It’s a fact not lost on the British press: David Beckham isn’t just joining a lesser league; he’s also joining one of that league’s worst teams in the L.A. Galaxy. This point was painfully driven home Tuesday night as Becks’ new teammates crashed out of the Lamar Hunt Open Cup at the hands of second-division USL side Richmond Kickers-in front of a crowd of less than 5,000.
Becks may be used to pressure, he may even be used to playing the role of savior, but the London Times says the chips may have never been stacked so high against him. Luckily, the Galaxy simply has to make the playoffs to stand a chance of winning the MLS title, but as Beckham himself warns, “My game is about being a team player”-read: if the team is lousy, then we’re in trouble. And this team seems be getting lousier, as management continues to frantically send players this way and that in exchange for new ones.
However, Beckham knows a thing or two about a beleaguered dressing room. Indeed, many believe it was his example that led to the end-of-season tear that saw Real Madrid capture its first league title in four years. But that was a very different situation: no one expected that one to happen. This time, the pressure to turn things around is placed squarely on his shoulders — which is to say nothing about the greater pressure of his being an ambassador for soccer in the U.S.