It is pretty crazy that as a league/team we have come far enough that someone can say they honestly wouldn't want the 2nd best player in the world to come play for us unless he's in his prime and actually be serious about saying it.
Maybe... I just watched "Once in a Lifetime" and it reinforced my biases about the need to not just get good, big-name players... but also to get really good team guys. Becks and Keane have been ideal DPs. They work hard, they're committed, they are not primadonas on the pitch. When you have a team with the kind of disparity in income that we have, you need to make sure you are not bringing in a guy who will tear the team apart. You don't want a guy like Chinaglia crowning himself king and alienating everyone else. I suspect CR7 would wreak the kind of havok that Becks did until Arena took over... and I think Becks is way smarter and methodical than CR7. I could be wrong... but that's my impression, and I would have been against that move even six or seven years ago.
I'm not saying you're wrong....although that could be, I'd have to really look at the how/when of it when it came up, but 6 years ago if there was a good rumor that CR7 was coming, the entire league would have wet its collective pants over the idea...while now we've experimented with aging stars and team balance and when we say "depends" it means we're analyzing it, not asking for something to contain the squee-pee.
He might be now but he's also not stupid he sees the formula that DB23 has laid and ala dwight howard following in the linage of great centers (Mikan, Wilt, KAJ, and the diesel) so to will CR7 follow the great DB23. 30 years of age is not his prime (according to euros) they are over the hill if they go anywhere outside of europe. He already comes to LA on holiday and he's tasted him some paris hilton (no filet mignon) but famous either way. He wants a career after football no doubt.
Could be... but if I were Arena I would want to see evidence of that "maturing" before I even considered him.
Bruce and his future boss will also want them apple bottom jeans with da fur on those seats in the HDC!
Haven't read the BBC story, but this is basically what I popped in to say. His family and his wife's business are always going to be big factors. To me that means Australia is a non-starter. And if he's said publicly he won't be playing in MLS next season, I'll believe him until I hear otherwise. That means it's most likely PSG. Paris (wife's business; incredible city; great for his kids). New Challenge (Ligue 1). Crazy Money (which will come in handy when he buys out Uncle Phil [or ends up slumming with the Cosmos]) And the not so small bonus of sending crosses into the Mad Swede, the Football Ninja, El Disdainful: The Zlatan. Of course, yes, he will also get kicked in the head by Ibra. But what can you do.
Notice that he says My team and my stadium. With AEG being up for grabs it is very possible that he is going to become part owner of the team. Sigh... Man. I knew this day would come. You're never truly prepared for the end of something special; and when it happens its always a surprise. Love him or hate him, every fan of the MLS is in this man's debt. I just want to say Thank You David. You got me into the Beautiful Game. You introduced me to the LA Galaxy which lead me to the awesomeness that is Landon Donovan. You convinced Robbie Keane to become a "G". You convinced the likes of Thierry Henry to want to play in this league. You helped make the Galaxy into the league's first SuperTeam thus forcing every other team to actually invest in themselves to even contend with LA. Which raised the quality of the game. You even got guys like KaKa, Zlatlan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo to say with out being prompted that they would like to play in the MLS at some point. Your name will be spoke in the Hall of Legends with honor forever. Now we have come to the end of the road. Thank You Sir. It was an honor to watch you play.
I was gonna put this in my end of season thoughts about DB23, But TBG you inspired me. How do not only we fans, the club and MLS as a whole show our gratitude and thanks to DB23 not by retiring his jersey (always hate that shit it doesn't belong in football) the next bearer of that # had better be up to the challenge. My opinion and proposal would be make the man "The Logo"! ala mister clutch jerry west in the NBA (had to be a LA laker fo sho) it's time to change that old boot and retro football on our logo and a silhouette of becks as he's just about to strike the ball with his patented free kick in the sweet spot is a good show of appreciation I think just my thought though.
Meh. He's one of our own, it's a major decision, and the boys will play for him. I have no problem with it, it's a proper farewell. There will be enough talk about the game soon enough, and it'll bring more attention to the final. No issues.
MLS would still make it without Sir Beckham coming to America, but would take ten years longer to be just half as successful. That is just my humble opinion. However, there are many MLS fans and perhaps quite a few BS posters here would not have joined the fun if it wasn't for David and that is the fact. Thanks for every thing, David. Hope you and your family remains here in the south land. Can't beat the weather, right?
PSG out! Still like the idea of him playing next season with the lower division Cosmos, to gain rep and $$$ (fan base) and then take over ownership of that club, when they inevitably become the next member of the MLS
I am actually glad this announcement came in early during the 2 week break. It'll all be fairly played out with the team itself by the time game time rolls around, and I'm really not worried about concentration. It's a Cup Final, these guys have been there before, and I don't think anyone on the team is going to be thinking about whether Beckham is actually going to the A-League or not during the game.
If the LA Galaxy are now worth about $120 - 150 million, and AEG decides to split the Galaxy out in the sale of the business unit, then DB certainly has the wealth to become a majority owner. I am not sure that makes great sense for the family economically.
I’d imagine an ownership group similar to the more recent MLS franchises. Simon Fuller seems a no-brainer, Gordon Ramsey (that’d be awesome have Ramsey Restaurants take over the food at the HDC).
Man how times have changed. I remember it was just yesterday when they were calling the MLS a retirement league.