As the David Beckham gravy train in Spain continues on to what many believe is its inexorable conclusion — if Real Madrid manages to beat Zaragoza this weekend, the La Liga will surely head to the Bernabeu — the former England captain’s future employer, the L.A. Galaxy, appears to be moving at the same rate in an equal but opposite direction. Ian Plendeleith, writing for the Guardian, says that when he arrives in L.A., Beckham will once again be faced with the tall task of playing savior. The difference is this time everyone will be expecting him to do it. But if the Galaxy’s slide continues, Plenderleith suggests the Galaxy management may have to change its mandate to: “Make us as much cash as possible and we’ll start again next year.”
Either way, Plenderleith says, Becks is coming to play for the L.A. Galaxy, regardless of whether he’s the best or worst player on the planet on current form. So forget the rumors about a Beckham U-turn, it simply isn’t going to happen — not without a ridiculously large sum of money and the player’s fervent desire to change his mind. Hype- wise, MLS has way too much riding on his arrival to let that happen, anyways.
Saving the Galaxy is precisely the kind of challenge Becks might relish. Like all American sports leagues, the name of the game in MLS is the post-season; as long as David and co. can eke into the MLS playoffs, there’s always a chance for glory-the same Galaxy demonstrated that by winning MLS Cup 2005 after a poor regular season. Plenderleith, for one, doesn’t think a repeat is on the cards: he says this year’s bunch is “the worst line-up in [the Galaxy’s] 12-year history.”