Beckham

[Sippo]

Macca, my point is that he doesn't need the money and isn't going for the money- apparently. He said he wants to play for England again surely he's got more chance in somewhere like Serie a? In all fairness, MLS isn't going to be the most testing for him is it? I can see the temptation cos everyone wants more money, and as I said it is an amazing move financially now and in the future because it will open new avenues for him, but to say its not for the money is not being honest imo. He shouldn't even mentioned it.

[Cookie]

New York Cosmos had 78,000 sell outs of Giants stadium when Pele was there but the interest just disappeared as soon as he left, people went to watch him not the football. it'll be the same with becks, the average american bloke will never watch footy,

maybe there is a market made up from kids, women and immigrants but I don't think there's enough interest in footy to sustain salaries like beckham's (TBH no league in the world could sustain his salary).

[millom red]

I read somewhere recently that there are more adult women registered to play ahem..soccer in the states than blokes! :shock:

Perhaps the mls see him as eye candy for the ladies :roll:

The yoof is where it is at really and as macca has pointed out, the profile has risen significantly for ahem...soccer since the world cup was held there,. and we ended up having to watch the likes of Lalas and Coby Jones amongst others gracing our fields.

The Glaziers and the Lerners of this world taking over premiership clubs with history in British football has also raised the profile of ahem...soccer stateside. They just lurve history the yanks dont they, they seem to buy it at any cost, Becks included.

I'm of the opinion that this is a cunning Bush plan to move america foreward in their quest for world dominance!

[mattboyslim]

In the states the 'soccer mom' a women who ferries her little girl around in a hummer to play 'soccer' is seen as a key voting demographic in winning elections, much like 'mondeo man' has been seen in the UK.  The states percieve football as a girls game due largely to the lack of need for loads of stupid rules, a lack of time outs, draws happening and the fact you don't need tons of padding to play.

[genf_stfc]

so at $1,000,000 a week, I make that roughly a quid a second.  They should pay him it all in 1p pieces, I reckon that would that would take him 2 years to count it.

[Devon Red]

I've got no respect for the bloke now. He's blatantly doing it for the finanial side of it.
And this might not go down very well but I never overly rated him playing for England. He seemed to just disappear unless it was a game where everyone was shit (eg-greece) then evryone seemed to love him. He bottled it in big tournaments I feel and has simply been living off that Greece goal for too long. He was quality at Man Utd but I don't feel he ever really replicated that fo England and as soon as he was made captain for England I think we just turned into a media circus about him rather than the football (eg-the strike action).

[Sippo]

He thought he ran the England squad. He thought he was the main star-which is probably part of the reason he was dropped perhaps?. The same will happen at LA Galaxy. He'll think he's god's gift.

[red macca]

I've got no respect for the bloke now. He's blatantly doing it for the finanial side of it.
And this might not go down very well but I never overly rated him playing for England. He seemed to just disappear unless it was a game where everyone was shit (eg-greece) then evryone seemed to love him. He bottled it in big tournaments I feel and has simply been living off that Greece goal for too long. He was quality at Man Utd but I don't feel he ever really replicated that fo England and as soon as he was made captain for England I think we just turned into a media circus about him rather than the football (eg-the strike action).

see im one of his supporters tbh The strike situation was neville btw.Anyway to be critical of a player who has been on the bench all year and basically told he has not got a england future for accepting a offer which i firmly believe NO ONE would turn down is a bit harsh.i agree about his performances but to a degree who has single handedly got us qualified like he did against greece.if your honest that free kick capped off a amazing performance that he had that day.

For that reason alone i got some respect for the bloke.

[Devon Red]

I've got no respect for the bloke now. He's blatantly doing it for the finanial side of it.
And this might not go down very well but I never overly rated him playing for England. He seemed to just disappear unless it was a game where everyone was shit (eg-greece) then evryone seemed to love him. He bottled it in big tournaments I feel and has simply been living off that Greece goal for too long. He was quality at Man Utd but I don't feel he ever really replicated that fo England and as soon as he was made captain for England I think we just turned into a media circus about him rather than the football (eg-the strike action).

see im one of his supporters tbh The strike situation was neville btw.Anyway to be critical of a player who has been on the bench all year and basically told he has not got a england future for accepting a offer which i firmly believe NO ONE would turn down is a bit harsh.i agree about his performances but to a degree who has single handedly got us qualified like he did against greece.if your honest that free kick capped off a amazing performance that he had that day.

For that reason alone i got some respect for the bloke.

I agree he was brilliant that day but I also felt he shone more because everyone else on the pitch was so bad and not up for the game. It needed a performances like that in the knockout stages etc but I think that is one of very few inspiring performances from him for England. I agree with you about the money that no one would turn it down especially after beig told he has no future at England and Madrid, but it just seems wrong that one person can command that much money especially as he's already one of the richest footballers in the world. It will be interesting to see what sort of response he gets there and what it will do for the game stateside.

[Miles Mayhem]

I would have liked him to have played on at the highest level for a few more years as he is only 31 and could have won his place back in england squad. However by not choosing the prem or seria a, money and film fame spring to mind not football (enginered by his wife) so i have lost all respect for him as he seems like a puppet for vics own media lime light manipulation. No player in his right mind would choose the mls to enchance there footballing career no matter how much money they were offered if they were playing for a top european side.

[Rich Pullen]

Why do people compare Beckham with the average footballer? He's a brand.

Pretty much as soon as he was going out with the "posh" tart from the Spice Girls it became about commercialism - not football.

It is no coincidence that Beckham has played for two of the most marketable teams in the world and he earned £17million promoting the likes of Gillette and Vodafone. It's widely acknowledged that he was given the number 23 at Real as it was Michael Jordan's number.

Beckham and the U.S. go together well and I'm suprised everyone is causing such a fuss. Why should he join Bolton or Celtic if doesn't want to?

In regards to football it's clear to everyone that McClaren will not select him, regardless to how well he plays - He's 31 so why the hell shouldn't he play in the U.S.?

[my-velocity]

LA Galaxy = Mugs

[Rich Pullen]

LA Galaxy = Mugs

I'd love it if Beckham lines-up alongside Migz though! I doubt Stef will be there for long.

[Summerof69]

If Beckham says it's not for the money, then he can surely donate a days salary from his new contract to each of the 150 Supporters Trusts.

They all could do with £70k...and they would use it by helping save their clubs.

Personally, it is disgusting him getting paid as much, when there are clubs on the breadline, and it's thanks to Premiership players like him, that they are.

[Sippo]

Not sure if this is true or not but apparently there was a wage cap before Becks arrived in MLS but they abandoned it for him....