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Goal.commentary: Milan Move a Positive for MLS
It can't be fun for MLS to have the world speculate that the league is losing its big star, but ultimately a loan deal for David Beckham to Milan could be a blessing in disguise.
Oct 31, 2008 12:15:05 AM
By Andrea Canales
It seemed that Major League Soccer had finally been shown up as the girl who just wasn't pretty or rich enough to keep the interest of the most popular guy in school. David Beckham was going back to the glamorous European leagues, to the Italian vixen who was waiting to welcome him with open arms.
It certainly looked like everything was lined up for Beckham to make a triumphant return to a level of the sport where he would be respected. He would also be able to lean on the other players around him, far more than he ever could with his Los Angeles Galaxy teammates. Training and playing with the kind of team that England coach Fabio Capello would hold in high esteem, he was almost certain to keep his place with the England squad.
Meanwhile, Milan would reap the benefits of the lucrative attention that a Beckham signing would generate.
What wasn't clear was any benefit in the move for MLS and the Galaxy, other than the very real possibility that Beckham would injure himself while in Italy.
Now that the move is official, though, it seems that there are some definite positives in the deal.
First of all, while nothing is certain but death and taxes, it seems likely that Beckham will return in time to start the MLS season with the Galaxy. That's what his loan spells out, in a way that is reminiscent of Henrik Larsson's short spell with Manchester United last year. Thus, the Galaxy will not actually miss Beckham (barring injury) for more much more time than if he had decided to loaf away the offseason around the coast of Amalfi.
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena stressed this aspect when he spoke to reporters on the day the deal was officially confirmed.
"The most important aspect of this loan, in our view, is that he's going to be back for our games in March," Arena said.
Secondly, the Galaxy and MLS get to rebuild the Beckham brand as a draw without actually having to do hardly anything. The bloom is decidedly off the Beckham rose at this point in his MLS tenure. Missing the playoffs in 2001 because of an injury for much of the season was understandable. Galaxy fans were not so forgiving this year, when Beckham at times looked distracted and far more focused on his England career. The new fans that Beckham was attracting to MLS couldn't understand why he wasn't dominating this puny league. The Milan move injects a much-needed dose of glamour back to the Beckham brand. It also brings his play a new level of credibility. Much the way that Larsson's loan proved he still had quality, Beckham's fight to appear on the famed midfield of Milan will be seen as a far more valid standard than anything he accomplished with the Galaxy. Especially since those accomplishments haven't amounted to much. Yet now MLS doesn't even have to be in session to bask in the reflected glory of Beckham's possible return to glory.
"He wants to be in a good environment to be fit and what better environment can you have than to be with A.C. Milan?" Arena asked.
Finally, the Galaxy and A.C. Milan have entered into a technical partnership together. The Galaxy have had these sort of arrangements before, most notably with the Brazilian Club Sao Paulo FC and England's Chelsea F.C. I'm frankly a bit skeptical of their ultimate worth or importance, but such relationships do sometimes result in a player loan in one direction or another. It's more likely, though, that it will lead to an exhibition match of some kind or a training trip for one club to the other's home ground during the preseason. If it does lead to a game between the teams, that will at least result in some cash for the Galaxy.
"I can't tell you all the ways that we're going to benefit precisely from this, but we're happy to be working with a club of this stature," Arena said. "I plan to make a trip to Milan myself."
One thing that could botch any and all benefits for the MLS squad would be if Beckham picked up an injury while with Milan.
"It's critical that we start 2009 the right way and place an improved team on the field," said Arena. "In order to do that, we need to have David Beckham on the field."
Worst-case-scenario aside, if a fit and motivated Beckham plays well with Milan, more eyes will likely follow him back to MLS. If he returns to MLS having garnered more attention world-wide, that will ultimately be a boost to the league in general.
It seemed that Major League Soccer had finally been shown up as the girl who just wasn't pretty or rich enough to keep the interest of the most popular guy in school. David Beckham was going back to the glamorous European leagues, to the Italian vixen who was waiting to welcome him with open arms.
It certainly looked like everything was lined up for Beckham to make a triumphant return to a level of the sport where he would be respected. He would also be able to lean on the other players around him, far more than he ever could with his Los Angeles Galaxy teammates. Training and playing with the kind of team that England coach Fabio Capello would hold in high esteem, he was almost certain to keep his place with the England squad.
Meanwhile, Milan would reap the benefits of the lucrative attention that a Beckham signing would generate.
What wasn't clear was any benefit in the move for MLS and the Galaxy, other than the very real possibility that Beckham would injure himself while in Italy.
Now that the move is official, though, it seems that there are some definite positives in the deal.
First of all, while nothing is certain but death and taxes, it seems likely that Beckham will return in time to start the MLS season with the Galaxy. That's what his loan spells out, in a way that is reminiscent of Henrik Larsson's short spell with Manchester United last year. Thus, the Galaxy will not actually miss Beckham (barring injury) for more much more time than if he had decided to loaf away the offseason around the coast of Amalfi.
Galaxy coach Bruce Arena stressed this aspect when he spoke to reporters on the day the deal was officially confirmed.
"The most important aspect of this loan, in our view, is that he's going to be back for our games in March," Arena said.
Secondly, the Galaxy and MLS get to rebuild the Beckham brand as a draw without actually having to do hardly anything. The bloom is decidedly off the Beckham rose at this point in his MLS tenure. Missing the playoffs in 2001 because of an injury for much of the season was understandable. Galaxy fans were not so forgiving this year, when Beckham at times looked distracted and far more focused on his England career. The new fans that Beckham was attracting to MLS couldn't understand why he wasn't dominating this puny league. The Milan move injects a much-needed dose of glamour back to the Beckham brand. It also brings his play a new level of credibility. Much the way that Larsson's loan proved he still had quality, Beckham's fight to appear on the famed midfield of Milan will be seen as a far more valid standard than anything he accomplished with the Galaxy. Especially since those accomplishments haven't amounted to much. Yet now MLS doesn't even have to be in session to bask in the reflected glory of Beckham's possible return to glory.
"He wants to be in a good environment to be fit and what better environment can you have than to be with A.C. Milan?" Arena asked.
Finally, the Galaxy and A.C. Milan have entered into a technical partnership together. The Galaxy have had these sort of arrangements before, most notably with the Brazilian Club Sao Paulo FC and England's Chelsea F.C. I'm frankly a bit skeptical of their ultimate worth or importance, but such relationships do sometimes result in a player loan in one direction or another. It's more likely, though, that it will lead to an exhibition match of some kind or a training trip for one club to the other's home ground during the preseason. If it does lead to a game between the teams, that will at least result in some cash for the Galaxy.
"I can't tell you all the ways that we're going to benefit precisely from this, but we're happy to be working with a club of this stature," Arena said. "I plan to make a trip to Milan myself."
One thing that could botch any and all benefits for the MLS squad would be if Beckham picked up an injury while with Milan.
"It's critical that we start 2009 the right way and place an improved team on the field," said Arena. "In order to do that, we need to have David Beckham on the field."
Worst-case-scenario aside, if a fit and motivated Beckham plays well with Milan, more eyes will likely follow him back to MLS. If he returns to MLS having garnered more attention world-wide, that will ultimately be a boost to the league in general.
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