got better for him. He chose the ideal period – an MLS off-season – to try a spell with AC Milan, which as we all know, worked wonders for him.

During his great spell at the San Siro, Becks probably discovered the difference between playing at a top European club and playing for a disintegrated club like the Galaxy. With the added perk of more easily staying on the radar of England coach Fabio Capello, Beckham decided it was ideal to trade a financial blockbuster of a deal in the MLS for a few good years playing football at the highest level.

At the end of the day, Beckham only tried to protect his love for the sport. Unfortunately, Donovan and the likes prematurely perceived this as a selfish act to turn his back on U.S. soccer.

Okay, so Becks didn’t quite revolutionize the MLS. But still, I urge the nay-sayers to dig deep down and they will see that the below-par level of U.S. soccer actually let Beckham down, and big time at that too! The funny thing is, even with all this said and done, Becks could actually return stronger than ever to leave his mark on the U.S. soccer in the immediate future.

Zain Alvi says:

July 7, 2009 at 9:19 am

Thanks for your appreciation, Pat…as a fan of U.S. soccer, I despite those who want to jump at the opportunity to criticize perhaps our nation’s most decorated player in Landon Donovan. Therefore, I was not surprised when he was bashed left and right for bashing Becks…so I had basically seen enough of both guys being bashed and felt the urge to present a neutral perspective on the issue.

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PAt says:

July 6, 2009 at 11:14 am

Wow. That was a breath of fresh air! Not vilifying either player for their reactions to what must have been an incredibly stressful and frustrating time for both…plus a realistic perspective on what had to have been part of Beckham’s experience in MLS so far. Impressive.

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