Beckham to MLS?

[GoldenEagle]

I saw this on PTI yesterday that David Beckham wants to sign with MLS after his current contract runs out. If this turns out to be true (I highly doubt he does) what will it do for the game in America?

[dacman]

Further revolutionize how people in America don't watch soccer. :p

[scooper]

Not much, really. We may be happy to have his wife over here, though.

[moriarty]

A) It won't happen

B) If it did, I don't think it would have a major impact on the MLS. He's one guy and not even a prolific goal scorer at that (the casual fan may not appreciate him). It will impact any team that sings him though.

If for some bizarre reason (his wife? - see Wayne Gretzky), he did come over, I think it would only have a big impact if it convinced other big name stars in their prime to play in the MLS.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I agree with dacman and the "famous" quote. It will do very little for the game in America. Before I moved to Brussels (and subsequently watching a ton of soccer and hanging out with a ton of Brits) I only knew Beckham because of Championship Manager. That's it. I could have bumped into him on the sidewalk and never know who he was. His popularity has grown some over the last two years, but not enough. In the U.S. he'll be known as "The English Guy Who Plays Soccer And Is Married To A Spice Girl." It'd be a shame for him to come to the States and waste his considerable talent in a country who doesn't really care all that much. Then again, he does love America.

[3ric]

Besides, he'll probably go to Spain and Real Madrid in the summer.

[ColtCrazy]

Doesn't the MLS still alocate it's players? I would think Beckham would want a HUGE say in where he would end up. Like the Metrostars probably. His impact would have to be someplace like that, a cosmopolitan area that has some soccer fans. I can't see him playing for Columbus.

[Calis]

I'll once again reiterate, we can expect Beckham to come over in about 5-6 years if at all. :)

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by moriarty
A) It won't happen

B) If it did, I don't think it would have a major impact on the MLS. He's one guy and not even a prolific goal scorer at that (the casual fan may not appreciate him). It will impact any team that sings him though.

If for some bizarre reason (his wife? - see Wayne Gretzky), he did come over, I think it would only have a big impact if it convinced other big name stars in their prime to play in the MLS.

I think point B is a very good and valid point. Sure, he is excellent on free kicks and can score in that regard, very few people in the US know enough about soccer and appreciate the nuiances of the game enough to appreciate the majority of Beckham's skill. Someone like Ronaldo or, say, Roberto Carlos (he's really flashy) could bring some more excitement to the game, but an expert dead ball player with great passing skills?

Speaking of Ronaldo and Carlos, I also heard rumors of Beckham going to Real Madrid. Don't think that would happen either. Not sure where he would play, though his free kick skills would certainly be an asset to any side.

[MrBug708]

If they had said Michael Owen.....

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by MrBug708
If they had said Michael Owen.....

Owen's a dirty, little punk red shite.

[Easy Mac]

Originally posted by Honolulu_Blue
I think point B is a very good and valid point. Sure, he is excellent on free kicks and can score in that regard, very few people in the US know enough about soccer and appreciate the nuiances of the game enough to appreciate the majority of Beckham's skill. Someone like Ronaldo or, say, Roberto Carlos (he's really flashy) could bring some more excitement to the game, but an expert dead ball player with great passing skills?

Speaking of Ronaldo and Carlos, I also heard rumors of Beckham going to Real Madrid. Don't think that would happen either. Not sure where he would play, though his free kick skills would certainly be an asset to any side.

Think about the free kicks on that team. Roberto Carlos ligns up on 1 side, Beckham on the other... nasty. And Beckham is a very good crosser, though I don't think Raul nor Ronaldo are great in the air. he used to work his ass off on defense, but he's been slacking off the past year or so.

if he came to the MLS, which is insanely doubtful, he'd need a target man like McBride, no one on the Metros is good in the air, and I think he'd clash bigtime with Mathis.

[Easy Mac]

dola, this is what Beckham said about American soccer:

'No other English footballer has every really made it big over there,' Beckham said.

'I'd love to be well-known in America. I'd love to be recognised over there. The American people are so patriotic about their teams and their sports - more so than anywhere else in the world.

'I like the way they look up to Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. I'm sure they criticise players but not to the extent where they're putting their own people and their own stars down. That's what's nice.'

It will be hard. The American people love basketball, baseball, ice hockey and American football. Football isn't one of their major sports. I'm surprised because the facilities over in America are amazing and their women's team does really well.

'I don't see why in the future it can't change. Just another challenge for me, I think, to try to get noticed over there. It's going to be hard work but it will be nice to see what different countries think of me and my team mates.

wow, he is in for a shock, he thinks they're harsh in England?

[Calis]

Hmm, to tell ya the truth, from what I've seen we're pretty tame compared to a lot of European countries as far as sports figures. Granted it ain't a picnic, but they're ultra-harsh over there, not to mention the crazy fans are a bit crazier as well. :)

[Easy Mac]

yeah man, those Brits are constantly jumping over railings and attacking umpires and 60 year old coaches, throwing batteries and cellphones at players. :)

[Calis]

Uhmm, try watching an Old Firm game sometime, or any old rivalry in Soccer. They're not throwing batteries, they're killing people.

Heh, I just find that amusing, I was just thinking the other day how tame we really are compared to what I read of events happening at Soccer games relatively frequently.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by Easy Mac


'I like the way they look up to Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. I'm sure they criticise players but not to the extent where they're putting their own people and their own stars down. That's what's nice.'



US fans can be rough on their own players. Philidelphia fans turn on folk in a heartbeat. Red Wings fans are as fickle as the come when it comes to goaltenders. There is a lot of booing and the like. But Becks has a fair point. Following the 1998 World Cup (where he got sent off), the poor guy was just brutalized in pretty much every stadium in England he played in. There were some horrible things sung aloud by thousands of English fans. Things about his wife, his kid, evil stuff. So, from his perspective, a few boos and jeers are nothin'.

[moriarty]

Originally posted by Easy Mac


[b]I'm sure they criticise players but not to the extent where they're putting their own people and their own stars down. That's what's nice.'



Maybe this is a reference to the kidnapping plot to take his wife (although I dont' think that was by 'fans'). Either way, I don't think he'd have to worry about those things over here. Still if he thinks he'll be a Jordan or Tiger ... oh, my.

Owen's a dirty, little punk red shite.

Hey now, that's my boy. He may be a lousy gambler, but c'mon ...

[Cards4ever]

There is no way Beckham is coming here, the MLS has a salary cap, Beckham himself would be the cap, he makes about 70,000 pounds a week, there is no MLS team that could afford that.

It would be great if the MLS could step up and be a elite league, but, it's going to take time, lots of time.

[ice4277]

Another thing, I don't see the MLS as basically ditching its growth and development strategies to bring him here. It would be an incredible gamble that would be much more likely to kill the league off than it would to push it to new heights. The NASL tried to bring a bunch of European players here and we know what happened with that. I seriously doubt they would do something like this until they have a much stronger fan/tv/marketing/financial base. As pointed out ealier, maybe five, six years, but not now.

[scooper]

Originally posted by Cards4ever
There is no way Beckham is coming here, the MLS has a salary cap, Beckham himself would be the cap, he makes about 70,000 pounds a week, there is no MLS team that could afford that.

It would be great if the MLS could step up and be a elite league, but, it's going to take time, lots of time.

That's nothing, the collosal squid eats 70,000 pounds a week.

[GoldenEagle]

Either way this is turning the soccer world up-side down.

[Blade6119]

i think you guys underestimate american soccer fans...now granted i don't think the league can afford him, he could make a splash...some places would be really receptive...i think its all about location...ex:
Columbus' squad gets tons of fans at every game...besides hockey its their only sport so it draws crowds...marketing...

i would think teams in the southwest would get more fans as the area has more "spanish culture"...in mexico, soccer is life....those people come to the U.S. southwest and only have one or two teams in Cali...maybe a team in Arizona(phoenix maybe) or new mexico(albaquerqe?) might do a tad bit better...i think in an area such as these he could be appreciated, but if he tries to go to a major sports city i think he will be over-looked...just my $.02

[moriarty]

Good points, but don't forget his wife posh has an acting and musical career to think about (again, remember Wayne Gretzky).

That would elimate all the possibilities ^^ with the exception of LA.

[moriarty]

Dola,

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
I saw this on PTI yesterday that David Beckham wants to sign with MLS after his current contract runs out.

What did the PTI guys have to say about this by the way?

[Ryan S]

There is no way Beckham will play in MLS, at least not for another 8-10 years. The contract he is rumored to be after with Real Madrid is many times higher than the MLS salarycap, so unless 6 MLS teams decide they want to share him, that is a non starter. :)

As for the media, the UK media is far worse than the American media. They can be downright brutal, and Beckham knows that more than most.

[Airhog]

its Ironic, when I was a kid my mom bought me some sheets that that NASL and have soccer players on them. I still have one, although its it pretty bad shape :D

[ISiddiqui]

wow, he is in for a shock, he thinks they're harsh in England?

Well they are MUCH more harsh than they are here. The tabloids are downright nasty. For a European star, the US is heaven!

I mean, really, could you see tabloids hounding Micheal Jordan, calling him gay every other week, trying to take naked pictures of him, calling him a whiner, etc.