Photo by ISIPhotos.com
David Beckham's return to the United States will be put off for two more weeks after he had his training stint with Tottenham extended.
Beckham was set to join the Los Angeles Galaxy for pre-season this week, but now with his Tottenham stint extended, he will have even less time with his MLS team despite the act the MLS season is just five weeks away.
Beckham initially had a loan deal to Tottenham scrapped by the Galaxy over insurance issues, but now he looks set to miss a chunk of the Galaxy pre-season anyway.
Beckham is in the final year of his contract with the Galaxy and reports are already surfacing suggesting Tottenham will try to sign Beckham once his MLS deal is up.
In other MLS news:
Gordon leads Chivas USA past San Jose
Alan Gordon scored the lone goal to help Chivas USA top the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0, in an extended scrimmage on Monday.
Rookie striker Victor Estupinan set up Gordon with a chipped pass that the former Galaxy striker finished for the only goal of a game consisting of three 45-minute periods.
Chivas USA returns to action on Saturday against the Seattle Sounders while San Jose returns to Home Depot Center on Thursday to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Sporting Kansas City cuts four, including Chhetri
One of the more obvious publicity stunts in MLS history came to an end on Tuesday when Sporting Kansas City cut Indian national team forward Sunil Chhetri.
The team formerly known as the Wizards signed Chhetri last fall and hyped the signing as the club's attempt to make inroads in India, but Chhetri wound up playing a grant total of two games for the Wizards, neither of which was an MLS game.
Sporting KC parted with four players on Monday, including draft pick J.T. Murray.
Revs sign Phelan to extension
Though not one of the more high-profile players on the New England Revolution, Pat Phelan has proven to be a steady and versatile contributor, and he was rewarded with a contract extension on Monday.
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What do you think of these developments? Fed up with Beckham's time in MLS? Starting to wonder if Robin Fraser will transform Chivas USA in just one season?
Share your thoughts below.
I can see why Galaxy supporters would be peeved at this extension and the idea that Beckham might want to return to the EPL, but from a league-wide perspective, I think it’s a good thing.
Beckham’s arrival in the MLS kicked off wave after wave of criticism of the league: it’s a joke, the world’s best come over here to retire, etc. More of the same as the MLS signed other older players (Henry, Marquez, etc). If Beckham finishes out his contract with the Galaxy this year and then is bought by Tottenham (or any other top-level European club, for that matter), it will demonstrate that the MLS isn’t just a place for past-prime players to retire.
Of course, in order for this argument to stand, Beckham would actually have to succeed in the EPL, and I’m not sure he can. But for the MLS’s sake, I’ll be rooting for him.
I don’t think LD can say much about Beckham’s desire to train while the rest of the MLS is on break. His beef was with Beckham wanting to miss the first part of the season. I hope LD learns from the Beckham’s and Henry’s that 3+ months off is way to long for a professional footballer to be off. He needs to see the work needed if he ever hopes to reach their level.
Could it be that the MLS training had not started when he left for England. Why do the Beckham’s and Henry’s understand they need the training shortly after the MLS season and our MLS players take a 3 month break. I am on Beckham’s side on this one. MLS should have been on the training ground for at least a month, already..
Ives, why does MLS take such a long time off after the season. Is it a money (expense) issue with the clubs? I suggest that every year, they start Jan. 1 playing matches with European winter break teams (Germany, Northern Europe, etc..) in areas of the country that have decent weather.
It doesn’t have to be 1st Div. teams from these country’s. Our MLS players need to be back on the pitch training much earlier then they are now. Look at the Henry’s and Beckham’s, they know the importance of too much layoff. Play these matches in US lower division stadiums. What a great way to get fans and city interest in new markets not to mention exposing the players to new group of fans in the markets that don’t currently have a MLS franchise or never will.
Less than a year ago, Beckham noted how his kids really loved living in Southern California and how the environment of the States in general were a lot better for them to grow up in.
I don’t think he was being disingenuous when saying that.
I’d be shocked if he returned to living in England on a full-time basis anytime soon. Second/Third home? Sure.
If LA found a Beckham-esque midfielder to replace Beckham with, I’m sure they’d have seriously entertained a buyout from Spurs.
Because despite his media stature, he’s got use on the field. And no one on the Galaxy’s roster can presently fill it.
So… start looking for a Beckham-esque midfielder and you’re set.
Beckham traded his 4th and 5th year options on staying with the Galaxy in order to go train with AC Milan in 2009.
The “choice” for Beckham to go to EPL wasn’t his.
As for Beckham not saying anything about playing in EPL since he moved stateside, well, that’s got a lot to do with the fact that the best teams in EPL wrote him off and no one else could afford him anyway.
But just because he wasn’t talking about EPL ’til now doesn’t mean he wasn’t talking about Serie A as early as January 2009, did it?
And finally, you can knock MLS for a gap of talent (of disputable size), but you can’t knock his home facility or the physical rehab specialists at Galaxy’s disposal. They play in Los Angeles, after all, home to world-class medical facilities and more than one top-level professional sports team…
Is Beckham still technically in MLS? I forgot because he is never around. What a joke. He’s old and he never was really that good to begin with. Beckham is all style and no substance. Take away the magazine covers and photo shoots and nothing is there. Good riddance.
zing! What Naboo said (Queen Amidala approves!!)
Beckham is the worst thing for this league. The guy shows no respect for the Galaxy. He has yet to play a full season for the team, and he walks all over them, because they are scared to make him do something. Galaxy the guy is under contract to you, he should start training when the team does, not when he wants too. All Beckham has done is make the Galaxy a joke. So glad the Red Bulls got 2 DP’s that actually care about their team, and will give them 100% all season long.
A second is roughly the amount of time diego would consider moving to horrible LA
I’m a Galaxy fan and I would trade Bex for Diego Forlan in a second.
If that’s the reason and true, this is an incredible PR gaffe. Personally that sounds like a coverup.
This. +1
Settle down y’all. Damn.
If you don’t think there’s a SIZABLE gap in talent between the EPL and MLS, you are mistaken. Night and day difference. MLS is improving all the time, but it is nowhere near the EPL, Serie A, Bundesliga, etc. Not by a long shot.
Honestly I don’t think he moved his family back to the UK, last I heard he bought a place in NYC, so his wife could be in a ‘fashion’ market. Also, NYC to London is an easier trip than LA to London.
To be fair, I think Freddy would have loved to.
I like Beckham. Good player, good guy, etc. However, this latest bit is inexcusable. As others have rightly pointed out, he has not played one full season with the Galaxy, either because of injury or loan. He owes it to the club that pays him. Additionally, for a man who had an entire documentary piece devoted to his commitment to the move to America, it is clear that all of that was just rhetoric. Beckham has been about as committed to the Galaxy as a WNBA player is to a foreign league team they play for in the off season. Everything he said about trying to grow the game in the USA and his commitment to the Galaxy has been debunked every season by his actions. It’s sad.
Beckham as a person is a clown and one of the worst the MLS has sign. Worse than Nery. His attitude just stinks and he wants to be an ‘ambassador’ and a future owner of an MLS club. Shut the hell up you Brit! Ohh and I’m a gaLAxy fan.