20Nov/120
What David Beckham’s Departure Means for the Los Angeles Galaxy
In 2007, he came with controversy. Now, he leaves with countless thanks. David Beckham's last game with the Los Angeles Galaxy will be on Dec. 1 in the 2012 MLS Cup.Team officials released a statement in which Beckham said,I've had an incredibly special time playing for the LA Galaxy, however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career. I don't see this as the end of my relationship with the league as my ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future.The English midfielder has contributed greatly to the growth of Major League Soccer and the success of the Galaxy. Beckham has been a staple in LA's midfield for many years, so the big question now is how the Galaxy will fare without him.Manager Bruce Arena has always liked to send out a central midfield pairing of Beckham and Juninho—the young Brazilian that is on loan from Sao Paulo—when possible.In the Galaxy's previous game against Seattle Sounders FC, Juninho was injured and could not start, so Beckham was paired with another Brazilian midfielder, Marcelo Sarvas.Assuming Juninho returns on loan, a central midfield pairing composed of the two Brazilians would still be one ...20Nov/120
David Beckham Leaving LA Galaxy: Why His Time in MLS Has Been a Success
David Beckham announced today that the M.L.S. Cup on December 1 will be his final match with the Los Angeles Galaxy.Beckham, who competed for six years in Major League Soccer, leaves the Galaxy with a mixed record.The English star will be remembered for his failure to win a league he was expected to dominate in during his first four years in North America.The tension that he had with American star and Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan was detailed in Grant Wahl's book The Beckham Experiment and is still remembered by many.Others will contend that he never made soccer into the top sport in the United States.There is plenty of negativity that could be attributed to Beckham and soccer in M.L.S. Although that negativity is strong, David leaves America as one of the biggest success stories since the time of Pele and Beckenbauer.The arrival of Beckham was one of the biggest sports stories of 2007. Almost immediately, people stormed stadiums across Canada and the United States to watch him play.Beckham's influence was so strong that he brought the league their highest attendance numbers since 1996, the first year of M.L.S.' existence.Clubs like the New England Revolution and the New York Red Bulls ...19Nov/120
MLS Cup Playoffs: 6 Thoughts from the Conference Finals
With the LA Galaxy carrying a three-goal lead into the second leg of their conference final matchup against the Seattle Sounders and the Houston Dynamo carrying a two-goal lead into the second leg of their conference final matchup against DC United, one might have expected two ho-hum games. Instead, both games had their fair share of excitement as both DC and Seattle gave Houston and LA plenty to worry about. Here are six thoughts from the conference finals.Begin Slideshow19Nov/120
Los Angeles Galaxy: 5 Things We Learned About the Galaxy in the Loss to Seattle
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC met on Sunday night in CenturyLink Field to decide who will be crowned the Western Conference Champions.It was the second leg of the series that had L.A. leading by 3-0 after a spectacular first game by the Galaxy.The three-goal deficit seemed almost insurmountable, but Seattle sure did make L.A. sweat it out. They went up 2-0 and had all the momentum until Robbie Keane earned and converted a penalty.In the end, the Galaxy held on and defeated the Sounders 4-2 on aggregate. But in the process, a lot was learned about this team.Begin Slideshow17Nov/120
MLS: The Los Angeles Galaxy, Yet Again, Turn on the Heat for Playoffs
The Los Angeles Galaxy had a rough start to the season. Their offense was not clicking. The goals were not coming. And most importantly, the results were not in their favor.However, the squad managed to claim the fourth seed in the Western Conference, forcing their way into the playoffs with a late-season revival that included a key four-game winning streak from the end of August to the end of September.As a result, the Galaxy Battled the Vancouver Whitecaps in a wild-card matchup to earn a spot in the Western Conference semifinals. It took a Landon Donovan penalty in the 73rd minute to squeak by, but it was enough to earn the Galaxy a date with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the San Jose Earthquakes.A late goal by Victor Bernardez gave the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead in the conference semifinals. With their backs against the wall, the Los Angeles Galaxy squad that has consistently led the way in the MLS had finally awaken.Playing away at San Jose, the Galaxy put three goals away in the first half, two from Robbie Keane (21', 34') and one from Mike Magee (39'), shocking the Earthquake fans, who filled the stadium in ...17Nov/120
USMNT: Should Jurgen Klinsmann Watch the NCAA Tournament?
This is the first of a two-part series. The second part is scheduled for Nov. 21. Should Jurgen Klinsmann, coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team (USMNT), watch or even care about the NCAA tournament?The knee-jerk response probably is: No, of course not. Why would he? We might quickly agree that Klinsmann has more important things to do at the moment. The next round of World Cup qualifiers is fast approaching. But let’s delve a little deeper. American soccer is still grappling with how to use (or not use) the collegiate feeder system, which has become a mainstay for other sports. While the significance of the NFL and NBA college drafts cannot be overstated, in soccer there are two diverse schools of thought. The first school, which seems to be modestly winning the argument at the moment, is that the college system is counterproductive to creating top-flight competitive soccer players. Clubs, academies and other European-like structures are what we should emphasize. The second school (pun only slightly intended) says that we are not Europe and should stop trying to force the development of the American game into a European mold. Instead, we should employ the traditions and structures already ...17Nov/120
DC United vs. Houston Dynamo: 5 Key Battles to Watch in MLS Playoff 2nd Leg
When the Houston Dynamo walk into RFK Stadium this Sunday, an appearance in the 2012 MLS Cup is there for the taking. After a hard-fought regular season, DC United is now faced with the daunting task of overcoming a two-goal deficit in order to stave off elimination. A more concerted effort by United will be necessary if it wants to continue its Cinderella run. Unfortunately for DC, the pesky Dynamo continue to dominate in the playoffs, especially on the road. Houston’s 3-9-5 road record and -12 goal differential in the regular season are the most irrelevant stats in MLS. As much as United fans continue to champion those statistics and transform them into some sort of rallying cry, the fact remains that Houston is a much better road team come playoff time. The Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City can attest to that. Given the tactical acumen of Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear, a two-goal lead is almost insurmountable for a bruised and battered United team, but it is not impossible. RFK has been more than friendly for DC all season. With a desperate team on the ropes, Houston should expect and prepare for everything (including the kitchen sink). United ...16Nov/120
David Beckham: Potential Move Down Under Makes Little Sense for Superstar
David Beckham is embroiled in a case of he said, she said.At least his name is.First came this bit of news out of his former home, Great Britain, courtesy of the BBC: David #Beckham's representatives approach Australia's Football Federation with view to him moving to A-League, FFA says bbc.in/QKYQqw— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) November 16, 2012 Roughly eight hours later, the Associated Press refuted their counterparts on the other side of the pond with this: David Beckham's management company says he has no plans to play in Australia, disputes FFA's claim: apne.ws/U3XaaZ— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) November 16, 2012 So which report is accurate?Beats me, but after five years with the Los Angeles Galaxy, with whom Beckham signed a new two-year contract in January, it's conceivable that the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star is looking for a new challenge before he's forced to hang up his spikes for good.He is under contract with the Galaxy, and even a guest-stint in Australia—or anywhere, for that matter—would require jumping through hoops on both sides to make it work.But here's the thing:Beckham gains nothing by playing in Australia when the MLS season comes to an end.Money? He's got more than he knows what to ...16Nov/120
Transfer News: Is LA Galaxy’s David Beckham on His Way to Australia?
You would be hard pressed to find a football fan who has not heard of David Beckham. Footballing talent aside, Beckham is a brand name, a public-relations statement. If suggestions are correct, the former English international could be heading to Australia for a 10-match guest stint.According to Football Federation Australia (h/t ABC News), the A-League governing body was contacted by Beckham's agent regarding the possibility of a stint with an A-League club. An FFA spokesman said: The approach from David Beckham’s people is another sign of how much the A-League has grown in stature on a global basis But this approach remains at a very preliminary stage. The interest only caps off what has been a stellar year for football Down Under. The league recently welcomed the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Heskey and Shinji Ono; it is believed the capture of Beckham would truly cement the stature of the game in Australia.Whilst suggestions are that Beckham will only play 10 matches in Australia, it is believed that if his family approve of an Australian lifestyle, this period could be extended. As things stand, Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Heart are leading the race to land the former Manchester United midfielder.Beckham euphoria has ...14Nov/120