beckham in the sun

Discussion in 'General Football & Other Sport' started by ryan_wfc, Jul 19, 2007.

  1. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Yes, well there are many who would have preferred signing for the same salary ten young and very skilled players from Mexico, Argentina or Brazil rather than Golden Balls. I understand this perspective, and would argue that MLS teams can still do this under the rules designed to protect teams from overspending themselves to oblivion...

    This league needs certain types of players: Juan Pablo Angel, Cuahtemoc Blanco, Guillermo Schelotto-Barros have been ideal as to what was wanted from the Designated Player rule, while thanks to his mishandled injuries (f*ck you very much to both Fabio Capello and Alexi Lalas) Beckham has not been able to live up to the hype this season. Similarly, Denilson and Claudio Reyna have not worked out.

    Next season should be a totally different story for the Galaxy.

    FYI, xenophobia is a hallmark of English (and Mexican!) football, but not the American MLS. In my opinion, our major flaw is ignorance (coaching) and lack of creativity (players).
     
  2. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    That is certainly a strategy, but in my opinion, the benefit of improving your Superdraft spot 6 places by tanking is far far outweighed by possibly succeeding in the playoffs. Remember, the playoffs is like the start of a new season. The Galaxy have WON the MLS Cup after qualifying last for the playoffs before...it's kind of our thing. We've also lost early after qualifying first.

    I feel that rules changes are making the draft less valuable, and rewarding the signing of developed talent through trades and 'free agent' signings.

    Having said that the G's had the approx. 20th and 30th picks in last year's draft and got two starters out of it, but that happened by default due to injuries...we HAD to use them and they did well. In fact, one of them was named LA Galaxy defender of the year last night: Ty Harden, who is paid $17,700/year. That salary makes me think "Gee, this league has a few problems..."
     
  3. fan

    fan slow toaster

    you have the mighty guillerrmo-barros! he is so muh better than beckham!
     
  4. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Well he's certainly played more games for the woeful Columbus village people than Beckham has for the G's, so there is somehting to be said for that.
     
  5. Y&P

    Y&P Squad Player

    Crikey, when the 20th pick in the NFL is given about $3mil/year, thats pretty poor. How high is the salary cap in the MLS?
     
  6. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Exactly...it points out the huge gulf between MLS and other American pro-sports

    I forget how exactly the salary cap works, but I can come up with a link to all the salaries in MLS team by team, and they are remarkably low, given the rest of American sports and other world football leagues. Shockingly low really. Here it is...MLS SALARY LINK from the MLS Players Union site.

    Wait, I found this short explanation of the salary cap and some of the rules surrounding it...it seems accurate:
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2007
  7. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    OK, it's about 6 hours until kickoff for the LA Galaxy home game against New York Red Bull. Beckham will be on the bench and I anticipate him to get 20-30 minutes at the end of the match.

    The Galaxy are on a 5 game win streak, 6 games unbeaten.

    This is a must-win game for the G's to advance to the playoffs, which as I've noted before is akin to avoiding Relegation.

    Should the G's win tonight, they have to win one more time on Sunday against Chicago to advance.
     
  8. afanof

    afanof First Team

    Good luck!
     
  9. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

  10. Tenhourslater™

    Tenhourslater™ The Late mod

    how did it go
     
  11. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Just got back...our worst player scored on a corner kick in the 14th, immediately after kickoff, Jozy Altidore scored for NY. Beckham played an interesting but fruitless 20 minutes. The ref was terrible, but that isn't unusual for MLS.

    Game ended 1-1.

    G's can make the playoffs if:
    G's win + Real Salt Lake doesn't lose @ Colorado Rapids
    or
    G's win + Kansas City loses @ FC Dallas

    Saturday Schedule
    RSL @ Colorado
    Kansas @ Dallas

    Sunday Schedule
    LA Galaxy @ Chicago
     
  12. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Follow-up:
    RSL won and KC won, setting up a winner advances to the playoffs game against Chicago in Chicago.

    I was down in Puerto Vallarta Mexico to see this game, and had to go to a sports bar in the dowtown to watch it. It was full of American's watching Sunday NFL games, and had a table of Mexican kids who were fans of C. Blanco watching and cheering for the Fire. I sat alone, but the bar manager was fluent in English and came over to pose like Blanco does after he scores from time to time, all in good fun.

    0-0 at the half, Landon Donovan was his alter ego: the invisible man.
    Cuatemoc Blanco was effective in controlling the field for Chicago, though no one could score. Beckham came on in the 65', but didn't have much of an effect. Some rarely used Chicago reserve player scored in the 88' to give the win to Chicago, who finished 7th in the league as a result.

    To tell the truth, I am glad this ridiculous season is over. The skewed schedule, the ill-advised personnel decisions, the international absences, the poor chemistry, the whole Beckham effect hype...good riddance. Next year will be interesting though.
     
  13. Y&P

    Y&P Squad Player

    How dare you insult the god that is John Thorrington! How mahy of your players came up through the ranks at Manchester United?
     
  14. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    I know the vast majority of you don't care at all, so feel free to move on along...

    So the 2008 MLS season is starting up, and the pre-season is getting it going.

    The Galaxy are in a barnstorming tour including the "Pan Pacific Championship" Tournament being held in Honolulu at Aloha Stadium which must have the WORST pitch ever for soccer. It is cheap artificial turf used by the (American) football team of the University of Hawaii who play their home games there in front of a packed house of 60,000 most weeks.

    The Pan Pacific championship managed to draw 15,000 despite Beckham's usually golden presence and the defending MLS champs Houston Dynamo featuring the only pro player actually FROM Hawaii, Brian Ching. Also ther are J-League's Gamba Osaka, and A-League's Sydney FC.

    Basically, things aren't going well for the Galaxy though they continue to make money hand over fist...it's very frustrating as a fan.

    Galaxy May be in For a Long Season
    Dreadful.
    Thank god for alcohol.

    FYI, the Galaxy are beating the A-League's Sydney FC at halftime of their 3rd place match.
     
  15. Y&P

    Y&P Squad Player

    At least you beat the mighty Sydney 2-0. With Sir Beckham playing a vital role I believe.

    Frankly, if he stays fit, and you have someone other than Landon that can kick the ball in the vague direction of the goal, success should follow.
     
  16. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    We picked up Carlos Ruiz, a well proven MLS goal scorer, and former Galaxy legend, so that should go a long way toward filling that huge gap. Still, our problems will be Chemistry and Injury...Ruiz is out with a bum knee, though he should be OL by the start of the season. Our defense reminds me of the Nazi defense of Berlin against the Soviet Army: Toothless old codgers and kids too young to fit a uniform. We all know how that ended. Most of the teams in the league look a lot better this year, so who knows how it will all shake out.

    Did you see your precious Dynamo, defending MLS champs, got brutally raped by Gamba Osaka today. De Ro was out, but they had the rest of the starters in, meanwhile Gamba had 7 out for Japan national team and U23 duty...score was 5-1.
     
  17. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Unfortunately you might want to ask Newcastle fans what to expect from Gullit! On the upside, you're saving us from his useless insights at halftime in Sky matches and Kevin Keegan will be soon out of a job if you need a replacement! ;)
     
  18. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    You should have told me! I was there too, for a friend's try out (not my own). That's pretty good success. Good for him.

    With regard to the team chemistry question, I'll say no to that theory and offer you some more insight into Landon Donovan specifically. As you know, soccer in the US is a very minor sport. As the best most talented player in US history, Landon Donovan can walk down the street anywhere in LA and no one will recognize him. In fact, German legend Juergen Klinsmann lives in LA for just that reason. Anyway, my point is that Donovan hasn't developed the sense that he is an ambassador to the sport at all times like a player like Beckham has.

    I know this borders on gossip, but I pay attention to the details of interviews and see his personal interactions with his teammates. Donovan is weird, and everyone knows it. He is emotionally more or less stable, but he does and says a lot of things that make people think, "uhh...rrrriiight." He's not the kind of guy who his teammates want to hang out with. He's kind of a loner, and is difficult to get him to acknowledge you ordinarily.

    It doesn't surprise me your mate got a weird vibe from Donovan. He's weird. He's also a very logical person and sees the open tryout as the scam it really is. They open up the tryouts to anyone who will pay $150 and they got about 500 to do it, most of whom were like me, too old, too slow, too fat, and not technically talnted enough to seriously be a professional player. So 500 x $150 = $75,000 Pretty good for running some scrimmages over a weekend. Mind you my season ticket costs $480 a year.

    They got nearly 500 people from around the world who came in on their own dime, and in the end picked one goalkeeper who had to be familiar to the Galaxy staff as former college player. So the players see it as a touristy soccer fantasy camp sort of thing, and the players with the exception of Beckham see it as a bother. Beckham sees the whole world as bothersome, but knows a PR situation when he sees one.

    The open tryout reminded me of the old t-shirt:
    "I went to the Galaxy open tryout and all I got was this stupid t-shirt."

    When it comes to playing the game, on the field the players build trust in one another based on capability. Landon is one of the fastest savviest players in the world, Beckham the one of the most perceptive passers in the world and one of the most polished players in the MLS. When both are healthy and playing in their true postions, they will shred MLS defenses. Throw in Ruiz, and the opponents will not have any idea who to watch out for in defensive situations.

    The problem as I see it is when Ruiz is gone for Guatemala National team duty, when Donovan is gone for US duty, when Becks is gone for England duty, or if any of them get hurt, who will step up? There is NO depth on the bench behind them. Our bench guys would have a tought time catching on at Stevenage.
     
  19. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    Yeah, when they first announced it, every Toon and fruity celery waving supporter felt the need to register for our forum and tell us how bad he is.

    On the other hand, I think he'll do fine in MLS. Much less talented and experienced guys have done well there. OK, let me rephrase...I hope he'll do well.
     
  20. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    FYI, it was 2-1, and Sydney were playing the guy who hands out the uniforms and socks as their right back. Seriously.
     
  21. Y&P

    Y&P Squad Player

    I wouldn't mind Big Bob Oteng in our back line.

    And I have no beloved Dynamo, I'm a Fire man. Go Fire!

    And is this Ruiz, as I seem to remember, like Blanco, that is to say, very old but with a good record?

    Go Fire!
     
  22. Fitz

    Fitz Squad Player

    The Fire are a quality team with a great fan group, Section 8, with whom the LA supporters group share a forum board.

    Ruiz is 29, and has been very good over the years. He is the kind of football player I love to hate. His nickname is "the Fish" because he flops around on the ground after the slightest contact. I really hated him as a player on the opposing team. Our chant for him and him alone involves grabbing or pointing to your crotch and yelling "Hey Ru-iz! Suck on these!" over and over. It's very satsifying.

    Well now he's our diving whiny *****, so I guess I have to learn to like him. After a couple game winning goals, it won't be that hard.

    Blanco, aka Sling Blade, is older and a real midfielder talent with a big heart. He's a big crybaby, too.
     

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