That graph is red, smoggy white, and blue!!! Go USA!!! People in Iceland are so blinded by the beautiful women there that they'll answer yes to anything. Sigurður, do you believe Marcelo Gallardo would be a good designated player? (drool) yes..............he'll lead whatever that team is to many glory-filled years........(drool)
Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable. lies, damn Lies and statistics Torture numbers, and they'll confess to anything. ~ Gregg Easterbrook In ancient times they had no statistics so they had to fall back on lies. ~ Stephen Leacock
Re: Beckham staying in L.A PSG have only 2 league titles in their history, which probably has something to do with why they are not mentioned in that breath.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Yeah I know, that's the point. They're a classically underachieving club despite being supported well. Hell they were close to the relegation zone just a few years back.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Well, they also have a UEFA Cupwinner's Cup to their name - but yes, PSG has underperformed for decades.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Point taken but French clubs just are that big. They have gotten a bit bigger recently, with some success in the UCL, but certainly before 2005 French clubs were not thought of along side the big boys. From a fame perspective, they were really not thought of at all in Europe and less outside. Beckham, being the global icon that he is, has increased the fame and brand awareness of the Galaxy far beyond where it was. Him coming to America 5 years ago was massive global news. PSG is trying to expand their brand using the same play. Anyway, as I stated, not saying the Galaxy are bigger/more famous, just that they are in the conversation and not worthy of a "no fecking way".
Re: Beckham staying in L.A I think you're excluding the French speaking world a bit in your thoughts. The last three years the Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup) has been successfully held outside France in Montreal, Tunis and Tangier. The current TV contract of EUR 668 million per season has put Ligue 1 firmly in the top five leagues of Europe. The main thing it lacks compared to say - the Bundesliga - is a true superclub. Could PSG become that club? With the money involved I would say that's a real possibility. They have already moved on and are reportedly linked to AC Milan's Pato, Roma's De Rossi and Dortmund's Götze. But will it last once Beckham leaves? Do people think of the Kashima Antlers just because Zico played there? I think it's more likely that the global media will refer to Beckham as the "former ManU and Real Madrid player" after his retirement.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Beckham is still the greatest media attraction in football today and a great asset to MLS, even at age 35. Years from now Becks will be known as the former ManU player because that is where he rose to fame. Just like Pele is the former Brazilian player. But for both of them, their fame is personalized to them, and the teams they played for are secondary.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A It will last because LA will just replace him with another big name player. Certainly not the brand that Beckham was but I have no doubt it won't be a quality well known player. He has opened the door for world class players to come to this league and I don't see that stopping once he leaves.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A People still talk about the Cosmos, don't they? But that's a different question, and a less relevant one, probably. As pointed out, media miles away don't refer primarily to Pele's club teams to describe him as a player. But when Santos plays Barcelona, it's "Pele's old team vs Messi's current one."
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Well known to who? Players like Robbie Keane won't raise global mainstream awareness of the Galaxy (that's what we are talking about, right?) one bit outside Ireland and perhaps to a lesser extent the UK. There is only a handful of players who have a truly recognizable face around the world, most of them former world players of the year. To make it truly last the Galaxy would have to be able to sign one of them time after time. Not outside the US. That's my point. Maybe I didn't make myself clear.
Re: Beckham staying in L.A Yes, but now we must compeate with the Chinese and Russians for the over the hill, over paid players. (Becks was not over the hill, speaking more about Rafa and Henry). Also the Brazilians have the money to keep their old players now in days.
I think the new LA local TV deal has a clause in it that they are obligated to replace Becks/Donovan/Keane with big names when the time comes. No one is as big as Becks, but as a fan, if they were able to switch him this season for say a Ronaldihno, I would have been just as happy (yes I know this won't happen, just an example).
Re: Beckham staying in L.A PSG is about 30years old i think,just googled.They formed 12 August 1970 so there not a well known big club,so history says