US realities before Portugal

Photo credit: Time

When Jurgen Klinsmann was hired for the US national team position there was one request: do well at the World Cup. For most this would mean get out of the group stage. Wrong. Chances were that the US could end up in a group of death. And it did.

After US Soccer knew its rivals, Ghana, Portugal, Germany, in that order, the request changed: Beat Ghana. Why? History.

In 2006, the United States was ranked in the top 10 and Bruce Arena's men were poised for a better tournament than the quarterfinals in 2002. They lost 3-0 in the opening match to the Czech Republic, tied 1-1 with Italy and lost 2-1 against Ghana in a game briefly tied by Clint Dempsey's first World Cup goal.

In 2010 the United States were once again an underdog but were placed in the "group of life" along with England, new-comer Slovenia, and Algeria, in that order. A herculean effort gave a 1-1 tie against England, a come-from-behind 2-2 tie against Slovenia was another classic, capped by a Hollywood ending 1-0 win over Algeria thanks to an injury time goal by one Landon Donovan. The round of 16 pitted the Americans against Ghana and the African nation prevailed, once more, knocking Bob Bradley's team out of the tournament.

This is why Ghana was the priority for the Americans in 2014. This and the fact that both Germany and Portugal are top 10 teams. "Too tough," claimed commentator Alexi Lalas. Most of us knowledgeable soccer followers concurred.

Alexi Lalas had some words of encouragement yesterday following Michael Bradley's interview previewing Portugal. This Portuguese team is fighting for their lives without Coentrao and Pepe in the defense and Cristiano Ronaldo not 100%. A chance for a win.

But do not be fooled. This Portuguese team, despite a lopsided 4-0 loss to Germany, has quality all over it. From Nani to Meireles to Cristiano Ronaldo. They have years of experience in the World Cup with a top 4 finish in 2006

Portugal will come out to win. They will do so down the right side and exploit the spaces left for Ronaldo. Team USA has no Mertesacker, no Sami Khedira, no Jerome Boateng. This is the one game where everything will be on the line for the Americans. They must play for everything and they must play to win. That's where the spaces will open.

Against Ghana there were no spaces because Dempsey scored early and the team backed off. A gift and a curse, as the players themselves assured. Jermaine Jones will need an even bigger game, Beckermann will have to be stronger and Michael Bradley has to show up. Without Altidore there will be little hold-up up front so the attack must come up the middle, through Bradley.

In reality the chances are slim for the Americans today. They are just as banged-up as the Portuguese and will play in a high-humidity scenario that levels the chances for both sides in terms of environment. 

For Klinsmann and US Soccer the real goal was met. We did something we haven't done for two World Cups. We beat Ghana. This is a team looking to the future. Otherwise we would have Donovan in the 23. A win or a tie versus Portugal would conjure up memories of 2002. We are all allowed to dream.

Risky choice to keep Klinsmann for four more years

Photo credit: US Soccer

When we heard that Klinsmann would remain as coach of the US Men's National Soccer team for another four years and would also become a technical director, many of us questioned this decision's wisdom. Two World Cup cycles with the same manager almost never pans out.

This is true for many teams around the world, but even more so for Team USA. While the first cycles for coaches like Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley were hugely successful internationally, their style became stale and the rest of the world caught up with their strategies.

Bruce Arena may have gotten the US to the quarterfinals in 2002, but 2006 saw them score one goal and manage a unlikely tie against eventual World Cup winners Italy. Lacking Chris Armas, a clear attacking role, an aging Claudio Reyna and an under-used Landon Donovan resulted in a forgettable tournament.

The same goes for Bob Bradley. After a stellar Confederations Cup in 2009 and a great group phase in South Africa 2010, his miss-use of Ricardo Clark and reliance on Johnathan Bornstein gave Ghana the upper hand. And that was really the end for the coach. A year later the lack of depth in his team during the Concacaf Gold Cup contributed to a clear defeat to Mexico in the final. 

US Soccer made the right decision in replacing Brdaley with Klinsmann in 2011. The former German star's tactics and depth building were slow to kick in but eventually paid dividends in 2013 with important victories abroad, a Gold Cup win with a largely-experimental squad and record-breaking points and number one qualification in the Hexagonal tournament of World Cup qualifying.

But USA is in certain peril with their World Cup draw. Germany, Portugal and Ghana are all extremely talented and with a greater number of technically superior players like Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin Prince Boateng. It will take a little luck and playing the games of their lives to get through this group.

And what if there's another three-and-out in Brazil 2014? And a loss at the Gold Cup and no Confederations Cup again? Might we have jumped the gun already? Complacency? Lack of inventiveness for US Soccer directors?

There might be some positives, of course, with Klinsmann as a technical director. Player development from a young age is key for future tournaments. The involvement of MLS is another step forward. Finally, exploiting the German connection and adding Bundesliga players to the pool remains advantageous now and in the future.

As fans, we hope the best for him and that the decision to keep him another four years turns out to be a good one. Examples are available when it comes to second cycle coaches for other countries: Hernan Gomez and Luis Suarez for Ecuador, Sven Goran Erikson for England and Raymond Domenech for France. Need we say more?

Parity rules in 2013 MLS playoff race

One look at the table(s) in MLS standings and you come away with a peculiar observation: at any time in the past month any one of 5 to 6 teams in each conference could have won their group and at least 6 overall teams could have won the Supporter's Shield. That's  how small the margin of error is for each team in the league.

Alexi Lalas once put it this way: MLS is the most competitive league in the world. Now while those are very big words and 99.9% of the soccer world would disagree, there is a thread of truth to his claim. Unlike most European nations, not much is settled in terms of championship this late in the season. In England, Spain and Italy usually the championship is already spoken for a month in advance or is between only two or three teams with two months to go. In Spain, for instance, the choices are Barcelona or Real Madrid--always.

How does MLS do this? First, salary cap. The league contains how much each team can spend, with the only loophole being the "Designated Player" or "Beckham Rule." It has worked, for the most part, to buoy the attendance figures and increase quality in players. If it really affected who wins the league then we wouldn't be talking about Salt Lake winning in 2009 and Colorado in 2010.

The second is continuity in coaching. Most teams refrain from sacking their managers even when times are tough. Such is the case for coaches like Sigi Shmid (Seattle), Schellas Hyndman (Dallas), Ben Olsen (DC), Frank Klopas (Chicago) and even Bruce Arena when LA failed to win in 2009 and 2010 even though they were arguably the best team in the league.

This year the contest comes down to the big-spending LA and New York, new big-spenders Seattle, and more blue collar teams like Kansas City, Salt Lake and Portland. The Timbers, in particular, have lost only 5 games and yet they have not clinched the Supporter's Shield because they were tied at home to Real Salt Lake. The Galaxy have also not won key matches and now are out of the running for winning the Shield. 

Another fact remains: clubs like Colorado, Montreal, Chicago and New England could still win the MLS Cup by virtue of the playoff system. Such was the case with Real Salt Lake in 2009. What's to say this can't happen again.

There are two key components to the parity in the league: the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup. Most critics of the American playoff setup would find it sacrilege to allow lower-seeded teams to win the league. But to those of us that understand the game and understand what the Shield stands for then this argument does not hold up. The Shield is the league and the Cup is another type of tournament, e.g. FA Cup in England. This may not be as apparent in the way the tournament is marketed but it is another trophy and a ticket to the Champions League.

So there you have it. Right now, Salt Lake, Portland, New York or Kansas City can win the league and any one of ten teams that advance to the playoffs can win the Cup. How's that for parity?

No Gonzalez and no Donovan means no Galaxy

Photo credit: MLS

A star -studded LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2011. With many of its main pieces returning (Juninho, Beckham, Donovan, Franklin, Keane, Gonzalez), most thought they would be unbeatable once again. A key injury to Gonzalez, however, has shown this team can be overcome once again. Would Toronto have knocked the Galaxy out of the Champions League if Gonzalez was defending? Would they have lost at home to Real Salt Lake and New England Revolution? Tough questions but worth asking.

There is another integral piece to the Galaxy attack: Landon Donovan. Tonight, as the unseasonable drenching rain enveloped the Home Depot Center, the Galaxy lacked the offensive arguments to come back from 3-0 against a rebuilt Revolution. Cardozo hasn't been the answer when called upon and Mike Magee came in as a substitute due to his own injuries. What will happen to the Galaxy once there is no Beckham and Donovan? Even without Beckham or Keane things worked fine with this team. The addition of Buddle has had a few kinks so far but he has been able to score.

In the end, the reason for the Galaxy's defensive woes lie with the absence of Gonzalez. De La Garza is not fit to be a center back without his sizable partner and Arena has made it known the former Maryland player will likely be moved to the wing. Reviewing the different goals scored on the Galaxy it is clear to see that Gonzalez's aerial strength and awareness could have made a difference. The Revolution's Sene's goal, for example, was a vintage Gonzalez defensive moment. Such a free header is hard to come by when the corpulent defender is on the pitch. Another missing piece is the ability of Gonzalez to score off headers in set pieces. He and Beckham made quite a tandem on several scoring situations in the past.

With Leonardo a couple of weeks away due to injury, Bruce Arena's options in the middle of the defense continue to be thin. Perhaps a trade might need to occur before the end of the market window in MLS. As for the absence of Donovan things are even more interesting: no spark, speed or fantasy.

Hollywood Ending: LA wins MLS Cup 2011

Photo credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty

The Los Angeles Galaxy won the MLS Cup tonight at the right time and with the right pieces. It was Beckham and Donovan, Magee and Keane, Juninho and Dunivant, Franklin and Saunders, Gonzalez and De la Garza. The Galaxy that Bruce Arena built is based on pairs: goalkeeper and the defense, center forward and great crosses from the outside backs. And it works.

Tonight, the LA Galaxy dominated a Houston Dynamo that looked out of sorts without Brad Davis. There were no clear passes for Brian Ching and just one dangerous set piece. Moffat's insistence in attack wasn't enough for the Dynamo and Carr and Ching never looked in sync.

Bruce Arena made league history today by winning his third title. Donovan also made history by scoring the game-winning goal in a final to win his second title as a Galaxian. And it doesn't stop there: Robbie Keane set up a superb goal by Donovan and added another title to his inventory. The Irishman has been instrumental in cementing the Galaxy's run. He gave the team that much more stardom.he

The defense was also stellar tonight. Omar Gonzalez erased any Dynamo play that came his way, and with a bit of style and presence. De la Garza was a perfect partner and always showed up when the ball was played low and when Ching or Carr tried to break free. Sean Franklin showed why he merits more looks by the national team with his overlapping runs.

And then there's David Beckham. If Donovan is the soul of the Galaxy then Beckham is the heart. His passes always perfect, his positioning and awareness just as fresh at the age of 36, and his drive unsurpassed by any other player on the pitch. No one wanted this title more than Becks. And yes, although some may not want to hear it, the Beckham experiment worked.

Congratulations LA Galaxy. Clearly the class of MLS. Surely the best team in the league. A just win for a star-studded cast. This is Hollywood after all.

Landon's goal:

End of the affair: Bradley fired as US coach

Photo credit: AP

Bob Bradley was fired as coach of the US national soccer team today. When the referee called full time at the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup with the Mexico team up 4-2 on the United States, some of us out there thought his days were numbered. But nothing happened. Days passed and international friendlies were announced (versus Mexico on the 10th), Copa America started and the US ladies made it to the final.

But today was different. A day after the thrashing of the MLS All-Stars at the hands of Manchester United, a symphony of news flashes gave us word that US Soccer had severed ties with Bob Bradley. But why not sooner? Time for searching and hiring a new man for the job? And yes, it seems they have Bradley's successor already with a "further announcement" on Friday.

Let's reflect a bit on today's events. What were the pros and cons of Bob Bradley? To start, his record was 43-25-13, winning a Gold Cup title, finishing in second place at the Confederations Cup and in the final 16 at the World Cup after winning the group over England. Also to his credit: the blossoming of Donovan and Dempsey, solidification of Michael Bradley, Onyewu, Howard and Bocanegra, and the addition of game-changers like Altidore, Agudelo, Jermaine Jones, Bedoya and Timmy Chandler. All in all, quite the resume.

Conversely, the national team has become quite stale after the World Cup and a 5-4-4 record this year. There is no inventiveness on the pitch and his tactics have been eviscerated by opposing squads. Do credit Mexico on their win, however. Their "golden generation" has come to life and, somehow, a run at the World Cup semifinals in 2014 isn't out of the question.

But back to Bradley. In reality, second term coaches (1 term being a world cup cycle) never quite do well in their reprisal as managers of national teams. A national soccer team is a completely different animal from club competition in soccer and, for that matter, other sports. There are only limited times in which you have your players each year and individuals that are central to the national team may not be playing at all for their club sides. Just the length of time alone does away with continuity. There's no "rebuilding season" or even "relegation battle." Other examples abound: Bruce Arena (2003-2006, early exit from 2006), Marcelo Lippi (Italian champions in 2006, eliminated in group stage in 2010), Sven Goran Erickson (English team became stale and lost flair in 2006).

So it's a new beginning for US Soccer. Who will be our coach? Juergen Klinsmann? Guus Hiddink? Sigi Schmid? Jason Kreis? Carlo Ancelotti? Marcelo Lippi? Claudio Reyna? All good candidates but my preference is a foreign coach right now. Someone that understands the larger scale of things. Jason Kreis is food for thought but I'd like him to have a few more titles and seasons with Real Salt Lake. Right now is too soon for the international arena. Collegiate experience, such as Arena had as a coach in college soccer, can only take us so far since a vast majority of our players are now in world-renowned teams and leagues. Arena and Bradley took this style of coaching to its very limit and with pleasant results. But a new line of thinking is needed.

So, we bid you adieu, Coach Bradley. You made us proud and made us believe. You brought us exhilaration, consolation and fantasy. We thank you for your hard work and we know you'll succeed wherever you go. No hard feelings either. Sometimes you just have to say "time's up."

Bradley Returns

If the title sounds like a cheap sequel or, perhaps, a masterful reintroduction of a superhero, then Bob Bradley's rehiring by US Soccer fits right in. Yes, it's true that Bradley led Team USA to a 38-20-8 record which included a first place finish in their group at this summer's World Cup in South Africa and second place in 2009's Confederations Cup. But is it worth the risk to continue with the same tactics that allowed for porous defense at the World Cup?

Just like in 2006, a name that emerged as a possibility for head coach was former Germany international and head coach Juergen Klinsmann. And just like it happened in 2006, nothing ever came from rumored "meetings" he had with US Soccer. Would he have been a better option?

It may not all be Bradley's fault when it comes to glaring errors in the USA lineup. Jozy is more of a number 11 than a number 9 (i.e. Davies), so goals from the forwards are hard to come by. The porous defense is likely a combination of factors: recovering Onyewu, aging Bocanegra and DeMerrit, struggling Ricardo Clark. But clearly, Bradley's scheme has also failed to yield positive consequences in this part of the field (i.e. early goals by opposing teams).

Finally, there is the complacency that comes along with retaining a coach for a second world cup cycle. Other teams may adapt to Bradley's style and choice of players. The team itself may be in need of new ideas to motivate them to evolve into a stronger unit. Sven-Goran Eriksson did nothing different for England in 2006 than he did in 2002. Same result: exit in the quarterfinals. Bruce Arena had few breakthrough ideas in 2006 and it turned into a disaster. Is the USA doomed to a 3-and-out in 2014? Not yet. Let's give Bradley some credit.

Bob Bradley is a masterful tactician when it comes to big opponents: England, Brazil, Spain. Better game management is required to defeat the likes of Ghana, Mexico, Czech Republic and even Slovenia. This is where World Cups are successful. Winning the key matches and standing up to legendary teams. If Bradley can muster up new tactics and introduce a better defense, then yes, he should retain his job. Can it be done? Only time will tell, and we hope this decision by US Soccer will not develop into another 4-year flop. Cheers, Bob. Good luck. We are behind you as our Team USA coach.

Landon Donovan scores his first for Everton

What do we make of the most successful and dominant US Soccer player of all time? Should he stay in MLS for the rest of his career? Should he stay in England?

Today, Donovan may have answered this two-part question with one sweet shot. He scored his first competitive goal in the English Premier League for Everton in a match against Sunderland. Earlier this month, Donovan had remarked on how much he liked it in the EPL and how he would be looking at his future options in the coming weeks. Let's remind ourselves that he just re-signed with MLS and the Galaxy for a further three years. If Everton were to excercise the option to buy him, it would cost them as least as much as Jozy ($10 million).

Is Donovan worth it? Put simply... yes. To a team like Everton and a league like the EPL, he's definitely worth it. He's a proven goal-scorer, has great work ethic, accomplished internationally (42 goals for the US and 121 caps) and in MLS (64 goals). Bruce Arena was quoted a few minutes ago as saying that he would be back on March 15th. Could we see another Galaxy Superstar saga like last year's Beckham fiasco with AC Milan? Wasn't Donovan criticizing Becks for his actions?

How the world turns... right? Enjoy the goal below.

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=ec66a8a2-b8d1-49e2-bd09-9942e002320f&amp;from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_articles" target="_new" title="PL Highlights: Everton/Sunderland">Video: PL Highlights: Everton/Sunderland</a>

American College Soccer

Maintaining America's unorthodox approach to the beautiful game is a rare gem: College soccer. Today, as I watched the Akron-Virgina game go into overtime and the proverbial penalty shootout, I realized the uniqueness of the game in the United States. Here, soccer is not meant for the kids from the block as much as the soccer moms and the scholarships to competitive institutions. Soccer follows the pattern of all American sports. Little league, junior varsity, varsity, and, if you're lucky... college.

Of course, there's no NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB to pick up the pieces left over from college play... but USL divisions, NASL (USL off-shoot), and MLS are happy to snag the fruits of college sports. MLS has a tough time, of late, in keeping the higher picks from its "SuperDraft." This is because European markets have discovered a previously-untapped new source of players--America. Indeed, recent MLS "dropouts" include Marcus Tracy (Aalborg of Denmark) and Mike Grella (Leeds).

But beyond the obvious tug-of-war between MLS and foreign clubs, one thing remains: college soccer is like nothing else in the world. The average player age is more like a U-23, U-20 team that constantly battles against other U-20s and U-23s. It's the ultimate formative league. It also has strange rules: countdown, regressive game clock; 10 minute overtimes; a mid-game time out, and possibly one or two others I'm not aware of. This, sadly, is what keeps a lot of soccer-minded Americans away from the College game. They are only interested in its products and how they may fare in Europe or the national team or MLS.

Virginia won its 6th title today. Akron failed to win its first even though they were undefeated. Such is the fate of great teams. It was rolling the dice with penalties. It was Restrepo coming up big as a goalkeeper should. It was a fun and emotional game played on a rainy afternoon in Cary, North Carolina. It was the weight of a dynasty (Virgina) against the fun-to-watch newcomers (Akron). And the fun doesn't stop with the game. Caleb, Akron's coach, is being sought by teams like DC United. And that's the other side of the coin--the coaches. Rewind things a bit and you find familiar faces like Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley winning multiple collegiate trophies. And they grow up with the system to become managers of a internationally-competitive national team.

Last year's crop included Chris Pontius (DCU), Zakuani (Seattle), Alston (Revolution), and impressive players like Marcus Tracy (expect him at the January camp). Previous, but recent successes include [Furman's own] Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, Ben Olsen, Brian McBride and Tab Ramos (actually went to my own NC State). And the kids keep coming through the system: Restrepo, Bates, Tchani, Opara, Duka, among others. Some are of African descent, opting for a higher education in the States whilst providing entertainment through their sport. Others are renegade youths that chose a sport outside of the American mainstream.

In all, College soccer is a wonder of the American game. It may not have the fantasy that some of us desire, but it is gritty, fast, athletic, and most of all, competitive.

All's forgiven: Becks lights up LA

Call me a believer. Yes, Bruce Arena is a catalyst for this new LA Galaxy team, but tonight it was pure Becks magic. Sellout (27000) crowd at the Home Depot Center, a gritty match, plenty of shots and another beauty from the free kick specialist. No, it wasn't a free kick that he scored with, but it was his poise and experience and knowledge of the ball that allowed Becks to score against Chivas tonight. The Goats put up a great fight. Nagamura, Marcos Santos, New-comer Jesus Padilla, Maykel Galindo and much-maligned Sacha Kljestan all showed up tonight.

And it's because tonight was much more special due to the game's proximity to the playoffs and how tight the standings are. Any bad streaks or false moves could doom any team at this point. With this result, the Galaxy gains sole possession of second place at 38 points whilst Chivas shares fourth in the West with Real Salt Lake.

There has been much said about TV ratings of MLS and crowd support, but today was a rebuttal to all that noise. The boys came to play. The crowds came to watch. Their star scored. They cheered. And they won. No nasty banners, no pushy fans yelling unnecessary obscenities, no boos. Just the sport. Plain and simple.

Becks is back, does it matter?

Yes and no. Yes, the stadium in East Rutherford tonight was near MLS-capacity (25K) but nowhere near the 56,000+ that attended the first Beckham Galaxy-Red Bulls match in 2007. Back then it was all shining lights and bright dreams in a season that saw Goldenballs play a total of 5 MLS matches. The figure for the same match last year was closer to 40K. Granted, this year people either hate Beckham or hate a cellar-dweller New York team reminiscent of 2007-2008's EPL team Derby County.

No, it doesn't matter that Beckham's back. Not for the Galaxy. Not for Bruce Arena, who has managed to lose only 3 games this whole year, even if it came at the cost of 7 ties. This team is no longer built around the pricey Englishman. It has a solidified midfield with Kirovski, Mike Magee, Eddie Lewis, Birchall and Donovan. Its attack has been amplified with the addition of 2004 Rookie of the Year (and injury prone) Alecko Eskandarian. Edson Buddle and Alan Gordon are decent attackers as well which, compounded with Donovan's ability to slide into forward, makes for a significant threat to the opposing team. The back line has also been reinforced with the introduction of veterans Greg Berhalter and Tony Sanneh, and surprising rookies DeLaGarza and Omar Gonzalez. We're also not counting the injured Kovalenko and Sean Franklin in this list.

So the question is this... Does the Galaxy need Beckham? Not really, but his experience adds to what is, at the moment, a solid team. Does MLS need Beckham? Only if his intentions are clear and benefit the league. Do the fans need Beckham? Yes... one word: drama. For more of this go pick up "The Beckham Experiment" by Grant Whal, an excellent read from what I've heard and something the league has needed for a good while now.

Galaxy blues: From Beckham to Donovan

I will not dwell on the Becks subject anymore. Besides the "deadlines," incessant squabbling and endless rambles by bloggers like your truly, we should face the facts: the league would be losing anywhere near $30-50 million per year were Becks to be absent for the next 3 years. It's only logical to make at least some of it back (say $15 million). Remember that Becks does have an escape clause after his third season (2009) so the league better act on it now if it's going to make any money from this situation at all.

Back to the point. Okay, let's say Beckham goes. AC Milan breathes a little easier (although Zlatan's Inter is probably going to take the Scudetto) and Bruce Arena can forget about the circus. What about that other marquee player "currently" in the Galaxian's ranks, Landon Donovan? Donovan is the poster child for US soccer and at just 26 he has amassed quite a resume, albeit incomplete. Last season's MLS top scorer and the leading goal scorer for the men's national team (37 and counting) has one missing piece: the pedigree of a place in a European league. Sure, he had his time with Bayer Leverkusen earlier in his career but he never quite settled into the Bavarian life and game and was shipped back to America only to blossom with the Earthquakes and then the Galaxy. I've seen the man in action and he's always dangerous for rivals. Who can forget the goal scored against Mexico in 2002? Not me, that's for sure.

And yet, recently, Galaxy made more than one potentially catastrophic loan to a club in Europe--Landon Donovan to Bayern Munich. This weekend, with the loss of Luca Toni, Donovan has his best and possibly last real chance at staying in Europe. Unlike Beckham and much like other Americans abroad, he has the stigma of being from a nation other than Brazil/Argentina within this continent--that is, you better prove it within 3 weeks or you're benched, loaned out or shipped back. Granted, Juergen Klinsmann likes the guy and trained with him in California, he will still need to score in an active competition in order for the Bavarian club to offer any sort of compensation to MLS for the loss of another prodigy.

Donovan is in a position where his career, MLS's image and US Soccer would benefit from a permanent move abroad. What's better than having the top scorer in US history play in a marquee league and team on European soil?

Potential outcome: MLS sells both Becks and Donovan. Part of the package in a deal like this would be to get a player from Milan (Sheva?) and/or Bayern Munich as well as (pointless but highly attended) friendly games. This could also open the door for DaMarcus Beasley to come back to the States and play under Arena once again. I hope Beasley stays in Europe, however, but I prefer that he switches clubs since Glasgow Rangers aren't giving him many nods on any given week. That said, the Galaxy will be very lonely, hurt and depleted. Only a truly big signing and perhaps repatriation of a player like Beasley might douse the wildfires set ablaze this MLS off-season.

Beckham leaving LA: Pros and Cons

Ever since Beckham decided to make a loan move to AC Milan for a ridiculously short period of time (January-mid March) there have been plenty of rumors and speculations about his future in MLS. Last month I ran a poll for my faithful readers to gauge their thoughts on Becks' future. I believe the end result was something like 80% for and 20% against. I can understand some of the animosity towards the player for whatever reason: cheesy, pompous, over-the-top, spice boy, whatever. The point is that no other player in the world has transcended the soccer-society boundary in America since Pele. Just today, Soccer Insider remarked about the lack of soccer commercials in the United States and while this may be true, if you stick Beckham in there should not be a problem in terms of endorsing anything from his own men's fragrance to Gillette to Pizza Hut.
So what's at stake here? Clearly, MLS's visibility in the world stage, the quality of play, and most importantly, the attendance. Right now, a variety of usual suspects are weighing in on Beckham's ultimate decision: arguing for his impending exit are former Galaxy president Alexi Lalas, current teammate Kaka and even color commentator and former Tridnidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. Others, like former French national and Chelsea player Frank Leboeuf and the player's own spokesman have remarked that the England star will stay with the Galaxians. Ultimately, for me, I think at least one more season with the Galaxy should be considered. Now, with Bruce Arena at the helm, the Galaxy may have a shot at the playoffs and even at the title. What makes for a better ending than that? How about a game broadcast on national TV (ABC) of a final between the Galaxy and another foe (maybe Chicago) for ultimate MLS glory? So what are the pros and cons of keeping Beckham here?

Pros:

• Continuing international exposure of MLS
• New, marquee players joining the league
• International play in the Libertadores
• More media coverage
• More stadiums and causal fans

Cons:

• Beckham's future with England in peril
• Keeping Landon Donovan with the Galaxy (long shot, actually)
• Too much attention for just one team
• Beckham circus
• Continuing flood of maxed-out veteran stars into the league