Who is more important to this team - Donovan or Beckham?

Discussion in 'LA Galaxy' started by Dammit!, Sep 3, 2007.

  1. SoccerMan94043

    SoccerMan94043 Member+

    May 29, 2003
    San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Apparently neither LD or DB are important to the Galaxy winning. You certainly could save a bit of money by selling both players.
     
  2. sacris00

    sacris00 New Member

    Mar 30, 2007
    Burbank
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I understand,save your support for UK they do need it.
    We are here die hard fans for the Gals,through thick and thin we will support our team.
    Good win last night.

    Becks and LD ? I like them both and I hope in the future they will play well
    together...:)
     
  3. BritFootieFan

    BritFootieFan Member

    Jul 12, 2007
    Deepest rural Kent
    They should both stay, they are both very important to the team.
     
  4. Galaxy_23

    Galaxy_23 New Member

    Sep 4, 2007
    I think next year they will both bring something to the team that will make the Galaxy a better team overall. With Donovan's leadership to the team I guess and Beckhams presence on the field makes them more pumped (some players said that, and the coach). And then finally lets not forget their amazing talent. :)
     
  5. New Mexican

    New Mexican Member

    Jul 5, 2005
    Albuquerque, NM
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It really makes sense.
     
  6. TOJAS

    TOJAS New Member

    Jul 19, 2007
    Canada
    I don't think winning one out of the last seven games (Superliga notwithstanding) is exactly an endorsement of Galaxy without Donovan and Beckham.
    I think people will have to wait and see how this team plays when everyone is on board and healthy before making any judgments about how much Beckham will add to the team, or how much will be lost without Donovan.
     
  7. imadork

    imadork New Member

    Aug 20, 2007
    Manhattan Beach
    I didnt see Beckham on the bench at the game. I am just curious, does he show up?

    In my opinion, he should be at every game for the rest of the season signing autographs for each and every kid who wants one. While the game is being played without him, he can show some goodwill!
     
  8. Gino Franconni

    Gino Franconni Red Card

    Sep 1, 2007
    Solvang
    In my opinion, neither but then it depend's on who the question is being presented to. No team can revolve around one or two players'. I don't know what people that let themselves get caught up in all this issue about Beckham were expecting. Were people actually expecting Beckham alone as one person, one player to turn it all around for the Galaxy this season? If so they were sadly mistaken. It didn't happen this season & if he's still in the picture next season it won't happen then either. Donovan is a decent player & he has blinding pace but he won't be able to pull it off either by himself. Beckham was hired for a number of reasons'. To market the league & to market the Galaxy. That's his most important task. Who the Galaxy spend their money on as far as players' go is their own business, not mine.


    That being said they need to invest in at least two natural born & proven strikers' that can put the ball into the back of the net on a regular basis. They also need to gut the back line with proven, solid players' that can shut down strikers' from the teams' they face. This is the main difference between European professional club Football/Soccer & what's going on in the MLS & more in particular ... The Galaxy. When any top European club signs a player the last thing on their minds' is that player's image & if that player can be marketed. The main focus is on the players' skill's & if that player can add his skill's to the squad as to make a run for their league championship & even more important, the Champions League. They know that with good results' year in, year out they will keep a long term fanbase which means' long term profits' for that club.


    Here you see the Galaxy have signed Beckham based on his high profile image & marketing ability. Short term high gains & that's the differience right there! Most people going to MLS games' this year outside of the real MLS fans' are just going to see the Beckham show. They are not concerned what place the Galaxy are in or if the Galaxy win their games' for that matter. Is this good for profits' within the league as far as ticket sales' are concerned & for the Galaxy? ... Of course it is, but only short term. Most of these people will be nowhere near an MLS game this time next year & the only ones' left will be the die hard MLS fans'.


    If MLS teams' ever want to really be able to beat the top clubs' of Europe on a regular basis then they will have to structure their clubs' like it's done in Europe. Meaning buy players' that will get results' on the pitch where it really matters' & not throw all their eggs' in one basket on a player who's image & marketing ability they are banking on will lift the league & make them money.:rolleyes:
     
  9. TOJAS

    TOJAS New Member

    Jul 19, 2007
    Canada
    Yeah, but it's a vicious circle isn't it? If you don't have fan support--if you don't have people who will go to the games, buy the merchandise, make MLS profitable enough to warrant spending money on better players (who will then draw more fans, who will go to games etc. etc.) then how are you going to make a competitive league?
    Having exhaustive talks of whether or not Beckham is worthwhile for Galaxy is pointless until he actually plays for them in a significant way.
    I am amazed how people are making all these judgments about what effect Beckham is having on soccer (particularly when they insist what a "failure" it's been) when the guy has only been here for two months, during which he's played, what, two entire games?
    Moreover, when I read anti-Beckham rants by fans of other MLS teams, I keep wondering WHY they seem to want Beckham to fail at lifting the profile of MLS. Doesn't it benefit everyone if he does?
     
  10. Gino Franconni

    Gino Franconni Red Card

    Sep 1, 2007
    Solvang

    You have missed my point. He cannot do it alone. That will not happen. No player can. Pele attempted to do it here decades ago & he was a much better player than Beckham. He was a former world champion & considered for years the best player in the world & much more popular as well & it didn't work. Like I said, different cultures' have different business methods'. The MLS in my opinion would be better off bringing over top flight players' at their peak, not past it. Build a solid foundation with each team that can produce results' on the pitch where it really counts! Be able to compete & more important beat the best professional clubs' of the world. That! Will raise the profile of the MLS & more important American soccer. Like I said Beckham is just one person, one player & he's not going to do it all on his own. That won't happen.
     
  11. TOJAS

    TOJAS New Member

    Jul 19, 2007
    Canada
    That Beckham can't do it alone, I completely agree with.

    As to Beckham being "past his peak", well, he's 32 not 22...he's not going to play like he did even five years ago. On the other hand, he made a real contribution to Real Madrid's winning the LaLiga, and that was only 3 months ago, so I don't put him past his sell-by date just yet... (bright side being he's 32 not 38...)

    No, he's not Pele. But I think the Pele comparison is wrong, not just in terms of ability, but culturally and historically. Pele was a sensation here, but soccer in America did not have the stability to capitalize on the attention he brought to it.
    Moreover, we now live in a much more global community, and a much more celebrity-oriented world. What Beckham has, that Pele did not, is a general recognition factor for people who have never watched (or thought of watching) soccer. He has a 'star-quality' that is unique for him for a number of reasons. There are very few players in the world who have that recognition factor--even players who are stars in Europe, or who soccer fans would recognize instantly, would be unknown to the average person on the street.

    Will it be just a short term gain, as you've said? Well, in keeping with our agreed thought that Beckham can't do it alone, it will depend very much on how MLS capitalizes on the attention, and that WILL demand that the level of play improves and better players are signed up.

    So, I would look at it as a positive thing.
    Ultimately for the Galaxy, Beckham is a very good player--compared to the level of play in MLS right now, he's outstanding. Can he make a real contribution to Galaxy winning games? Absolutely. But, in this, too, he can't do it alone...Galaxy needs to improve it's performance significantly (no amount of precision passes can make a difference if the forward can't finish with a goal).

    But here's an interesting thought for the night (things that make you go hmmmmmm)--if Pele (at the same age he was when he came to America) joined the Galaxy RIGHT NOW, do you think even he could make a difference in how they are playing??:D
     
  12. Gino Franconni

    Gino Franconni Red Card

    Sep 1, 2007
    Solvang

    No Pele couldn't & he didn't but again it's part of my point. Pele was a top level player, former world champion, considered the best in the world for a number of years. Beckham is none of these things. Beckham's an image, a marketing tool. Pele in a way was also so it's the same old song & dance. History repeats & comes back around, all over again. The Beckham deal, hate to tell you in reality is all about making money & that's it! If Beckham can walk away with such a good deal then more power to him. It won't change soccer in America for the long term sad to say. Is he an above average player in the MLS? Of course he is but he's not the best that's for sure. Like I said this time next year Beckham will for the most part be an after thought. It was not designed to last. All this is really is a money making venture.
     

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