LA Galaxy

Capello’s first England squad

Well there were high hopes for David Beckham to join those hand full of players who have reached one hundred caps, but alas is was not to be, this time! But with all the choice from the premier league what else could the new England manager do. After all as good as Beckham is, he has not been playing much, in fact the only ball skills he has managed to do is playing with a small ball in Rio!

Well it’s make or break for the manager now, if they win he will great, lose and he will be hounded, here is the full squad.

The Full Squad

Goalkeepers

Carson (Aston Villa), James (Portsmouth), Kirkland (Wigan)

Defenders

Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester United), A Cole (Chelsea), C Davies (Aston Villa), Ferdinand (Manchester United) G Johnson (Portsmouth), King (Tottenham), Lescott (Everton), Richards (Manchester City), Shorey (Reading), Upson (West Ham), Woodgate (Tottenham)

Midfielders

Barry (Aston Villa), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Manchester United), J Cole (Chelsea), Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Manchester United), Jenas (Tottenham), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea)

Strikers

Young (Aston Villa); Agbonlahor (Aston Villa), Crouch (Liverpool), Heskey (Wigan), Owen (Newcastle), Rooney (Manchester United).

Source [ITV Football]

Beckham to Newcastle

This time of the year is sometimes called the “Silly Season” this does not relate to the actual season or the football that is being played, although in some cases it really should do, especially if you are an Arsenal fan.

But what this refers to is the transfer rumours that are running around in the media and the terraces, the favourite one this weeks has to be the fact that one David Beckham could soon become part of the newly hired Kevin Keegan’s squad, imagine Beckham and Owen both playing in the same team!

Well this may be a rumour but we have heard stranger stories, however the team owner is short of a few pounds as he has recently bought a £180 million stake in the sports clothing and footwear company Adidas, they make the Newcastle team kit and having a star like David Beckham as the face of Adidas would make perfect business sense, so maybe it is not such a silly season after all!!

Source [Telegraph]

David Beckham meets the Prime Minister

It seems that LA Galaxy and England football star had a secret meeting with the Prime Minister Gordon Brown last night and yet this would seem to be a bit of a U turn for the PM who has always stated that he disapproves of the celebrity culture that has gripped the UK over the past year. Yet there are not many people who stand out more as a celebrity than David Beckham.

He pulled into Downing St in his shiny black Bentley went into the Prime Ministers offices and was seen again for an hour or so. He had a little time to say a few words.

“He’s (Mr Brown) interested in sports and his football, you know he is very interested in doing a lot for my academy and also getting involved in schools around the country as well.

“He’s a very good man, you know he’s a man that’s looking after our country and he is doing a very good job. I’m very proud to be here tonight.”

It’s anyone’s guess what they actually talked about, but it’s interesting none the less.

Source [Daily Mail]

Beckham Honored with Award and Platform for National Campaign

David Beckham was honored by the Football Writers Association at a special dinner this weekend, which paid tribute to his achievements in soccer. Sven-Göran Eriksson, former England manager, gave a speech in support of David’s return to the England squad for his 100th cap under new manager Fabio Capello.

Though Beckham and the media have had at best a love-hate relationship over the span of his career, there is no doubting that he has provided countless headlines for football writers to seize. The evening was a “thank you” to Beckham from the press not only in the form of a meal and award, but in the form of a platform for positive opinions about his continued value to the English national team.

Despite age and injury, Beckham remains adamant that he will do everything within his power to remain fit and ready for England in the 2010 World Cup. He, and all his supporters, are hoping for his 100th cap during the England vs. Switzerland friendly this February. The fate of his century is in Fabio Capello’s hands, but the Beckham camp is doing everything it can to assure Capello that the star midfielder is still starting eleven material.

And if Beckham’s tenaciousness and dogged determination to play (occasionally at all costs), and his continued accurate service and set plays are any indication, he’ll be an asset. Critics insist that MLS will soften him and the prolonged break in the season has affected his fitness. He’s countering these claims by training with Arsenal, currently the top team in the EPL. Capello is well aware of Beckham’s skills, as he was manager of Real Madrid during the player’s tumultuous tenure there.

Despite the ups and downs of Beckham’s experience in Madrid, he has said he greatly respects Capello and looks forward to working with him. “He has been passionate about every team he has managed. His knowledge of football is one of the best - and he has the experience,” Beckham told Sky Sports. He and Capello are set to meet later this week at Arsenal to discuss the possibility of not only including him in the Switzerland match, but renaming him as England captain.

At the tribute dinner, confidence in Beckham’s ability to lead England to victory was clear. Eriksson said he would personally call Capello to discuss the matter if Beckham is omitted from the side. In an address to the gathering Beckham expressed his feelings and desires: “I have played 99 times so far. We’ll see. What I always want to be remembered for is that I have given my best in every game whether that’s for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy or England. Playing for my country has been the biggest honor of my career.”

Source:
Times Online
Daily Mail
ESPN

New Pan-Pacific Cup Planned for Galaxy, Beckham

MLS issued a press release yesterday revealing the league will partner with the Japanese J.League and Australian A-League in a Pan-Pacific cup in February, 2008. Four teams from the leagues will participate. J.League winner Gamba Osaka and an as-yet unknown A-League team will face MLS teams Houston Dynamo, current MLS champion, and LA Galaxy, a SuperLiga finalist.

The announcement comes on the heels of the A-League and MLS friendly between Sydney FC and LA Galaxy this week - a match which was, at times, decidedly unfriendly. A number of rough challenges and several verbal rows underscored that even with an ocean between them, the two leagues can ignite fierce competition. A-League fans have lashed out with particular venom at Galaxy player Kevin Harmse, who was sent off for two yellow card offenses, one of which was standing on the arm of an opposing player in supposed retaliation for a prior tackle on David Beckham.

Beckham emerged from the game as a fan favorite after scoring one of his famous free kicks and playing a lively 90 minutes before a crowd of over 80,000. The Galaxy continue their Australasian A-League tour with an exhibition match against Wellington Phoenix FC in New Zealand tonight.

The Pan-Pacific Championship will unite some of the biggest stars in American and Asian soccer. LA Galaxy feature a high-profile roster including Beckham and MLS all-star Landon Donovan. Gamba Osaka, this year’s Yamazaki Nabisco Cup winner, have Japanese soccer superstars Michihiro Yasuda and Yasuhito Endo.

The first of the two-day competition will begin on February 20th with two matches: Galaxy vs. Gamba Osaka and Dynamo vs. the Australian team. The day’s winners will compete for the cup on February 23rd; the losers will compete for third place on the same day.

The tournament will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dong Quinn, president of the event’s organizer Soccer United Marketing, said, “Honolulu was selected as the host not only for its geographical location in the center of the Pan-Pacific, but also for its community, its terrific infrastructure and its history of hosting top international sporting events.”

When questioned about the cup Beckham expressed his excitement and revealed he’s never visited Hawaii before. “It’s good for the team to start off our preseason playing against quality opposition,” he added. With the MLS break substantially longer than rests he’s experienced on European sides Beckham faces a long spell with no matches, something he openly rues. The Pan-Pacific cup is one step closer to populating the Galaxy’s off-season schedule. For a team whose horrible injury spell prevented them from playing together as a unit for most of their 2007 MLS season, every match is valuable practice for the year to come.