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Family and the city help keep David Beckham with the LA Galaxy
The Galaxy officially presented Beckham in downtown Los Angeles Thursday, in a city which helped keep the Beckham family in MLS.
Jan 19, 2012 7:29:00 PM
By Zac Lee Rigg
LOS ANGELES – Fittingly, the LA Galaxy presented the recently re-signed David Beckham in the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, since the city played such an important role in bringing the English midfielder back to Major League Soccer.
Beckham had completed an initial five-year Galaxy contract and, after flirting with other teams as a free agent, announced Wednesday that he would return to the Galaxy for another two years.
“We've been happy here for the past five years,” Beckham said. “Why change something that works? The kids love living here, I love living here. Los Angeles has been amazing to us as a family.”
Beckham said that after winning the MLS Cup in 2011, he needed a break, physically and emotionally. But by New Year's Eve, over a glass of wine with wife Victoria in London, he made up his mind to return.
By the time he landed in California on Jan. 10, it was back home.
“He turned down the money to stay here because he felt so strongly about this city and the way they welcomed his family and the fact he has privacy here,” Tim Leiweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, investor/operator of the Galaxy, said. “That was a big deal for him.”
With four children already settled, Beckham indicated that especially the stability of the oldest, Brooklyn, 12, helped seal the decision.
“We had confidence he'd make a decision as a dad before he'd make a decision as a businessman,” Leiweke said.
The deal will keep the 36-year-old and his family settled for the next two years, even if Leiweke equivocated on the exact terms, suggesting it could be a one year plus mutual options for an additional year. Bruce Arena joked that if the organization had offered a 10-year deal Beckham still would have signed it.
“I just think it's reasonable to believe he has two good years left in his career,” Arena said.
Immediately the focus for Arena, Beckham and the rest of the Galaxy becomes retaining the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield. Leiweke even claimed Beckham is helping his coach with recruiting players.
"It's not unfinished business, it's just doing it again,” Beckham explained. “The business of winning a championship is over now. We've done that.
“The only way of it getting better is doing it again.”
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Beckham had completed an initial five-year Galaxy contract and, after flirting with other teams as a free agent, announced Wednesday that he would return to the Galaxy for another two years.
“We've been happy here for the past five years,” Beckham said. “Why change something that works? The kids love living here, I love living here. Los Angeles has been amazing to us as a family.”
Beckham said that after winning the MLS Cup in 2011, he needed a break, physically and emotionally. But by New Year's Eve, over a glass of wine with wife Victoria in London, he made up his mind to return.
By the time he landed in California on Jan. 10, it was back home. “He turned down the money to stay here because he felt so strongly about this city and the way they welcomed his family and the fact he has privacy here,” Tim Leiweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, investor/operator of the Galaxy, said. “That was a big deal for him.”
With four children already settled, Beckham indicated that especially the stability of the oldest, Brooklyn, 12, helped seal the decision.
“We had confidence he'd make a decision as a dad before he'd make a decision as a businessman,” Leiweke said.
The deal will keep the 36-year-old and his family settled for the next two years, even if Leiweke equivocated on the exact terms, suggesting it could be a one year plus mutual options for an additional year. Bruce Arena joked that if the organization had offered a 10-year deal Beckham still would have signed it.
“I just think it's reasonable to believe he has two good years left in his career,” Arena said.
Immediately the focus for Arena, Beckham and the rest of the Galaxy becomes retaining the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield. Leiweke even claimed Beckham is helping his coach with recruiting players.
"It's not unfinished business, it's just doing it again,” Beckham explained. “The business of winning a championship is over now. We've done that.
“The only way of it getting better is doing it again.”
Follow ZAC LEE RIGG on
or shoot him an email.
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